Donald Trump says an off-camera recording of him speaking in vulgar terms about trying to have sex with women was "locker room banter", adding "Bill Clinton has said far worse to me on the golf course".

Key points: Trump says recording is "locker room banter"

"Grab them by the p***y. You can do anything," he says on tape

Billy Bush says he was "very sorry" for his part in the recording

The video, released by The Washington Post, was recorded while Mr Trump was speaking with TV host Billy Bush during the taping of US entertainment show Access Hollywood in 2005.

The pair was about to tape a segment about a planned cameo appearance by Mr Trump on soap Days of Our Lives, The Post reported.

"This was locker room banter, a private conversation that took place many years ago," the Republican presidential candidate said in a statement released by his campaign

"Bill Clinton has said far worse to me on the golf course — [I'm] not even close.

"I apologise if anyone was offended."

Despite the apology, Republican Party figures have moved to condemn Mr Trump's comments, with some withdrawing their support for the party's nominee for president.

During the recording with Bush, Mr Trump bragged in detail about trying to pursue an unnamed married woman.

"I moved on her and I failed. I'll admit it," he is heard saying in the audio.

"I did try and f**k her. She was married.

"And I moved on her very heavily.

"In fact, I took her out furniture shopping. She wanted to get some furniture. I said, 'I'll show you where they have some nice furniture.'

"I moved on her like a bitch, but I couldn't get there. And she was married.

"Then all of a sudden I see her, she's now got the big phony tits and everything.

"She's totally changed her look."

Mr Trump then begins commenting on the appearance of a woman he has spotted.

The Washington Post reported that this woman appears to be Arianne Zucker, the actress who is waiting to escort them into the soap opera set.

"Your girl's hot as s**t, in the purple," says Bush, who is now a co-host of NBC's Today show.

"Whoa!" Mr Trump says.

"I've gotta use some Tic Tacs, just in case I start kissing her.

"You know I'm automatically attracted to beautiful — I just start kissing them.

"It's like a magnet. Just kiss. I don't even wait.

"And when you're a star they let you do it.

"You can do anything.

"Grab them by the p***y. You can do anything."

I was younger, less mature, and acted foolishly: Bush

At one point, Bush encourages Zucker to give Mr Trump a hug.

"How about a little hug for the Donald?" he said.

Bush said he was "embarrassed and ashamed" by his involvement in the recording.

"It's no excuse, but this happened eleven years ago — I was younger, less mature, and acted foolishly in playing along," the Today host said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter.

"I'm very sorry."

Bush worked on Access Hollywood between 2001 and 2016, before departing earlier this year for a spot on Today.

Mr Trump has faced repeated criticism for his comments about women, most recently involving his attacks on a former beauty queen with a vague and unsubstantiated allegation about a sex tape in Twitter posts that prompted Democratic rival Hillary Clinton to denounce him as "unhinged".

It was revealed this week that as a reality TV boss of The Apprentice, Mr Trump repeatedly demeaned women with sexist language, according to show insiders who said he rated female contestants by the size of their breasts and talked about which ones he would like to have sex with.

Speaker of the House 'sickened'

Speaker of the House Paul Ryan said he was "sickened" by the remarks, adding that Mr Trump would no longer be attending a Republican event in Wisconsin which they were due to appear at together.

"Women are to be championed and revered, not objectified. I hope Mr Trump treats this situation with the seriousness it deserves," Mr Ryan said in a statement.

Mr Trump later said in a statement that he would stay in New York "in debate prep" with Republican National Campaign chairman Reince Priebus, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and Senator Jeff Sessions before flying to St Louis on Sunday for the second presidential debate.

Former Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney has slammed Mr Trump for "condoning assault" and "hitting on married women".

"Such vile degradations demean our wives and daughters and corrupt America's face to the world," he said in a post.

Republican senator Mark Kirk called for Mr Trump to "drop out" as Utah Governor Gary Herbert — an early critic of Mr Trump who announced last month he would get his vote — said he was withdrawing his support.

The Republican governor tweeted that Mr Trump's statements "are beyond offense and despicable" and "while I cannot vote for Hillary Clinton, I will not vote for Trump".

A slew of other US politicians have also expressed their outrage on Twitter.

Reuters/ABC