Today, video surfaced of Donald Trump using vulgar language to discuss women, at one point remarking that because he’s a star, women let him grab them “by the pussy.” “You can do anything,” he added. For those who didn’t think Donald Trump’s problems with women could get any worse: October surprise.
The video, obtained by the Washington Post’s David Fahrenthold, was recorded in 2005 while the then-Apprentice star was shooting a segment with Access Hollywood’s Billy Bush. The two were arriving on the set of Days Of Our Lives for a segment about Trump’s cameo on the show.
Trump, Bush, and a group of unidentified men laugh at Trump’s story of attempting to seduce a married woman—in Trump’s words, “like a bitch”—further remarking on the woman’s “big phony tits.” Once the bus is parked, all of the men but Bush and Trump exit. When the two are alone, Trump, taken by the appearance of Arianne Zucker, tells Bush he was going to use a breath mint “in case (he) start(s) kissing her.” Trump further describes his propensity to kiss attractive women without their consent, because “when you’re a star, they let you do it.”
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Here’s a full transcript of the damning part of the recording, captured when Trump was not on camera but was mic’ed up.
Unknown male: She used to be great. She’s still very beautiful.
Trump: You know I moved on her actually. You know she was down on Palm Beach. I moved on her and I failed. I’ll admit it. I did try and fuck her. She was married.
Unknown male: That’s huge news.
Trump: No, no, Nancy. No this was—and I moved on her very heavily, in fact, I took her out furniture shopping. She wanted to get some furniture, I said, ‘I’ll show you where they have some nice furniture.’
(Unknown male laughter)
Trump: I took her out furniture. I moved on her like a bitch, but I couldn’t get there, and she was married. Then all of a sudden I see her, she’s now got the big phony tits and everything. She’s totally changed her look.
Billy Bush: Sheesh, your girl’s hot as shit. In the purple.
Various men: Whoa! Whoa! Yes! Whoa!
Bush: Yes! The Donald has scored. Whoa, my man!
(Unknown male crosstalk)
Trump: Look at you. You are a pussy.
(Men exit bus; Trump and Bush remain)
Trump: Maybe it’s a different one.
Bush: It better not be the publicist. No, it’s her. It’s—
Trump: Yeah, that’s her. With the gold. I better use some Tic Tacs just in case I start kissing her. You know I’m automatically attracted to beautiful—I just start kissing them. It’s like a magnet. Just kiss. I don’t even wait. And when you’re a star, they let you do it. You can do anything.
Bush: Whatever you want.
Trump: Grab them by the pussy. You can do anything.
Bush: Yeah those legs, all I can see is the legs.
Trump: Oh, it looks good.
Bush: Come on, shorty.
Trump: Oh, nice legs, huh?
Bush: Oof, get out of the way, honey. Oh, that’s good legs. Go ahead.
Donald Trump then makes a joke about Gerald Ford falling down, and Bush and Trump exit the bus together.
The remainder of the clip features the then-future Republican presidential nominee walking arm in arm with Zucker through the soap opera set.
The Trump camp has waved away criticism over the video, releasing a statement by the candidate that reads, “This was locker room banter, a private conversation that took place many years ago. Bill Clinton has said far worse to me on the golf course—not even close. I apologize if anyone was offended.”
Hillary Clinton tweeted called the audio "horrific" on Twitter.
Clinton's running mate, Tim Kaine, said the audio made him "sick to his stomach."
Mike Pence, Trump's choice for vice president, was reportedly whisked away from the public by security when the news broke.
Former employees of The Apprentice told the Associated Press on Monday that Trump made sexist remarks about the cast and crew members, even comparing them to his daughter, Ivanka.
"We were in the boardroom one time figuring out who to blame for the task, and he just stopped in the middle and pointed to someone and said, 'You'd f... her, wouldn't you? I'd f... her. C'mon, wouldn't you?'" a crew member said. "Everyone is trying to make him stop talking, and the woman is shrinking in her seat."
Former Apprentice winner Randal Pinkett told The Daily Beast that a person who bristled at Trump asking male contestants those questions would likely be eliminated from the show.
“Donald is born out of a privileged male experience,” Pinkett said. “Donald, as a function of his experience and his mindset, believes that men and women aren’t completely equal. ‘As a privileged male, I’m smarter, I’m more powerful, I’m more influential.’”
Even when Trump knew he was being recorded, it didn't stop him from making lewd remarks about women. For example, in a 2003 conversation with Howard Stern, Trump ogled one of Stern’s interns on the air, made comments about Jennifer Lopez’s “ass,” and more.
Trump's first wife, Ivana, said in a 1990 divorce proceeding that Trump made her “feel violated” during sex, once describing it to a friend as "rape." The incident reportedly saw Trump hold back Ivanka's arms, tear out her hair, and penetrate her. Trump’s attorney, Michael Cohen, told The Daily Beast last year, “You cannot rape your spouse.” New York’s martial rape exemption was struck down in 1984, before the alleged assault.
