Donald TrumpDonald TrumpTrump will 'assess' more deportations after reaching first goals Clinton camp slams Trump's 'insulting and cowardly' black voter outreach Latinos for Trump founder warns of taco trucks on every corner MORE is demanding an apology from MSNBC host Mika Brzezinski for confronting one of his presidential campaign’s surrogates over race.
Wonderful @pastormarkburns was attacked viciously and unfairly on @MSNBC by crazy @morningmika on low ratings @Morning_Joe. Apologize!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 26, 2016
Pastor Mark Burns, who is black, clashed with Brzezinski, who is white, earlier Friday during a heated segment on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe."
“When [Trump] made the comments he made about the judge, saying he was a Mexican, was that racist or not?” Brzezinski asked Burns, referencing Trump’s feud with U.S. District Court Judge Gonzalo Curiel earlier this year.
“Then I can move on with the conversation, but I need to know where you stand on things in terms of reality,” Brzezinski added. “Were those comments racist or not?”
Burns and Brzezinski then repeatedly paused during the pastor’s answer to spar over the meaning of racism.
“If I was in Mr. Trump’s shoes, I don’t think that it was racist,” Burns said of the GOP’s presidential nominee. “I understand what real racism is.
“I’m from the South, I’m a black man from the Deep South, OK? In South Carolina just two months ago, they re-raised the Confederate flag in my state to celebrate its one year’s removal. So for you to sit here and ask me like I don’t know what real racism is, I don’t think so.”
Brzezinski repeatedly criticized Trump’s remarks on race during Friday’s broadcast, at one point taking direct aim at the billionaire.
“You have no idea – you have no idea what your words means,” Brzezinski said of Trump while discussing his claim Hillary Clinton is a “bigot.”
“And I can’t pretend and sort of try and cover this fairly and put it in the objectivity. You have no idea what your words mean and what you’re doing to this country.”
Joe Scarborough, Brzezinski's co-host, retaliated to Trump's tweet by taunting his frequent criticism of their show.
Is Donald Trump crazy? You betcha.
Crazy for Morning Joe. The Trump U founder just can't quit us! https://t.co/YG7C7tQNUN
— Joe Scarborough (@JoeNBC) August 26, 2016
Trump and Clinton are escalating their war of words over race as they compete for minority voters before this November.
Trump on late Wednesday said the Democratic presidential nominee is a “bigot” due to her treatment of minorities.
Clinton’s presidential campaign on Thursday responded by releasing a video linking Trump with the Ku Klux Klan.
Burns urged Clinton later that day to abandon the video, arguing its content does not belong on the campaign trail.
“Hillary Clinton and her campaign went to a disgusting new low today as they released a video tying the Trump campaign with horrific racial images,” he said in a statement.
“This type of rhetoric and repulsive advertising is revolting and completely beyond the pale. I call on Hillary Clinton to disavow this video and her campaign for this sickening act that has no place in our world.”
