Roy Moore vs. Donald Trump tape: How Senate Republicans responded

At least five women have accused Republican Senate nominee Roy Moore of sexual misconduct when they were teenagers. One alleges he molested her when she was 14, and another says he sexually assaulted her when she was 16. With the election slated for Dec. 12, many Republican senators have sounded the alarm, taken back their endorsement of Moore or issued strong statements condemning him.

How does that compare to what GOP senators said about then-presidential-candidate Donald Trump after an "Access Hollywood" tape portrayed him speaking crudely about women and bragging about his behavior with women that some have characterized as sexual assault?

Trump dismissed the 2005 tape as "locker room talk," but the incident sparked ample discussion about past sexual misconduct allegations. Several Senate Republicans spoke out.

After the tapes surfaced, 12 of the 53 Republican senators in office at the time disavowed Trump and withdrew their backing. There were 14 senators who maintained support for Trump, and the rest offered partial criticism by rebuking his comments, without explicitly rescinding their endorsements.

Of the 52 current GOP senators, 25 have disavowed Moore and say he should step aside. One has not yet commented, and the rest have offered partial criticism –– rebuking his alleged behavior with an "if true" caveat.

See how the responses compare.

GOP Senator

Trump

Moore

Lamar
Alexander(Tenn.)

Lamar Alexander

(Tenn.)

Partial

Partial

"I am disgusted by Donald Trump's comments."

"If these disturbing allegations are true, Roy Moore should withdraw from the Senate race."

John
Barrasso(Wyo.)

John Barrasso

(Wyo.)

Partial

Partial

"Donald Trump's comments are offensive, disturbing and repugnant. They do not reflect my values or those of the Republican Party. I will not defend them."

"These charges seem very credible, they're very disturbing. If true, he should move aside."

Roy
Blunt(Mo.)

Roy Blunt

(Mo.)

Partial

Disavows

"Donald Trump's statements were disrespectful and inappropriate, and he was right to apologize."

"The women have a more credible story than Judge Moore. Alabama voters should have a better choice and Judge Moore should have better answers to these charges."

John
Boozman(Ark.)

John Boozman

(Ark.)

Partial

Partial

"As a husband, father of three daughters, and grandfather of two precious little girls, if I ever heard anyone speak this way about them, they would be shopping for a new set of teeth."

"He believes that if the allegations are true, Roy Moore should step aside – no ifs, and, or buts about it," a spokesperson said.

Richard
Burr(N.C.)

Richard Burr

(N.C.)

Supports

Disavows

"I think that if in fact he did it, that would be sexual assault. I take him at his word; he said he didn't do it."

"With five women now coming forward, Moore should do the right thing and withdraw from the race."

Shelley Moore
Capito(W. Va.)

Shelley Moore Capito

(W. Va.)

Partial

Partial

"As a woman, a mother, and a grandmother to three young girls, I am deeply offended by Mr. Trump's remarks, and there is no excuse for the disgusting and demeaning language. Women have worked hard to gain the dignity and respect we deserve. The appropriate next step may be for him to reexamine his candidacy."

"If the allegations reported in The Washington Post are true, Roy Moore should immediately step aside."

Bill
Cassidy(La.)

Bill Cassidy

(La.)

Partial

Disavows

"Every life has value. This has been part of the Republican Party platform since it was founded. Mr. Trump's statements and actions as revealed in this release from 2005 do not represent this. They are to be condemned."

"Based on the allegations against Roy Moore, his response and what is known, I withdraw support."

Thad
Cochran(Miss.)

Thad Cochran

(Miss.)

Supports

Disavows

"The remarks made on that video were disrespectful and indefensible, and I trust that the apology for them was sincere. I will continue to support Republican candidates and policies that will make our country safer and stronger."

"I condemn harassment in any form. The disturbing behavior in the allegations involving Judge Moore is alarming. It seems continuing his candidacy may not be in the best interest of his state or the U.S. Senate."

Susan
Collins(Maine)

Susan Collins

(Maine)

No Comment

Disavows

Prior to the video, Collins had come out against Trump.

