RNC Chair Reince Priebus condemns Trump for obscene comments about women in 2005 video

Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus listens to a question during an interview in Washington May 6, 2016.REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus listens to a question during an interview in Washington May 6, 2016.REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

(Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus speaks in WashingtonThomson Reuters)

The chair of the Republican National Committee on Friday issued an extraordinary rebuke of its party's presidential nominee 31 days before the election, after a 2005 video surfaced of Donald Trump making vulgar comments about women.

"No woman should ever be described in these terms or talked about in this manner. Ever," RNC Chairman Reince Priebus said in a statement.

In the video, published by The Washington Post on Friday, Trump discussed trying to "f---" a married woman and wanting to kiss an actress he was about to appear with on "Days of Our Lives."

"And when you're a star they let you do it," Trump continued. "You can do anything. ... Grab them by the p---y. You can do anything."

He had married his third wife, Melania, months before the incident.

A number of other prominent Republicans also denounced Trump for the video.

"Hitting on married women? Condoning assault?" tweeted Mitt Romney, the GOP's previous presidential nominee and former governor of Massachussetts. "Such vile degradations demean our wives and daughters and corrupt America's face to the world."

Ohio Gov. John Kasich, who ran against Trump in the GOP primary, said the video was "indefensible."

"America deserves far better than@realDonaldTrump," Sen. Jeff Flake of Arizona posted to Twitter.

And Sen. Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire, who has said she'll vote for Trump but won't endorse him, called the comments "totally inappropriate and offensive."

Earlier in the week, Ayotte said she would call Trump a "role model" during a debate, and then later said she "misspoke." Priebus defended Trump at the time, declaring he was a role model.

Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, who also faced Trump in the GOP primary, called his comments "reprehensible."

Bush's cousin, Billy Bush, appeared in the video with Trump, and also made inappropriate comments. He apologized for his behavior, saying he was "younger, less mature, and acted foolishly in playing along."