President Donald Trump chimed in Friday on the blackface scandal that has engulfed Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Photos emerged earlier this week of Trudeau donning blackface several times in the early 2000’s. Trump said the photos “surprised” him, but declined to criticize the prime minister. (RELATED: REPORT: Northam’s Wife Handed Cotton To Black Students, Asked Them To Imagine Being Slave)
“I’m surprised, and I was more surprised when I saw the number of times,” Trump said. “I’ve always had a good relationship with Justin.”
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At least three instances of Trudeau wearing blackface have been confirmed, and the prime minister has left open the possibility that there could be more pictures.
“I am leery of being definitive about this … because the recent pictures that came out I had not remembered,” Trudeau said Thursday. (RELATED: Don Lemon And CNN Panel Praise Trudeau For ‘Brownface’ Apology)
Trudeau apologized for the photo Thursday, saying that he didn’t understand how “hurtful” his actions were.
“I didn’t understand how hurtful this is to people who live with discrimination every day,” Trudeau said. “I have always acknowledged that I come from a place of privilege but I now need to acknowledge that this comes with a massive blind spot.”