"I have now read Mr. Moore's statement and listened to his radio interview in which he denies the charges. I did not find his denials to be convincing and believe that he should withdraw from the Senate race in Alabama."

Bob
Corker(Tenn.)

Bob Corker

(Tenn.)

Partial

Disavows

"These comments are obviously very inappropriate and offensive and his apology was absolutely necessary."

"Look, I'm sorry, but even before these reports surfaced, Roy Moore's nomination was a bridge too far."

John
Cornyn(Texas)

John Cornyn

(Texas)

Partial

Partial

"I am disgusted by Mr Trump's words about women: our daughters, sisters and mothers."

"I believe the accusations against Roy Moore are disturbing and, if true, disqualifying. The most appropriate course of action, in my view, is to leave the final judgment in the hands of Alabama voters – where it has always belonged – and withdraw my endorsement."

Tom
Cotton(Ark.)

Tom Cotton

(Ark.)

Supports

Disavows

"Donald apologized to the American people, said his remarks were embarrassing, and acknowledges that while he can't change what he said years ago, he can change Washington now. I encourage him to keep focusing on the issues that matter to Americans."

"Roy Moore faces specific, credible allegations and he hasn’t offered a specific, credible defense. I haven’t supported him, I don’t support him, and I can’t urge Alabama voters to support him."

Mike
Crapo(Idaho)

Mike Crapo

(Idaho)

Disavows

Partial

"I have reached the decision that I can no longer endorse Donald Trump. This is not a decision that I have reached lightly, but his pattern of behavior has left me with no choice. His repeated actions and comments toward women have been disrespectful, profane and demeaning."

"If these allegations prove to be true, he should withdraw from the race."

Ted
Cruz(Texas)

Ted Cruz

(Texas)

Partial

Partial

"Every wife, mother, daughter – every person – deserves to be treated with dignity and respect."

"I am not able to urge the people of Alabama to support his candidacy so long as these allegations remain unrefuted."

Steve
Daines(Mont.)

Steve Daines

(Mont.)

Partial

Disavows

"These comments are completely inappropriate and offensive. No woman should ever be demeaned or described in this manner."

"The allegations leveled at Roy Moore are disturbing. I have serious concerns about his prior conduct and fitness for office. He should immediately withdraw from the race."

Michael B.
Enzi(Wyo.)

Michael B. Enzi

(Wyo.)

Supports

Partial

"Sen. Enzi does not want four more years of failed Obama policies that are severely hurting Wyoming and this country. He also does not want a Supreme Court that will ignore for years to come the freedoms guaranteed in our Constitution. This is what electing Hillary Clinton will bring."

"Sen. Enzi does believe that if the allegations are true, that Roy Moore should step aside from the race," a spokesperson said.

Joni
Ernst(Iowa)

Joni Ernst

(Iowa)

Supports

Partial

"I will vote for the Republican ticket. If Donald Trump is at the top of that, yes, I will be supporting the Republican ticket."

"If the allegations are true, he needs to step aside."

Deb
Fischer(Neb.)

Deb Fischer

(Neb.)

Supports

Partial

"I put out a statement … with regard to Mr. Trump's comments. I felt they were disgusting. I felt they were unacceptable and I never said I was not voting for our Republican ticket."

"If the allegations are true, he needs to withdraw from the race."

Jeff
Flake(Ariz.)

Jeff Flake

(Ariz.)

Disavows

Disavows

"America deserves far better than [Trump] and [Trump] is wrong about his level of support. He needs to withdraw from the race."

"Just to be clear. If the choice is between Roy Moore and a Democrat, I would run to the polling place to vote for the Democrat."

Cory
Gardner(Colo.)

Cory Gardner

(Colo.)

Disavows

Disavows

"I cannot and will not support someone who brags about degrading and assaulting women. I am committed to defeating Hillary Clinton. The only way this is now possible is with a new nominee that reflect the values of our country and our party. I will not vote for Donald Trump. If Donald Trump wishes to defeat Hillary Clinton, he should do the only thing that will allow us to do so – step aide, and allow Mike Pence to be the Republican Party's nominee. If he fails to do so, I will not vote for Hillary Clinton, but will instead write in my vote for Mike Pence."

