It is being reported that NBC had been holding the tape to try and influence the election because some executives 'disdain' Trump

Trump also reportedly offered to 'help' Bush after the tape was released but he refused that offer

Bush is reported to have bragged about the tape back in August while in Rio covering the Olympic Games for NBC

has also reportedly launched an investigation to find out who knew about the damning audio

Billy Bush may be preparing himself to go to war with NBC.

Page Six reports that the Today anchor is possibly looking to sue the network after someone inside the organization leaked a tape that featured him making lewd comments with Donald Trump to The Washington Post last week.

Trump himself also reportedly offered Bush some 'help' with his situation, but he declined the offer.

NBC meanwhile has launched an internal investigation to find out who knew about the audio and may be responsible for the leak.

According to TMZ, NBC had been sitting on the tape in hopes of releasing it before the second debate on Sunday to have the biggest possible impact on the election.

Many executives at the network have an 'open disdain' for Trump according to the report.

That plan was changed however with Hurricane Matthew and the tape release was pushed back to Monday, a move that reportedly made at least one individual inside the organization so angry that they decided to leak the audio to The Washington Post.

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Fighting back: Billy Bush (above in November 2015) may sue NBC for leaking his 2005 interview with Donald Trump that featured him making lewd comments about women

End of the road: The tape has resulted in NBC making the decision to ax Bush from his role as the anchor of the third hour of Today according to multiple sources (Natalie Morales, Bush and Al Roker in Rio above)

No thanks: Trump (above on Tuesday) reportedly offered to 'help' Bush after the tape was released but he refused that offer

Bush is set to exit Today just two months after he took over as the anchor of the show's third hour according to multiple sources who spoke with CNN Money.

Details of his contract with NBC are not known, but it is reportedly in the seven-figure range.

A source at NBC told DailyMail.com that the network at no point tried to edit Bush out of the damning tape, despite reports to the contrary that have emerged over the past few days.

TMZ is reporting meanwhile that Bush frequently made comments about women on the set of Access Hollywood, and was never once reprimanded by anyone at NBC.

The 44-year-old anchor was said to be particularly impressed by the legs of Gigi Hadid and Taylor Swift.

In the tape, Bush can be heard calling actress Arianne Zucker, who was then on Days of Our Lives, a 'hot piece of a**,' and also saying nothing while Trump goes on and his co-host Nancy O'Dell.

'I did try and f*** her. She was married,' Trump tells Bush on the tapes, the transcript of which was first published by The Washington Post on Friday.

'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."'

Trump went on to say: '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.'

Bush later apologized, but according to one insider that was not enough for the network.

'What is stunning is how self-important Billy is. He bragged about this in Rio and many people believe Access Hollywood management knew about this for much longer than they are saying and they were protecting Billy while not doing the right thing and informing NBC News,' the source told DailyMail.com.

That individual went to to say that Bush was 'never a fit' for the program.

'What angers a lot of people is that before Billy even started on the show, he was trying to position himself as the heir to Matt, but he’s not even close to being in Matt’s league. Billy is a presenter, not a journalist and NBC was never going to let that happen,' said the source.

Looking into it: NBC reportedly launched an investigation to find out who knew about the damning audio (Tamron Hall, Bush and Roker above)

Timing: NBC had been preparing to air the tape on Access Hollywood when they were scooped by The Washington Post following an internal leak (Bush and Hoda Kotb above)

Bad choice: Bush is reported to have bragged about the tape back in August while in Rio covering the Olympic Games for NBC (Bush and Matt Lauer above)

That being said, Bush did manage to secure the network's biggest interview during the Olympic Games in Rio when he ran into Ryan Lochte on the beach.

He recorded the Olympian on his iPhone as he recounted being robbed just hours earlier at a gas station.

And while the swimmer's tale of being robbed at gunpoint ended up being false, it did provide great ratings for the network.

Bush was not however allowed to do any of the subsequent interviews with Lochte. That honor instead went to Matt Lauer.

The other problem according to the source is Bush's behavior over the past few days.

'When Brian Williams was suspended no one saw him, he kept a low profile. Yet Billy is out in public in rolled up sweat pants and flip flops looking like he just rolled out of bed. Not the image of professionalism that viewers expect of a Today Show anchor,' said the individual.

'If I had a message for Billy, it would be, stop swanning around LA and go volunteer at a shelter for women and children to show you are truly sorry.'

