Michelle Obama says Donald Trump’s ‘locker room talk’ is an ‘insult to decent men everywhere’

At a rally, Ms Obama called the comments about women ‘intolerable’ and said ‘enough is enough’

Michelle Obama has said Donald Trump’s bragging about sexual assault is “intolerable”, “disgraceful” and “has to stop”.

Speaking at a rally in Manchester, Ms Obama spoke passionately against the Republican’s “routine degradation” of women.

She focused on his dubious history with women, including walking in on models’ dressing rooms to meet them while they were semi-clothed, accusations of sexual assault and the leaked 2005 video which showed him to be bragging about making aggressive advances upon a married woman.

“I can’t stop thinking about this, it has shaken me to my core,” she said.

“Now is the time for all of us to stand up and say enough and enough,” she added. “It has to stop right now.”

The leaked 2005 video shows Mr Trump showing off to former Access Hollywood anchor, Billy Bush, about not even waiting for consent before kissing women, and saying he can do “whatever he wants” as a “star”.

Mr Bush was suspended soon after the video came out, and a slew of Republicans condemned Mr Trump, including house speaker Paul Ryan.

“How is this affecting men and boys in this country? The men in my life do not talk about women like this and I know my family is not unusual,” she said.

“To dismiss this as ‘every day locker room talk’ is an insult to decent men everywhere.

“The men you and I know don’t treat women this way.”

Ms Obama joined the campaign trail for Hillary Clinton in September. She urged Americans to cast their vote, as abstaining or voting for a third party candidate would “help to elect her opponent”.

Mr Trump insisted at the second presidential debate that his comments about women are echoed by many men and that it was “locker room talk”.

He argued that Ms Clinton should be in jail for the misuse of her private email server and that Bernie Sanders had done a deal with “the devil”.

“Let’s be very clear,” said Ms Obama in Manchester.

“Strong men, men who are truly role models, don’t need to put women down to feel powerful. People who are truly strong lift others up. Those that are truly powerful bring us together.”