"I believe the individuals speaking out against Roy Moore spoke with courage and truth, proving he is unfit to serve in the United States Senate and he should not run for office. If he refuses to withdraw and wins, the Senate should vote to expel him, because he does not meet the ethical and moral requirements of the United States Senate."

Lindsey
Graham(S.C.)

Lindsey Graham

(S.C.)

Disavows

Disavows

"I have never been comfortable with Donald Trump as our Republican nominee."

"If you win, you will lose."

Chuck
Grassley(Iowa)

Chuck Grassley

(Iowa)

Supports

Disavows

"This is not an election about who's going to be president just for the next four years. This is an election about the direction of the Supreme Court for the next 40 years."

"He should step aside. The trouble is, if he agreed to step aside, his name is still on the ballot. People can still vote for him and he could get elected."

Orrin G.
Hatch(Utah)

Orrin G. Hatch

(Utah)

Partial

Disavows

"Mr. Trump's statements were offensive and disgusting. There is no excuse for such degrading behavior. All women deserve to be treated with respect."

"I stand with the majority leader on this. These are serious and disturbing accusations, and while the decision is now in the hands of the people of Alabama, I believe Luther Strange is an excellent alternative."

Dean
Heller(Nev.)

Dean Heller

(Nev.)

No Comment

Disavows

Heller did not specifically address Trump's comments but had previously said he would give Trump a chance, but did not intend on voting for him.

"I believe the women who have come forward. Roy Moore should do what is best for the conservatives of Alabama and step aside."

John
Hoeven(N.D.)

John Hoeven

(N.D.)

Partial

Partial

"Donald Trump's comments were offensive and wrong. He not only needs to apologize, he needs to show through his words and actions that he does not believe in the views expressed in the video."

"The allegations against Roy Moore are very serious and if true, he should step down as a candidate for the Senate."

James M.
Inhofe(Okla.)

James M. Inhofe

(Okla.)

Partial

Partial

"What Trump said about a married woman 10 years ago is disgusting, and I do not support women being talked about in such vile ways. The hypocrisy of Hillary Clinton to criticize Trump's past is equally disturbing as her personal failings involved expensive, well-coordinated campaigns to bully and degrade women. At no point did she believe there was a need to apologize to victims, only the need to bury their stories and destroy their reputations. We need to remember that in this election cycle, November is about who has the best policies to revive our economy and rebuild our military. Whether this ultimately benefits Hillary Clinton, it doesn't mean any less that her policies and philosophy will only hurt America should she get the opportunity to lead it."

"If he's guilty at all, we will figure out some way, or should figure out some way, to make sure he is not our nominee. I think everybody's in agreement."

Johnny
Isakson(Ga.)

Johnny Isakson

(Ga.)

Partial

Disavows

"As a husband, father of a daughter and grandfather to five granddaughters, I am disgusted by Trump's comments. They are wholly inappropriate and unacceptable."

"He ought to step down anyway. The accusations appear more credible than the denial."

Ron
Johnson(Wis.)

Ron Johnson

(Wis.)

Partial

Partial

"Donald Trump's recent comments are completely indefensible and I refuse to even attempt to try and do so."

"If true, these allegations describe intolerable behavior and are disqualifying."

John
Kennedy(La.)

John Kennedy

(La.)

Not in office

Partial

Kennedy took his Senate seat in 2017.

"If the allegations are true, Judge Moore needs to step aside."

James
Lankford(Okla.)

James Lankford

(Okla.)

Partial

Disavows

"Disgusting."

"I'm sad for the victims and the people of Alabama going through this. But it's good that the nation is talking about moral issues and trying to hold leaders to a higher account. Harassment in Hollywood, Capitol Hill, media or anywhere is unacceptable."

