On October 7, 2016, The Washington Post published a video from 2005 showing Donald Trump and Access Hollywood host Billy Bush having a lewd conversation about women. The footage, recorded during Trump's appearance on Access Hollywood, captured him making explicit comments about his interactions with women, including the now-infamous phrase "grab 'em by the p***y."
The tape was recorded while Trump was preparing to film a cameo on the soap opera "Days of Our Lives." In the conversation with Bush, Trump described attempting to seduce a married woman and boasted about how his celebrity status allowed him to make aggressive sexual advances: "When you're a star, they let you do it. You can do anything."
The release of the tape, just weeks before the 2016 presidential election, created an immediate firestorm. Several prominent Republicans withdrew their endorsements of Trump, and there were calls for him to step down as the Republican nominee. House Speaker Paul Ryan announced he would no longer defend or campaign with Trump.
Trump initially responded with a brief statement describing the conversation as "locker room banter" and issued a rare video apology, saying "I said it, I was wrong, and I apologize." However, he also attempted to deflect attention by pointing to similar accusations against Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton's role in responding to those accusations.
The scandal's impact extended beyond Trump. Billy Bush was suspended and later fired from his role on NBC's "Today" show. The incident sparked widespread discussions about sexual harassment and assault, contributing to the growing momentum that would later fuel the #MeToo movement.
Despite predictions that the tape would end Trump's presidential campaign, he went on to win the election a month later. This resilience became a defining characteristic of Trump's political career, demonstrating his ability to survive scandals that would likely have ended the careers of traditional politicians.
In 2024, new details emerged about NBC's handling of the tape, including internal discussions about whether to release it and concerns about potential retaliation from Trump. Former executives revealed that the network had initially planned to edit out the most controversial comments but was preempted by the Washington Post's publication.
The Access Hollywood tape remains a pivotal moment in American political history, marking a shift in public discourse about acceptable behavior from political figures and raising questions about the relationship between personal conduct and fitness for office. Its impact continues to resonate in discussions about political accountability and public morality.