Alicia Machado Speaks Out After Donald Trump's 'Sex Tape' Accusation

Alicia Machado refuses to stay quiet  about Donald Trump ’s latest personal attacks .

The former Miss Universe released a statement via her Instagram account on Friday after the GOP presidential nominee said she was “disgusting” and accused her of having a sex tape  in a series of tweets earlier in the day. 

“The Republican candidate and his campaign are, once again launching attacks, insults and are attempting to revive slanders and false accusations about my life, in order to humiliate, intimidate, and unbalance me,” Machado said in response to Trump’s remarks . “These attacks are cheap lies with bad intentions.”

The former Venezuelan beauty queen became a recent focal point of the election after Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton brought up Trump’s past treatment of Machado  during the first presidential debate. 

The former Miss Universe, who has vehemently endorsed Clinton, publicly denounced Trump in May  during an “Inside Edition” interview. Machado said the business man and then-owner of the pageant company had verbally abused her in comments about her weight after she won the 1996 Miss Universe competition at the age of 19. 

Last week, Trump doubled down on his comments over Machado’s weight during an interview with “Fox and Friends,” adding that she was “the worst [Miss Universe] we ever had. She was impossible.”

Machado noted Trump’s history of disrespecting women and minorities in her Instagram statement , saying it was one of “most frightful characteristics.” She then reiterated her support for Clinton. 

“Through his attacks, he’s attempting to distract from his campaign’s real problems and his inability to be the leader of this great country,” Machado wrote. “Therefore, I will continue to stand on my feet, sharing my story and my absolute support for Secretary Clinton, on behalf of all women my sisters, aunts, grandmothers, cousins, women within the community.”

Editor’s note: Donald Trump regularlyincitespolitical violence and is a