He’s sticking around. Donald Trump said in an interview Saturday, October 8, that he will not withdraw from the 2016 presidential race despite criticism over lewd comments he made about women in a newly surfaced video from 2005.
“I’d never withdraw. I’ve never withdrawn in my life,” the Republican presidential candidate, 70, told The Washington Post in a phone call on Saturday morning. “No, I’m not quitting this race. I have tremendous support.”
As Us Weekly previously reported, several leading GOP politicians abandoned Trump after he was caught on a hot microphone bragging about kissing, groping and trying to have sex with women, during a 2005 chat with former Access Hollywood host Billy Bush. “When you’re a star, they let you do it,” the real estate mogul said in the video, which was released on Friday, October 7. “You can do anything. Grab them by the p–sy.”
After the clip leaked online, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Paul Ryan said he was “sickened” by the audio, noting that “women are to be championed and revered, not objectified.” Utah Congressman Jason Chaffetz echoed similar statements, saying, “I can no longer in good conscience endorse this person for president. It is some of the most abhorrent and offensive comments that you can possibly imagine.” And Trump’s running mate, Mike Pence, released a statement on Saturday afternoon saying he was “offended” by the comments.
Trump, however, says he’s staying positive. “They’re not going to make me quit, and they can’t make me quit,” he told The Washington Post. “The Republicans, you’ve got to remember, have been running for a long time. The reason they don’t win is because they don’t stick together.”
The former Celebrity Apprentice host also claimed he’s received “thousands and thousands” of letters and emails from supporters backing him after the vulgar video was released Friday. “You have no idea what it’s like. So many people,” he told the Post. “Everyone said, ‘It’s over, it’s over.’ The people didn’t say that, but the reporters said that.”
Asked once again if he plans on dropping out of the race, Trump said, “Zero chance. I’ve never quit in my life. … I can give you my word that I’m never leaving.”