Washington (AFP) - Donald Trump's wife on Saturday blasted lewd remarks about groping women shortly after he married her in 2005 as "unacceptable and offensive," but urged the public to accept his apology.

"The words my husband used are unacceptable and offensive to me. This does not represent the man that I know," Melania Trump said in a statement.

"He has the heart and mind of a leader. I hope people will accept his apology, as I have, and focus on the important issues facing our nation and the world."