Billy Bush thinks the irony is “glaring” that his career came to a halt and Donald Trump went on to win the 2016 presidential election following last year’s video leak, showing the former “Access Hollywood” host in a vulgar conversation with the reality star-turned-president.
The tape, which was allegedly recorded while Trump and Bush were arriving on the set of “Days of Our Lives” back in 2005, was leaked to the Washington Post during the 2016 campaign. In the footage, Trump famously said he can grab women by the genitals because he’s a star; Bush was fired from NBC’s “Today” show for his role in the video.
“If I had ever thought…that there was a grown man sitting in front of me detailing his sexual assault strategy, I would have called the FBI,” Bush told ABC’s “Good Morning America” co-anchor Robin Roberts in an interview that aired Wednesday.
“With Trump, it’s not much of a give-and-take… When he said what he said at the end…to me, it was more braggadocio, his word, and performance,” he added.
Bush told “GMA” that he has not spoken to Trump since the tape’s release, even though it derailed his career but didn’t cost Trump the election.
“It was…work related. And I interviewed him multiple times, especially back then. He never reached out…and I didn’t reach out,” he said.
“People also say, ‘You should have stopped it,’” Bush said. “I didn’t have the strength of character at the time to do that. I wish I did.”
Bush also told ABC that he is ready to get back to work and put the drama behind him.
“I am only ready to get back to work now because there is purpose, and there is clarity, and there is acceptance, and there is a changed person,” Bush said. “I do feel like a better man.”
Check out the video above.