Donald Trump issues a public apology over comments about women in 2005 video

DONALD Trump has issued a stilted, prerecorded video apology over his lewd comments about women, which many have likened to a hostage video.

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has apologised after an old video of him making derogatory comments about women has surfaced. Picture: Evan Vucci/AP

DONALD Trump has issued a public apology for a 2005 video in which he admitted to groping and forcing himself on women.

But it appears many have not bought the stilted, prerecorded statement, with it being widely likened on social media to a hostage video.

Trump's apology seemed like a ransom video from a hostage with a gun to his head

— Laura Stampler (@laurastampler) October 8, 2016

Donald Trump. BLINK IF YOURE BEING HELD HOSTAGE TO MAKE THAT VIDEO.

— giada viscardi (@msgiadaviscardi) October 8, 2016

Trump was forced to make the apology following the emergence of a video in which, among a litany of sexual assault admissions, he said his star status enabled him to do anything to women, including, grabbing “them by the p***y”.

The rare admission of wrongdoing from the billionaire businessman began with Trump admitting he was not “a perfect person” and ended with him threatening to make more of Bill Clinton’s infidelities, ahead of the second presidential candidates debate with Hillary Clinton on Monday, Australian time.

“I never said I was a perfect person, nor pretended to be someone that I’m not,” he said.

“I’ve said and done things I regret and the words released today on this more than a decade old video are one of them.

“Anyone who knows me knows these words don’t reflect who I am.

“I said it, I was wrong and I apologise.”

Trump apologises, but not many people are buying it.

Earlier, he compared the remarks to “locker room banter”.

In the 2005 video, filmed not long after his marriage to third wife Melania, Trump is also heard to say he tried unsuccessfully to woo a married woman for sex.

In the apology video, he attempted to paint himself as more of a friend to women than Mrs Clinton, saying, “anyone who knows me knows these words don’t reflect who I am.”

He said Bill Clinton’s well publicised affairs would form much of his attack on his presidential opponent in the coming days.

“Bill Clinton has actually abused women and Hillary has bullied, attacked, shamed and intimidated his victims,” he said.

“We will discuss this more in the coming days.

“See you at the debate on Sunday.”

The emergence of the 2005 footage prompted widespread public condemnation, with high profile Republicans rushing to join Democrats and the wider public in condemning the presidential hopeful.

Powerful members of Trump’s party publicly distanced themselves from their presidential candidate, condemning his misogyny.

House Speaker Paul Ryan, the country’s top elected Republican official, said he was “sickened” by the lewd comments and publicly uninvited him from a political event in Wisconsin.

Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, Trump’s one-time rival for the republican presidential nomination, echoed widely-expressed sentiments that no apology could excuse his behaviour.

As the grandfather of two precious girls, I find that no apology can excuse away Donald Trump's reprehensible comments degrading women.

— Jeb Bush (@JebBush) October 7, 2016

Other members of the party have publicly declared they cannot vote for him.

Donald Trump's statements are beyond offensive & despicable. While I cannot vote for Hillary Clinton, I will not vote for Trump. #utpol

— Gary R. Herbert (@HerbertForUtah) October 8, 2016

The video, obtained by The Washington Post, shows Trump talking off-camera with US radio and TV host Billy Bush during the taping of a segment for Access Hollywood, a popular American entertainment show.

The two men discuss Trump’s attempts to woo a married woman and Trump also brags about how he “can do anything” to women.

“You know I’m automatically attracted to beautiful [women] ... I just start kissing them. It’s like a magnet. Just kiss. I don’t even wait,” Trump said.

“And when you’re a star they let you do it. You can do anything. Grab them by the p***y. You can do anything.”

Earlier in the video, he details his attempts to try and sleep with a married woman.

“You know I moved on her actually ... I moved on her and I failed. I’ll admit it. I did try and f**k her. She was married.”

American TV host Billy Bush (L) and Donald Trump in the 2005 footage. Picture: The Washington Post

Trump and Bush with Days Of Our Lives actor Arianne Zucker. Picture: The Washington Post

He continues: “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.

“I took her out furniture ... I moved on her like a b***h, 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.”

Trump has now issued a statement apologising for his comments.

“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,” the statement said. “I apologise if anyone was offended.”

But for high-ranking members of his party, the apology was not enough.

They rushed to join Democrats in publicly condemning the man who wants to be president.

Hitting on married women? Condoning assault? Such vile degradations demean our wives and daughters and corrupt America's face to the world.

— Mitt Romney (@MittRomney) October 8, 2016

These comments are disturbing and inappropriate, there is simply no excuse for them.

— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) October 8, 2016

Mr Ryan released a statement publicly uninviting Trump from the Republican Fall Fest in the town of Elkhorn that Trump had been scheduled to attend with Ryan and other top Republican elected officials from the state on Saturday.

