ST. LOUIS, Missouri, the United States, Oct. 9 -- U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump apologized Sunday night during his second presidential debate for his lewd remarks about women, but reiterated that was "locker room banter."

To the astonishment of the audience, Trump and his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton entered the town-hall format debate without even a handshake.

"Your hear these things I've said and I was embarrassed by it," Trump said while addressing the opening questions of the debate, which were adjusted to focus on the recent disclosure of a video clip taped in 2005 in which Trump bragged in obscene language about sexually forcing himself on women.

The newly surfaced clip has thrown Trump's campaign, and even the Republican Party, into turmoil over the weekend.