Millions were left outraged in 2016 when a tape of the president bragging about grabbing women ‘by the p***y’ came to light.

The Republican leader has been accused of sexual assault by dozens of women since, but has always denied the allegations.

On ITV’s seven-way ‘leader’s debate’, Mr Farage appeared to imply that Trump’s comments could be forgiven, saying ‘men say dreadful things sometimes’.

The Brexit Party leader added that all people said questionable things after a drink, spurring a furious debate with Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson.

When Ms Swinson referenced the footage of Donald Trump boasting about sexually assaulting women, Mr Farage responded saying he had seen it.

He said: ‘I have, I have, and it was crass and it was crude and it was wrong.

And men say dreadful things sometimes, but the point here-‘

Ms Swinson then interrupted Mr Farage, saying: ‘Oh, so it’s just alright then?’

Mr Farage replied: ‘But they do! They do! But if all of us were caught out on what we’ve said on a night out after a drink, none of us would be here.’

His response prompted the Lib Dem to ask: ‘Sorry, is that what you do on a night out after a drink, Nigel?’

He bit back by telling her: ‘I’m sure you’ve lived the purest life of anybody and never said a word wrong about anyone or anything.’

The British politician’s defence of Trump left many people on social media horrified.

Joanna Chidgey wrote: ‘And the demise of Farage’s political “career” accelerates exponentially because, no Nigel, the vast majority of normal human beings do not in fact commit sexual assault after a night out.’

Julia McShane added: ‘I think decent people are horrified, disgusted and insulted at what Farage says……’

Jed Marson commented saying: ‘New low from the bad boys of Brexit. This is outrageous.’

The debate continued afterwards with co-Leader of the Green Party Siân Berry asking what Mr Farage thought of the ‘send her home’ chants at Trump rallies.

Mr Farage replied saying American politics were more divided than British, but there was no need for ‘false claims’.

He added: ‘You might not like him, but he’s President of the USA and that relationship matters.

‘You’re so anti-American. You’re prepared to put your hatred of Trump above our national interest, and that’s a big mistake.’

It was at this point that Scottish National Party leader Nicola Sturgeon claimed ‘Donald Trump, amongst many other things, demonizes immigrants, so it’s no wonder Nigel Farage really likes him.’

When Mr Farage argued that Barack Obama had done the same, Ms Sturgeon said: ‘This is a trend in politics today of strong man politics.

‘We’ve got Nigel Farage, we’ve got Boris Johnson, we’ve got Donald Trump.

‘That in my view is not what the UK or any part of it needs.

‘Donald Trump’s attitudes, I think, are wrong and they’re dangerous, and in Boris Johnson, we’ve got somebody who’s trying to be like him.

‘That, I think, is the wrong way to go, and people in this country, people in Scotland have a big choice to make.

‘Are we going to allow our future to be dominated and decided by the Trump, Johnson, Farage axis?

‘Or are we going to choose something much better for the future of this generation and those who come after us?’

The ITV debate saw several party leaders take to the stage, with Plaid Cymru leader Adam Price also present.

Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn came under fire for declining to attend, sending Labour’s shadow justice minister Richard Burgon and Tory chief secretary of the Treasury Rishi Sunak in their places.