Billy Bush Reveals He Warned NBC About Trump’s “Access Hollywood” Tape Years Before It Leaked

Billy Bush recently opened up on Rob Lowe’s SiriusXM podcast Literally! With Rob Lowe, sharing new details about the infamous Donald Trump Access Hollywood tape and his role in flagging it to NBC over a decade before the scandal became public.

Bush recalled, “The day of the filming in 2005, I called my producer and said, ‘You’re not gonna believe what Trump said. He is going after Nancy.’” Referring to his Access Hollywood co-host Nancy O’Dell, Bush explained that the comments about Trump trying to take Nancy furniture shopping were just the tip of the iceberg. The “other stuff” referred to Trump’s lewd remarks about grabbing women by their genitals.

He revealed that he reported the comments to his superiors, but the tape sat hidden because Trump was a protected, high-value source for NBC, then the host of the hit reality show The Apprentice. Bush said, “Trump was a hundred million dollars in profit for NBC. He was the king of the ratings.”

The tape eventually leaked in 2016 during Trump’s first presidential campaign, sparking a massive controversy. The recording captured Trump boasting, “When you’re a star, they let you do it. You can do anything,” referring to inappropriate behavior toward women.

Bush’s involvement in the fallout cost him his job at NBC’s Today show, a loss he described as missing out on his first “really big paycheck.” He credited support from close friends and celebrities, including his brother, Tony Robbins, and actors like Dennis Quaid and Julie Bowen, for helping him get through the difficult period.

He also shed light on how NBC was actively searching for any tapes of Trump disparaging women after a former pageant queen made allegations. Bush recalled, “NBC put out an APB on Donald Trump… they wanted Mark Burnett’s tape from The Apprentice because there were outtakes forever.”

In his candid conversation with Lowe, Bush emphasized the importance of support networks during crises. “If you’re ever on that fulcrum where you can’t decide, do it,” he advised, encouraging people to reach out to friends in need.

The interview is part of the new season of Literally! With Rob Lowe, which features a range of notable guests and airs weekly on SiriusXM.