Donald Trump’s ability to win the presidency in 2016 despite the release of the “Access Hollywood” tape, in which he makes lewd remarks about women, is seen as defying political gravity. Although many Republicans called on him to drop out of the race at the time, Trump not only survived the scandal but also went on to win the Republican presidential nomination for a third time in 2020, despite losing the election and attempting to overturn the results.
The impact of the “Access Hollywood” tape on Trump’s campaign is revisited in light of his hush money criminal trial in New York. Former close aide Hope Hicks testified about the impact of the tape’s release on the campaign and the awkwardness of reading a transcript of the tape to Trump. The tape, in which Trump brags about being able to grope women, set off a seismic event in the 2016 campaign when it was leaked a month before Election Day.
Many Republicans who are now staunch supporters of Trump, including Sen. Mike Lee and former House Speaker Paul Ryan, called for him to resign in 2016 following the release of the tape. Even Trump’s wife, Melania, expressed her disgust with the remarks, although she later dismissed them as “boy talk.” Trump issued a rare apology in a video posted on Twitter, admitting that he said the words on the tape but refusing to drop out of the race.
In addition to the impact on the 2016 campaign, the “Access Hollywood” tape is now central to the prosecutors’ case against Trump in his hush money trial. The allegation is that Trump and his former fixer Michael Cohen paid off adult-film star Stormy Daniels to influence the election, leading to Cohen serving time in prison for violating campaign finance laws. Trump is accused of falsifying business records related to the reimbursement of Cohen after the election.
The release of the tape also sheds light on the unexpected twists and turns of the 2016 election, including Hillary Clinton facing her own challenges such as the email scandal and the FBI’s investigation. Despite losing the popular vote, Trump managed to win the presidency, surprising even himself. The tape remains a point of contention, with Trump questioning whether it was his voice and trying to reinterpret the words in recent interviews. The tape continues to haunt Trump and serve as a reminder of the controversies surrounding his presidency.