The source added: 'The rumor internally is that management are worried that if Billy goes back on the air, there may be something else that he has done that they aren’t aware of that could come out and really damage the show.'

Bush is said to have broken down in tears after the audio of him making lewd comments about women was released this past Friday.

A source told US Weekly that he quickly grew nervous that the tape would lead to him being fired from his new job.

'Billy was devastated and crying when the leaked tape of him with Donald Trump in 2005 was first leaked to The Washington Post,' said the source.

'He was crying that his career was over.'

Bush, 44, was seen for the first time since the news of his suspension on Monday afternoon, looking unkempt and scruffy as he grabbed lunch in Los Angeles with one of his three teenage daughters.

He wore sweatpants and flip flops for the outing, along with a shirt that read: 'Sun. Beach. Whiskey.'

Big get: Bush did secure NBC's biggest interview of the Olympic Games when he spoke with Ryan Lochte (above) after his fabricated robbery

Out and about: Bush was spotted in Los Angeles on Monday (above) after it was announced he had been suspended from the network

The decision to suspend Bush was addressed on Today Monday morning by lead anchor Savannah Guthrie.

'We want to note one other thing,' said Guthrie at the top of the program.

'Pending further review of the matter, NBC News has suspended Billy Bush, the host of Today’s third hour, for his role in that conversation with Donald Trump.'

The suspension was again addressed at the start of the third hour as well by Hall and Roker.

'As you can see, Billy Bush is not joining us today, as you’re probably aware,' said Roker.

'Part of that 2005 Access Hollywood taping with Donald Trump that’s been in the news all weekend.'

Hall then added: 'NBC, which owns Access Hollywood, has suspended Billy for his role in that conversation, pending further review. With that said, let’s turn to last night’s debate, where that 2005 tape played a big role.'

At least one of Bush's co-workers did come to his defense though on Monday.

Bush's former Access Hollywood co-host Kit Hoover fought back tears while speaking about the Today anchor's recent suspension by NBC.

'I don’t even know where to begin with all of this,' said Hoover at the top of Monday morning's episode of Access Hollywood.

'When the tapes came out on Friday, I was home watching with my 14-year-old daughter and the tapes are inexcusable. But I’m watching this tape and I’m watching this person - those tapes were a decade ago and it was seven minutes of someone’s life, and all I can tell you is what I know and the person that I sat next to for the last six years, and that person for me is a totally different person.

'He always treated me with kindness, such respect — I mean, Natalie, he treated me like an equal from day one and I think anybody that watched our show at home and saw us together knew how much he rooted for me.

'He was always in my corner. I was just devastated to watch all this unfold because the Billy that I know - and that a lot of people would say - has the biggest heart of anybody, and he is a good person,' said Hoover.

Friends: Bush interviews Melania and Donald Trump at the 2004 Emmy Awards (above)

Friends forever: An NBC source tells DailyMail.com that despite reports to the contrary, the network never tried to edit Bush out of the damning tape (Bush with his daughters and wife)

Natalie Morales the chimed in to say a few positive things about Bush as well, stating: 'I will say that one of the first people to call me and congratulate me when I announced that I would be getting this job was Billy.'

She then added: 'He also offered advice and offered to help with my move and transition.'

Bush, who is married with three teenage daughters, released a statement shortly after the 2005 tape surfaced on Friday.

'Obviously I’m embarrassed and ashamed. It’s no excuse, but this happened eleven years ago. I was younger, less mature, and acted foolishly in playing along. I’m very sorry,' said Bush, who was 33 at the time.

Zucker, the Days of Our Lives actress who Bush referred to as 'hot as s***' also released a statement over the weekend.

'My name is Arianne Zucker and I am a strong, independent, hard working mother, business woman and partner to a great man. I have grown to learn that the words of others cannot effect the value of my self worth or define the content of my character,' said Zucker.

'How we treat one another, whether behind closed doors, locker rooms or face to face, should be done with kindness, dignity and respect. Unfortunately, there are too many people in power who abuse their position and disregard these simple principles and are rewarded for it.'

She closed out her statement by saying: 'In understanding the magnitude of this situation, I choose to stand tall with self respect and use my voice to enrich, inspire and elevate the best of who we are as people.'

Bush also did a poor job trying of distancing himself from Trump after the release of the tape.