President Donald Trump has finally commented on the seemingly racist and homophobic attack on Empire actor Jussie Smollet in Chicago, and he believes that it’s horrible. Smollett — who lives and shoots the Fox series in the Windy City — says that he was attacked by two men spewing hateful epithets.
TMZ broke the news that Trump is speaking out about — the allegedly vicious attack which lead Smollett to seek treatment at a city hospital. Complex reports that the attack left Jussie Smollett with a fractured rib.
A reporter in the Oval Office asked Trump about the attack on the Empire actor, one who is openly gay.
“That I can tell you is horrible. I’ve seen it… last night. It doesn’t get worse, as far as I’m concerned.”
Smollett reported that he was taunted by two men who beat him, doused him with bleach, and placed a rope tied as a noose around his neck before asserting that this was “MAGA country.”
Supporters of the talented actor and singer, like Reverend Al Sharpton, say that Donald Trump needs to specifically denounce the attackers and the attack –saying that this is unacceptable. Sharpton says that the attack on Smollett is a hate crime personified.
“This is hate on steroids.”
“The main driver of terrorism does not hide in a cave in Pakistan, he sits in the Oval Office.” https://t.co/fzMfzseSmR
— BET (@BET) January 29, 2019
Donald Trump has a history of controversial reactions to alleged examples of racism in the news, per the Inquisitr . When asked about the recent condemnation of Rep. Steve King for racist statements made to the New York Times , Trump stated that he was not following the story.
When the Charlottesville riots resulted in the death of a “No Hate” protester by a man affiliated with the White Nationalist march, Trump stated that there were “good people on both sides” of the conflict — therefor, many skeptics have been waiting to hear what the president has to say about a purported hate crime attack on Jussie Smollett.
Award-winning journalist Jemele Hill stated on a recent podcast that she thought it was widely understood that Trump was a racist. She said it was a given, like water is wet.
She said, for clarity, that Trump is “a bigot, unqualified, and unfit.”
Other journalists — like ABC’s Jonathan Karl — have pointed out that there are no prominent people of color in the West Wing of the White House.
“What does that say to have not a single senior adviser in the West Wing who is African American?”
The media and Trump’s critics wait to see if the president will make further remarks on the issue.