Mike
Lee(Utah)

Mike Lee

(Utah)

Disavows

Disavows

"Donald Trump is a distraction. It's time for him to step aside so we can focus on the winning ideas that will carry Republicans through to a victory in November."

"Having read the detailed description of the incidents, as well as the response from Judge Moore and his campaign, I can no longer endorse his candidacy for the U.S. Senate."

John
McCain(Ariz.)

John McCain

(Ariz.)

Disavows

Disavows

"Donald Trump's behavior this week, concluding with the disclosure of his demeaning comments about women and his boasts about sexual assaults, make it impossible to continue to offer even conditional support for his candidacy."

"The allegations against Roy Moore are deeply disturbing and disqualifying. He should immediately step aside and allow the people of Alabama to elect a candidate they can be proud of."

Mitch
McConnell(Ky.)

Mitch McConnell

(Ky.)

Partial

Disavows

"These comments are repugnant, and unacceptable in any circumstance. As the father of three daughters, I strongly believe that Trump needs to apologize directly to women and girls everywhere, and take full responsibility for the utter lack of respect for women shown in his comments on that tape."

"I think he should step aside."

Jerry
Moran(Kan.)

Jerry Moran

(Kan.)

Partial

Partial

"Disgusting, discouraging and damaging. Everyone is worthy of being treated with dignity and respect."

"If there is any truth to these allegations, Roy Moore should immediately step aside."

Lisa
Murkowski(Alaska)

Lisa Murkowski

(Alaska)

Disavows

Partial

"I cannot and will not support Donald Trump for president. He has forfeited the right to be our party's nominee."

"I'm horrified and if this is true he needs to step down immediately."

Rand
Paul(Ky.)

Rand Paul

(Ky.)

Partial

No Comment

"Offensive and unacceptable."

Paul, who was absent from the Senate following an assault in Kentucky, has not responded to press inquiries from his home-state paper.

David
Perdue(Ga.)

David Perdue

(Ga.)

Partial

Partial

"Obviously these comments were disrespectful, and right now Senator Perdue is focused on making sure Georgians are safe and helping our state recover from this major storm.," a Perdue spokeseperson said.

"It's early, we don't know all the facts, obviously. But these allegations are very serious, and if they're true, then in my opinion he should step down and withdraw from the race."

Rob
Portman(Ohio)

Rob Portman

(Ohio)

Disavows

Disavows

"I can no longer support him."

"I think if what we read is true, and people are on the record so I assume it is, then he should step aside."

James E.
Risch(Idaho)

James E. Risch

(Idaho)

Supports

Disavows

"Not withstanding that disgust, Hillary Clinton cannot be allowed to become ...president. ... I will cast... my vote for the Republican nominee."

"I believe Roy Moore should step down."

Pat
Roberts(Kan.)

Pat Roberts

(Kan.)

Supports

Partial

"I found Mr. Trump's commentary, even though it was 10 years ago, abhorrent ... [But... when it comes to Clinton], I have a real problem. I think she’s been very duplicitous."

"If the allegations are true, Sen. Roberts would urge Roy Moore to step aside," a spokesperson said.

Mike
Rounds(S.D.)

Mike Rounds

(S.D.)

Supports

Partial

"Sen. Rounds has said all along that he agrees with Mr. Trump's goal of making America great again, but he will also make it clear when he disagrees with him. This is clearly a situation in which Sen. Rounds disagrees with the comments Mr. Trump made. They are deplorable and indefensible." – Rounds' office

"If they are true, then he should seriously think about stepping aside."

Marco
Rubio(Fla.)

Marco Rubio

(Fla.)

Partial

Partial

"Donald's comments were vulgar, egregious and impossible to justify. No one should ever talk about any woman in those terms, even in private."

"Today's report in the Washington Post raises allegations against Mr. Moore that are deeply disturbing and, if true, disqualifying."

Ben
Sasse(Neb.)

Ben Sasse

(Neb.)

Disavows

Partial

"Character matters. [Trump] is obviously not going to win. But he can still make an honorable move: Step aside and let Mike Pence try."

