Bernie Sanders: Trump should ‘think about resigning’ over 2016 Access Hollywood tape

Former presidential candidate says the country needs a 'cultural revolution' in the way women are treated

Bernie Sanders has called on Donald Trump to "think about resigning" over the leaked Access Hollywood tape in which he is heard bragging about sexually assaulting women.

The former Democrat presidential candidate said Mr Trump’s conduct, and that of other leading politicians, showed the country needed a “cultural revolution” in the way it treated women.

Speaking to CBS’ This Morning, he said: “We have a president of the United States who acknowledged on a tape widely seen all over the country that he's assaulted women, so I would hope maybe the president of the United States might pay attention of what's going on and also think about resigning.”

He added that he worried that “in restaurants and in offices all over this country, where you have bosses who are not famous, there is harassment of women and women are being intimidated.”

The video first emerged in October 2016 when Mr Trump, then the star of reality show The Apprentice, is heard bragging about how he is allowed to “grab women by p****” because he is a “star”.

He has also been accused of sexual assault and harassment by at least 20 women.

Mr Sanders’ comments follow the announcement that Democratic Senator Al Franken will stand down from the Senate over allegations that he sexually harassed at least six women.

In an emotional speech on the Senate floor, the Minnesota politician said it was “the worst day of my political life” but took a parting shot at Mr Trump and Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore.

He said: “I, of all people, am aware that there is some irony in the fact that I am leaving while a man who has bragged on tape about his history of sexual assault sits in the Oval Office, and a man who has repeatedly preyed on young girls campaigns for the Senate with the full support of his party.”

Mr Moore has been accused of initiating sexual contact with several girls as young as 14 when he was in his 30s. He has denied the allegations.

Washington has been engulfed by the fallout from the sexual harassment scandal involving leading figures from the worlds of politics, entertainment and journalism.

Since the New York Times and the New Yorker revealed multiple allegations of sexual harassment, assault and rape against movie producer Harvey Weinstein in October, dozens of women and some men have come forward to accusing leading figures of abuse.

Actor Kevin Spacey was fired from his hit Netflix show House of Cards after allegations emerged of abuse of young male actors dating as far back as the 1980s while television host Matt Lauer was fired from his NBC show after admitting sexually harassing several women.