Trump Replacement Consideration After ‘Access Hollywood’ Tape

Madeleine Westerhout, a former aide to Donald Trump, testified during his ongoing New York trial, shedding light on a significant moment during the 2016 election. She disclosed that Republican officials had discussed the potential replacement of Trump as the party’s candidate following the emergence of a damaging tape from ‘Access Hollywood.’ This tape featured Trump making disparaging remarks about women to anchor Billy Bush, including the infamous ‘grab them by the pussy’ comment.

Westerhout, who worked at the Republican National Committee during the 2016 election, revealed that there were internal discussions within the RNC on how to proceed if Trump’s candidacy became untenable. The ‘Access Hollywood’ tape, first reported by The Washington Post in October 2016, had caused a stir within the party and among voters.

The tape’s content has been a focal point of Trump’s trial, with witnesses suggesting that it led to pressure on Trump and his then-attorney Michael Cohen to pay off Stormy Daniels, an adult film actress, to keep her alleged affair with Trump quiet. The trial revolves around charges of falsifying records related to the payment.

After leaving the White House in 2019, Westerhout authored a book about her experiences, maintaining a positive stance toward Trump.

The trial is expected to continue for approximately three more weeks, with Westerhout’s testimony set to resume on Friday. Potential witnesses include Trump’s children and his former attorney Rudy Giuliani.

Although the ‘Access Hollywood’ tape was a major scandal for the Trump campaign, it did not prevent him from winning the election. However, evidence presented in the trial indicates that it caused significant turmoil within the campaign, as testified by former Trump campaign press manager Hope Hicks, who expressed her concern about its impact on the campaign’s progress.