"The Post's story is appalling and heartbreaking. If there's an ounce of truth to any of this, Roy Moore has no place in public life and ought to drop out immediately. Alabamians should start thinking about who they'll write in, but it's obvious that conservatives deserve better than this."

Tim
Scott(S.C.)

Tim Scott

(S.C.)

Supports

Partial

"When you think about his comments specifically, they're indefensible, disgusting and oftentimes toxic. At the same time, I think Hillary Clinton's referral to African American young men as ‘super predators' is pretty toxic. I think calling millions of Americans ‘deplorables' and ‘irredeemable' is off the charts."

"If allegations are true, Mr. Moore should step down."

Richard C.
Shelby(Ala.)

Richard C. Shelby

(Ala.)

Supports

Disavows

"Senator Shelby has always said that he will support the Republican ticket." – Torrie Matous, a spokesperson for Shelby's office

"I wish we had another candidate. I'll vote Republican, but I will probably write in a good candidate."

Luther
StrangeAla.

Luther Strange

Ala.

Not in office

Partial

Strange took his Senate seat after Trump was elected president. He lost the primary to Moore. Some Republicans are attempting to have Strange run as a write-in candidate.

"The facts are unfolding; these allegations are very serious. We learned more today. It's really going to be up to the people of my state to try to make sense of this and decide how they want to proceed."

Dan
Sullivan(Alaska.)

Dan Sullivan

(Alaska.)

Disavows

Partial

"I'm calling on Trump to step aside for Gov. Pence. Trump can't lead on critical issue of ending [domestic] violence and sexual assault."

"If these sickening claims are true, Mr. Moore should step aside."

John
Thune(S.D.)

John Thune

(S.D.)

Supports

Partial

"I intend to support the nominee of our party and if anything should change, then I'll let you know, but he's got a lot of work to do, I think, if he's going to have any hope of winning this election."

"The allegations, if true, to me, mean he may need to step aside. I think if he does what he should do, and does the right thing and steps aside, I don't think it will hurt the Republican Party."

Thom
Tillis(N.C.)

Thom Tillis

(N.C.)

Partial

Disavows

"Donald Trump needs to take responsibility for his actions and apologize to women everywhere."

"The allegations leveled at Roy Moore are disturbing. I have serious concerns about his prior conduct and fitness for office. He should immediately withdraw from the race."

Pat
Toomey(Pa.)

Pat Toomey

(Pa.)

Partial

Disavows

"Donald Trump's comments were outrageous and unacceptable."

"From my point of view, you know, I have to say, I think the accusations have more credibility than the denial. I think it would be best if Roy would just step aside."

Roger F.
Wicker(Miss.)

Roger F. Wicker

(Miss.)

Partial

Partial

"Most of us have done things in life that make us ashamed and call for a true apology. It will be important to see if Donald Trump is able to demonstrate genuine remorse and humility."

"I don't know what the facts are. I do know that the charges are very, very serious and if they're true, he should do the right thing. But they're very, very old charges. You have to ask and I think people in Alabama will be asking why this hasn't come out in the 40 years' time with him running for so many offices."

Todd
Young(Ind.)

Todd Young

(Ind.)

Not in office

Disavows

Has served as senator since 2017.

"After giving Roy Moore ample time to unequivocally deny the disturbing allegations against him, those allegations remain far more persuasive than the denials. Roy Moore should immediately drop out of the race. The appearance of grossly reprehensible behavior disqualifies him from service in the United States Senate. If he does not step aside, we need to act to protect the integrity of the Senate."

Sources: Senators’ statements, Tennessean, Casper Star Tribune, NBC News, Associated Press, W. Va. Public Broadcasting, Clarion-Ledger, L.A. Times, WJHL, KFBB, Politico, Des Moines Register, CBS, Gazette, Inforum, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Wisconsin State Journal, NewsOK, Kansas.com, AL.com, USA Today, CNBC, ABC News, Citizen-Times, Texas Tribune, Reno Gazette, MDJ Online, Advocate, C-Span, Statesman, The Atlantic, NBC News

Credits: Additional reporting by Maloy Moore