Former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani has blasted Republicans for backing away from Donald Trump, as some GOP members maintained their support for the embattled candidate.

Giuliani and other members of Trump's team - including Governor Chris Christie and Kellyanne Conway - spent Saturday holed up inside Trump Tower preparing for Sunday's second presidential debate.

The former mayor dismissed calls for Trump to drop out of the race when he emerged from the Manhattan skyscraper, describing it as: 'wishful thinking of the Clinton campaign and those people who have opposed him for a long time'.

Donald Trump still has the support of some of his key political backers, despite dozens of Republicans calling for him to drop out of the race

'They largely didn't support him in the first place, so it is not so much of a surprise,' Giuliani told CNN.

'You look at it, they were all Republicans who all opposed him and didn't support him in the past and this is basically the insiders against the outsiders anyway.

'Donald Trump is the populist candidate. Most of the people that have turned on him are members of the establishment, so I would see this as if you want change in Washington, you vote for Donald Trump. If you want things the same, you vote for Hillary Clinton.'

Running mate Mike Pence also vowed to stick by the troubled candidate on Saturday, despite saying Trump's comments in a recording from 2005 that emerged on Friday cannot be defended.

Rudy Giuliani said it is 'wishful thinking' to expect Donald Trump to drop out of the presidential race

'Donald Trump is the populist candidate. Most of the people that have turned on him are members of the establishment,' Giuliani said

One-time presidential hopeful Ben Carson, who has since become one of Trump's fiercest surrogates, defended the nominee and suggested the information was released as part of a conspiracy against the candidate.

'(Progressives) do not want to discuss the vital issues that are destroying our nation and the future of our children, because they do not have logical solutions and offer more of the same that has gotten us into this precarious situation,' Carson wrote.

'Those of us who do not want to see America fundamentally devolve into something worse must be wise enough to recognize the scheme that is being played out here.

Governor Chris Christie is seen arriving at Trump Tower in Manhattan on Saturday to help Donald Trump with debate preparations

Kellyanne Conway, campaign manager for Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, arrives at Trump Tower

Ben Carson defended Trump and suggested the information was released as part of a conspiracy against the candidate

'The political elites and their loyal media are desperate because they are seeing the large enthusiastic crowds for Donald Trump and the meager crowds for Hillary Clinton, and they know that there will be a huge enthusiasm gap on election day.'

House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy was one of the GOP members to commit to still voting for Trump, but also said the nominee must make a 'full and unqualified apology'.

House Majority Whip Steve Scalise called on Trump to make 'a direct apology', but is still backing him for president.

Mike Pence (right) said Trump's comment cannot be defended, while Bob Dole (left) said he still backs the Donald

Wyoming Congresswoman Cynthia Lummis says she will 'hold her nose' and vote for Donald Trump

Wyoming Congresswoman Cynthia Lummis told CNN she will 'hold her nose' and vote for Trump, while former presidential nominee Bob Dole told the Wall Street Journal he still backs the Donald.

'It was 11 years ago. He shouldn’t have said it, but there’s nothing he can do about it,' Dole told the Journal.

In addition to his political team, Trump was also backed by two of his biggest donors.

The Washington Post reports Robert and Rebekah Mercer will continue to throw their considerable financial weight behind Trump.

Rebecca (left) and Robert Mercer, who fund a pro-Trump super PAC, are still supporting Donald Trump

House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy was one of the GOP members to commit to still voting for Trump

WHO ARE THE REPUBLICANS STILL SUPPORTING DONALD TRUMP? Fact-box text Running mate Mike Pence Governor Chris Christie GOP mega-donors Rebecca and Robert Mercer Former presidential candidate Bob Dole Former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy House Majority Whip Steve Scalise Wyoming Congresswoman Cynthia Lummis Beaten 2016 Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson Advertisement

'Donald Trump's uncensored comments, both old and new, have been echoed and dissected in the media repeatedly in an effort to kindle among his supporters a conflagration of outrage commensurate with the media's own faux outrage,' a statement given to the newspaper read.

'Can anyone really be surprised that Mr. Trump could have said to Mr. Bush such things as he has already admitted saying? No. We are completely indifferent to Mr. Trump's locker room braggadocio.'

The Mercers are major Republican donors and fund a super PAC that supports Trump.

House Majority Whip Steve Scalise called on Trump to make 'a direct apology', but is still backing him for president

Pence released a statement on Saturday saying: 'As a husband and father, I was offended by the words and actions described by Donald Trump'

It comes after Trump is again vowing to continue his campaign even though he says the "media and establishment want me out of the race so badly."

Trump vowed in capital letters on Twitter Saturday to "never drop of out the race." He also pledged to "never let my supporters down."

Many Republicans have called for Trump to abandon his campaign in the wake of the release of a 2005 video in which he makes lewd remarks about women and appears to condone sexual assault.