ESPN's Jemele Hill: Trump Is A 'White Supremacist' And Unfit For Office
WASHINGTON — An ESPN host with a history of stirring up controversy lashed out at Donald Trump in a series of Twitter posts on Monday, calling the president a “white supremacist” who is unfit to serve in the White House.
“Donald Trump is a white supremacist who has largely surrounded himself w/ other white supremacists,” tweeted Jemele Hill, who co-hosts ESPN’s “SC6” with Michael Smith.
Donald Trump is a white supremacist who has largely surrounded himself w/ other white supremacists.
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) September 11, 2017
Hill’s comments about Trump followed a post in which she reacted to an article about rocker Kid Rock attacking the media and “extreme left” for trying to label him a racist. Rock, whose real name is Robert James Ritchie, concluded his lengthy Facebook post with “P.P.P.P.P.S. I LOVE BLACK PEOPLE!!”
“He loves black people so much that he pandered to racists by using a flag that unquestionably stands for dehumanizing black people,” Hill tweeted of Kid Rock, referring to his display of the Confederate flag.
He loves black people so much that he pandered to racists by using a flag that unquestionably stands for dehumanizing black people. https://t.co/ukbl3RodoP
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) September 11, 2017
The subsequent conversation eventually shifted to Trump. Hill didn’t mince words about her feelings toward the president or the impact she thinks he’s had on the nation.
“Trump is the most ignorant, offensive president of my lifetime,” she wrote. “His rise is the direct result of white supremacy. Period.”
Trump is the most ignorant, offensive president of my lifetime. His rise is a direct result of white supremacy. Period.
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) September 11, 2017
He has surrounded himself with white supremacists -- no they are not "alt right" -- and you want me to believe he isn't a white supremacist?
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) September 11, 2017
Hill pointed to last month’s violent white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, as an example of how Trump has empowered America’s white supremacists. The president famously defended both those protesting and attending the white nationalist rally, saying, “You have people who are very fine people on both sides.”
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No the media doesn't make it a threat. It IS a threat. He has empowered white supremacists (see: Charlottesville).
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) September 12, 2017
He is unqualified and unfit to be president. He is not a leader. And if he were not white, he never would have been elected
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) September 12, 2017
In a statement Tuesday, ESPN said Hill’s comments about Trump “do not represent the position” of the network.
“We have addressed this with Jemele and she recognizes her actions were inappropriate,” the statement said.
ESPN Statement on Jemele Hill: pic.twitter.com/3kfexjx9zQ
— ESPN PR (@ESPNPR) September 12, 2017
The statement makes no mention of disciplinary action.
This article originally appeared on HuffPost.