Former Playboy model Karen McDougal, who claimed Trump affair, sues Fox News

Karen McDougal, a former Playboy model who claimed to have an affair with Donald Trump, has filed a lawsuit against a TV channel for allowing one of its anchors of levelling "demonstrably false" allegations against her.

McDougal had claimed that she had an affair with Trump before he became the president of the United States.

Local media reported that the former model approached New York state court on Thursday against Fox News for allowing its host Tucker Carlson to make accusations against her.

Her attorney, Eric Bernstein, said the host and the TV channel were "grossly irresponsible and manifested a reckless disregard for truth".

Carlson had claimed in December 2018 segment that Karen McDougal extorted Trump for a payment of $150,000 in August 2016.

He went on to show what he called "undisputed" facts about two women, McDougal and Stormy Daniels, who had "approached Trump and threatened to ruin his career and humiliate his family if he doesn't give them money."

The host called the situation "like a classic case of extortion."

Instead, Bernstein explained, the payment had come from American Media Inc. (AMI), the owner of the National Enquirer, to suppress a story about her affair with Trump, before the 2016 election.