US Republican presidential front runner Donald Trump has blamed Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton of starting a war of words by calling him sexist as he accused her husband, former President Bill Clinton, to be "one of the great abusers of the world."
Trump again invoked the ex-president's alleged extramarital affairs and accused Bill of engaging in "tremendous abuse" of women.
"And (Hillary) wants to accuse me of things. And the husband is one of the great abusers of the world. Give me a break. Give me a break. Give me a break," Trump said, during an election campaign event in South Carolina.
Trump, 69, who is leading the Republican presidential race, had launched another scathing attack against Clinton, 68, top Democratic presidential candidate, and her husband.
Dismissing Hillary's accusation that Trump himself engaged in sexism, the real estate magnate said: "She came out saying (Trump) has a 'penchant for sexism'… now she is playing with that card. I had no choice, but I had to mention her husband's situation," Trump said.
A day earlier, Trump told reporters that he would be raising Clinton's past during the election campaign.
"Hillary brought up the whole thing with (calling Trump) sexist," he said.
"She's got a major problem (that) happens to be right in her own house. We'll go after the ex-president…it'll come out well for us," he said, referring to the comments made by the Democratic presidential candidate earlier.
"You have to hit back hard, and you can't let them push you around," Trump told about 2,000 cheering supporters.
Trump alleged that it was Hillary who first started this rivalry.
"You know, in the debate I was mentioned nine times, I mean everything. All of them. But her. I was mentioned nine times, none of the other candidates were mentioned. And then she came out with the sexism, which is so nonsense. But she's playing that card," he alleged.
Meanwhile, Bill in an email asked his supporters to raise money for his wife Hillary.
"I've known Hillary for over 40 years. She is smart as a whip, tenacious, dedicated, and more qualified than anyone else to protect and build on the progress President Obama's made," he wrote in an email.
