Donald Trump 'is not racist - he says silly things because he gets confused' claims ex-wife Ivana

Donald Trump's ex-wife Ivana has said that the US president is "not racist" after he referred to African nations as "shithole countries".

Ivana Trump, 68, told Good Morning Britain that her ex-husband "definitely is not racist" but "sometimes says things that are silly" because he is confused by the different advice he receives. She was responding to criticism about her former husband's recent controversial remarks.

The US president was accused of using "hate-filled, vile and racist" language in the Oval Office after reports emerged he had attacked immigrants coming from "shithole countries", such as El Salvador, Haiti and African nations.

On Sunday night (14 January), the president denied that he made racist slurs about Haiti and African countries. "I am not a racist," he told reporters. "I'm the least racist person you have ever interviewed."

"I don't think Donald is racist at all. Sometimes he says things which are silly and he does not really mean them but he definitely is not racist," Ivana Trump said on Monday (15 January). "He has so many people telling him left and right what to say, what not to say, and maybe it gets confusing."

She agreed with Trump's description of himself as a "stable genius", telling hosts Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid: "He is a stable genius, definitely."

"He's very stable, very focused, very organised and when he sets his goal on something, he does it," she said.

When asked about Trump's controversial comments about women, Ivana said that he treated her "fantastic" when they were married.

"Donald was always polite, always outspoken, always providing. I never had a problem," she said, dismissing allegations that Trump had raped her.

"He never touched me badly," she said. "[There was] no screaming or slamming the doors...it was just question of the money."

She said she still speaks to Trump regularly "about the kids, about holidays and birthdays."

"If it would be me in Melania's place I would not really like that my ex-wife was calling my husband," she added.