News

Trump apologizes for vulgar talk about women in 2005 recording

WASHINGTON — Donald Trump issued a rare apology on Friday after a 2005 video surfaced, showing him making lewd, sexually charged comments about women.

Trump issued the statement after The Washington Post released the video of Trump caught on a hot mic while talking with Billy Bush of "Access Hollywood."

The Republican nominee said, "I apologize if anyone was offended"  and called it "locker room banter."

WARNING: The video below contains vulgar language that some may find offensive.

Trump did not know his mic was still hot when he made the comments 11 years ago as he talked about a failed attempt to seduce a woman.

Trump is heard saying he "did try and f--- her," referring to an unknown woman. He also used graphic terms to describe the woman's body and said he frequently tried to kiss beautiful women. He said that "when you're a star they let you do it" and said: "You can do anything."

Trump has a long history of making crude comments about women. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton took to Twitter to respond to the newly surfaced video, tweeting: "This is horrific. We cannot allow this man to become president."

Clinton has said that Trump has shown a lack of respect for women, noting during the first presidential debate that he insulted a former Miss Universe. She has said it's a reason why he's unfit to be president.

The comments made in 2005 set off a firestorm on both sides of the aisle. Republican Sen. Pat Toomey said, "Donald Trump's comments were outrageous and unacceptable."

Trump said it was a private conversation and that Bill Clinton has said far worse things to him on the golf course. Late Friday, Trump posted a video apology online.

Trump is slated to be at Ambridge High School on Monday.

"Even when he knows he's being recorded, he can be really disrespectful to women," Lorraine Wawrykow, of Ambridge, said.

Channel 11 News reached out to the mayor of Ambridge and a spokesperson for Trump's campaign in Pennsylvania, but those calls were not immediately returned as of Friday night.

------

The Associated Press contributed to this report.