Bubba Wallace responds to Trump's 'hoax' tweet
Bubba Wallace appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live, which was guest hosted by actor and comedian Anthony Anderson Tuesday, where the NASCAR driver shared his thoughts on President Donald Trump blasting him on social media. On Monday, Trump took to Twitter demanding that Wallace apologize to his fellow NASCAR drivers and officials, and accused Wallace of perpetrating a hoax. Immediately following Trump's tweet, Wallace took to his own page, tweeting his response with love. And on Tuesday, Wallace expanded on his response while talking to Anderson, as he shared his first thought after reading the president's tweet. "When I first read it, I was just, like, man, there’s so much more things that are going on in the world that I feel like he should be worried about," said Wallace. "It's hard to get people to understand, especially when the facts are delivered on the table, and they've been there for two weeks now. To be late to the party is one thing, and to be wrong on the factual information is another." However, Wallace did admit that Trump got one thing right. "The great officials that continue to stand behind me, NASCAR drivers and officials that continue to stand behind me through it all. He got that part right.” Wallace also clarified some of the misinformation surrounding the incident, including the fact that he was not the one to report the noose, and that it was actually an African-American member of his crew, who found it hours before the race. "The first person I thought of in that situation, when it was brought to my attention, that there was a noose found in my garage, was a crew member who happens to be African-American, on my team. I texted him right away," explained Wallace, who said that he eventually called his crew member and discovered that he was the one who had reported the noose, but didn't want to tell Wallace before the race in order to keep Wallace's mind clear. In fact, Wallace also shared that it wasn't even until Tuesday, after he was home and had his second phone call with the FBI, that he saw the picture of the alleged noose. Finally, both Wallace and Anderson discussed the powerful moment, which took place one day after the incident, as Wallace's fellow NASCAR drivers pushed his car to the front at Talladega Superspeedway prior to the race in a show of solidarity. "That was a powerful moment there. Obviously, you could see the emotion. I tried to walk out before that moment. I had just a ton of positive energy, I felt like. And then that moment there broke me and just totally put me in my feels, and it just showed the power and the unity, and the love, compassion, understanding that we all have for one another," said Wallace. "In that moment there, everybody let their guard down or let themselves be a human being and show their human being side,” he continued. “I thought that was pretty powerful to show the world that our sport can come together, the sport of NASCAR, where a lot of people have their doubts about, that we show this type of unity and love and understanding, and that everybody can do the same thing, so I thought that was so strong and so impactful.” Jimmy Kimmel Live! airs weeknights at 11:35 p.m. on ABC.
Video Transcript
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BUBBA WALLACE: When I first read it, I was-- yeah, I was just like, man, there's so much more things that are going on in the world that I feel like he should be worried about. But it's hard to get people to understand, especially when the facts are delivered on the table and they've been there for two weeks now.
KYLIE MAR: Bubba Wallace appeared on "Jimmy Kimmel Live," which was guest hosted by Anthony Anderson Tuesday, where the NASCAR driver shared his thoughts on President Donald Trump blasting him on Twitter Monday, calling the noose incident a "hoax" and demanding that Wallace apologize.
BUBBA WALLACE: To be linked to the party is one thing, and to be wrong on the factual information is another. But all in all, he did get one thing right in this tweet thought. The great officials that continue to stand behind me, NASCAR drivers and officials that continue to stand behind me through it all-- he got that part right.
KYLIE MAR: Wallace also clarified some of the misconceptions surrounding the incident, including the fact that he was not the one to report the noose and that it was actually an African-American member of his crew who found it hours before the race.
BUBBA WALLACE: A crew member who happens to be African-American on my team, I texted him right away. I said, "Hey, man. Are you all right?" And he was like, "Actually, I'm the one who found it." And he was like, "I didn't want to tell you and get your mind all messed up before the race."
KYLIE MAR: And finally, both Wallace and Anderson discussed the powerful moment which took place one day after the incident as fellow NASCAR drivers pushed Wallace's car to the front at Talladega Super Speedway prior to the race in a show of solidarity.
BUBBA WALLACE: I tried to walk out, you know, before that moment. I had, you know, just a ton of positive energy, I felt like, and then that moment there broke me and just totally put me in my feels.
