Fact check: How did Trump respond to the Access Hollywood tape controversy?

1. Summary of the results

Based on the analyses, Donald Trump's response to the Access Hollywood tape controversy was multi-faceted and evolved over time. Initially, Trump issued an apology, stating "these words don't reflect who I am... I apologize" ^[1]. However, this apology was questioned by some for its sincerity ^[2].

Trump's primary defense strategy was to characterize his comments as "locker room talk" ^[3]. During the second presidential debate following the tape's release, Trump attempted to deflect attention by bringing up Bill Clinton's past behavior ^[4]. The controversy had significant impact on Trump's 2016 presidential campaign, with various individuals and groups reacting strongly to the revelations ^{[4] [1]}.

In more recent years, Trump has continued to defend his Access Hollywood comments, warning Biden to "be very careful" and maintaining his controversial stance on the issue ^[3]. In a deposition related to a lawsuit about the tape, Trump defended his comments by stating that "historically, that's true with stars" and implied that his celebrity status allowed him to behave in certain ways ^[5].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The original question lacks several important contextual elements:

• Billy Bush's involvement and the aftermath for him personally - the analyses mention Bush's role but the question doesn't address how the controversy affected other parties involved ^[6]
• The timeline and evolution of Trump's response - Trump's stance shifted from initial apology to continued defense over the years, which shows a pattern of behavior rather than a single response ^[3]
• The broader political implications - the controversy occurred during a presidential campaign and had significant impact on the 2016 election dynamics, affecting not just Trump but the entire political landscape ^{[4] [1]}
• Fact-checking perspective - there was actual debate about whether Trump had apologized at all, with Bernie Sanders claiming Trump never apologized, which was later fact-checked and found to be incorrect ^[2]

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question itself appears neutral and factual, simply asking about Trump's response without making claims. However, the framing could be considered incomplete as it treats the response as a single event rather than an ongoing pattern of behavior that has continued for years.

The question doesn't acknowledge that Trump has repeatedly returned to defend these comments, which suggests the "response" is not a historical event but an ongoing position. This could lead to incomplete understanding if someone expects a simple, one-time response rather than recognizing Trump's continued defense and even bragging about winning the election despite the scandal ^[3].