Joe Lockhart, the former White House press secretary for President Clinton, argued that President Trump harbors racial bias by allegedly showing greater concern for Florida than Puerto Rico in the face of a massive hurricane.
“There’s no doubt that the president doesn’t view Puerto Rico as part of the United States. He doesn’t view people who didn’t vote for him as important. And he doesn’t view people who aren’t white as important as everyone else. That’s just — it’s that simple," Lockhart told CNN's "New Day" on Friday.
Lockhart's comments came as Trump faced criticism for his response to Hurricane Dorian approaching the United States.
TRUMP CANCELS TRIP TO POLAND SO HE CAN MONITOR HURRICANE DORIAN
CNN's John Berman argued that Trump didn't make it a priority to stay in the United States when the storm was headed toward Puerto Rico. He canceled his visit to Poland, however, where he was scheduled to commemorate the 80th anniversary of World War II, so that he could monitor the hurricane from the U.S.
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Lockhart praised Trump's decision to stay in the U.S., saying that it was the "right thing" for him to do.
The former Clinton aide attracted attention in July when he called Trump supporters "racist."
"Anyone who supports a racist or a racist strategy is a racist themselves. 2020 is a moment or reckoning for America," he tweeted.
"Vote for @realDonaldTrump and you are a racist. Don’t hide it like a coward. Wear that racist badge proudly and see how it feels."
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On the same CNN show, political commentator Errol Louis appeared to support Trump's decision to stay in the U.S. He also pointed out that Florida was a critical state in Trump's reelection bid.
"Going to Poland for a commemoration of the start of World War II is not nearly as important as making sure that his citizens are safe and his political reelection prospects are also safe," he said.