NEW YORK: Tic Tac on Saturday denounced 2005 comments made by Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump that emerged the day before in a Washington Post report.
In the 11-year-old tape, Trump mentioned the mint brand while chatting with TV host Billy Bush before a cameo on Days of Our Lives. "I better use some Tic Tacs just in case I start kissing her," the businessman said before his soap opera appearance.
"Tic Tac respects all women," the brand said in a tweet. "We find the recent statements and behavior completely inappropriate and unacceptable."
Tic Tac respects all women. We find the recent statements and behavior completely inappropriate and unacceptable.
— Tic Tac USA (@TicTacUSA) October 8, 2016
Other comments caught on the tape have prompted a political maelstrom. "When you’re a star, [women] let you do it. You can do anything — grab ‘em by the p*ssy — you can do anything," Trump said on the recording.
In response, several influential Republicans have taken back their support for their party’s nominee in the past 24 hours. Some said they will write in the name of Trump's running mate, Indiana Governor Mike Pence, on the ballot.
Trump said Saturday that he will not bow out of the race. He is scheduled to debate Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton on Sunday night.
It is the second time in a month a candy brand has denounced comments by a member of the Trump family. Last month, Skittles pushed back against a tweet by Donald Trump Jr., saying, "If I had a bowl of Skittles and I told you three would kill you, would you take a handful? That’s our refugee problem."
"Skittles are candy. Refugees are people," Skittles replied. "We don’t feel it’s an appropriate analogy. We will respectfully refrain from further commentary as anything we say could be misinterpreted as marketing."