White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Wednesday that ESPN should consider firing host Jemele Hill for calling President Donald Trump a “white supremacist.”
Asked whether the president was aware of Hill’s comments during Tuesday’s briefing, the White press secretary said: “I’m not sure if he’s aware but I think it’s one of the more outrageous comments that anyone could make and certainly something I think is a fireable offense by ESPN.”
On Monday, the “SportsCenter” co-host tore into President Trump during a Twitter rant.
“Donald Trump is a white supremacist who has largely surrounded himself w/ other white supremacists,” Hill wrote. “Donald Trump is a bigot,” she went on to say. “Glad you could live with voting for him. I couldn’t, because I cared about more than just myself.”
ESPN quickly issued a statement distancing itself from Hill’s comments.
“The comments on Twitter from Jamele Hill regarding the President do not represent the position of ESPN,” the network said. “We have addressed this with Jemele and she recognizes her actions were inappropriate.”
The Disney company did not say whether or not Hill would be suspended or otherwise punished. Reps for ESPN did not immediately respond to TheWrap’s request for comment.
You can check out Hill’s entire thread, which she has not deleted at the time this article was published, and ESPN’s statement below.
ESPN Statement on Jemele Hill: pic.twitter.com/3kfexjx9zQ
— ESPN PR (@ESPNPR) September 12, 2017
Donald Trump is a white supremacist who has largely surrounded himself w/ other white supremacists.
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) September 11, 2017
The height of white privilege is being able to ✌🏾ignore✌🏾his white supremacy, because it's of no threat to you. Well, it's a threat to me.
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) September 11, 2017
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
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
How is it a "false narrative?" Did he hire and court white supremacists? Answer: YES
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) September 12, 2017
You just don't want to believe it because it's too unpleasant. But that doesn't change the facts.
— 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
Donald Trump is a bigot. Glad you could live with voting for him. I couldn't, because I cared about more than just myself
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) September 12, 2017
And it's funny how you cling to Benghazi but I bet you didn't give one thought to what Trump said about the Central Park 5
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) September 12, 2017
And it's funny how you cling to Benghazi but I bet you didn't give one thought to what Trump said about the Central Park 5
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) September 12, 2017
You yell about Benghazi but I bet you didn't care at all about him having to settle the largest racial housing discrimination case in NYC
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) September 12, 2017