“I am sickened by what I heard today. Women are to be championed and revered, not objectified. I hope Mr. Trump treats this situation with the seriousness it deserves and works to demonstrate to the country that he has greater respect for women than this clip suggests,” Mr Ryan said.

“In the meantime, he is no longer attending tomorrow’s event in Wisconsin.”

In an interview with Las Vegas television station KSNV-TV, Trump said his comments were made for “entertainment”.

“A lot of that was done for the purpose of entertainment. There’s nobody that has more respect for women than I do,” he told the station.

“Are you trying to tone it down now?” asked interviewer Jim Snyder.

“It’s not a question of trying, it’s very easy,” said Trump.

Hillary Clinton has condemned Trump’s comments as “horrific”, saying on Twitter, “We cannot allow this man to become president”.

This is horrific. We cannot allow this man to become president. https://t.co/RwhW7yeFI2

— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) October 7, 2016

Trump has recently opened up a new line of attack against Hillary Clinton — her marriage to former President Bill Clinton and his infidelities — despite Trump himself having a very public affair with his eventual second wife Marla Maples, while still married to his first wife Ivana Trump.

“Hillary Clinton was married to the single greatest abuser of women in the history of politics,” Trump told the New York Times in a recent interview.

“Hillary was an enabler, and she attacked the women who Bill Clinton mistreated afterwards. I think it’s a serious problem for them, and it’s something that I’m considering talking about more in the near future.”

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks at a town hall forum earlier this week. Picture: Robert F. Bukaty/AP

Here is the full transcript of the three-minute video, which can be viewed in full here.

Trump: “You know and I moved on her actually. You know she was down on Palm Beach.”

Unknown: “She used to be great. She’s still very beautiful.”

Trump: “I moved on her and I failed. I’ll admit it. I did try and f**k her. She was married.”

Unknown: “That’s huge news.”

Trump: “No, no. Nancy. No this was ...”

Trump: “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.’”

Trump: “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.”

Bush: “Sheesh, your girl’s hot as s**t. In the purple. Whoa, the Donald is good! Whoa, my man!”

Trump: “Look at you. You are a p***y.”

Trump: “Maybe it’s a different one.”

Bush: “It better not be the publicist. No, it’s her. It’s her.”

Trump: “Yeah, that’s her, with the gold.”

Trump: “I’ve gotta 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.”

Unknown, but apparently Bush: “Whatever you want.”

Trump: “Grab them by the p***y. You can do anything.”

Trump: “Oh, nice legs, huh?”

Bush: “Oof, get out of the way, honey. Oh, that’s good legs. Go ahead.”

Trump: “It’s always good if you don’t fall out of the bus. Like Ford. Gerald Ford, remember?”

Bush: “Down below. Pull the handle.”

Trump: “Hello. How are you? Hi.”

Days Of Our Lives star Arianne Zucker: “Hi Mr. Trump. How are you? Pleasure to meet you.”

Trump: “Nice Seeing you. Terrific, terrific. You know Billy Bush?”

Bush: “Hello, nice to see you. How you doing, Arianne?”

Zucker: “I’m doing very well, thank you. [To Trump] Are you ready to be a soap star?”

Trump: “We’re ready. Let’s go. Make me a soap star.”

Bush: “How about a little hug for the Donald? He just got off the bus.”

Zucker: “Would you like a little hug, darling?”

Trump: “Absolutely. Melanin said this was OK.”

Bush: “How about a little hug for the Bushy? I just got off the bus. Here we go. Excellent. Well, you’ve got a nice co-star here.”

Trump: “Good. After you.”

Trump: “Come on, Billy, don’t be shy.”

Bush: “As soon as a beautiful woman shows up, he just takes off. This always happens.”

Zucker: “I’m sorry. Come here.”

Bush: “Let the little guy in here, come on.”

Zucker: “Yeah, let the little guy in. How you feel now? Better? I should actually be in the middle.”

Bush: “It’s hard to walk next to a guy like this. Yeah, you get in the middle. There we go.”

Trump: “Good. That’s better.”

Zucker: “This is much better. This is —”

Trump: “That’s better.”

Bush: “Now if you had to choose, honestly, between one of us: me or the Donald?”

Trump: “I don’t know, that’s some tough competition.”

Bush: “Seriously, you had to take one of us as a date.”

Zucker: “I’ll have to take the fifth on that one.”

Bush: “Really?”

Zucker: “Yup. I’ll take you both.”

Trump: “Which way?”

Zucker: “Make a right. Here we go.”

Bush: “Here he goes. I’m gonna leave you here. Give me my microphone.”

Trump: “OK. OK. Oh, you’re finished?”

Bush: “You’re my man. Yeah.”

Trump: “Oh, good.”