In a rare turn of events, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) condemned Donald Trump on Monday after the president claimed that Bubba Wallace should apologize for noose “hoax.”
During a Twitter rant, Trump complained about NASCAR banning the confederate flag and the sport’s only black driver.
He tweeted saying: “Has @BubbaWallace apologized to all of those great NASCAR drivers & officials who came to his aid, stood by his side, & were willing to sacrifice everything for him, only to find out that the whole thing was just another HOAX? That & Flag decision has caused lowest ratings EVER!”
Has @BubbaWallace apologized to all of those great NASCAR drivers & officials who came to his aid, stood by his side, & were willing to sacrifice everything for him, only to find out that the whole thing was just another HOAX? That & Flag decision has caused lowest ratings EVER!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 6, 2020
“I don’t think Bubba Wallace has anything to apologize for,” Graham told Fox News Radio’s Brian Kilmeade. “I do say this about the drivers, even though it was a noose created to hold the door open, in the times in which we live, there’s a lot of anxiety, so what did you see? You saw the best in NASCAR. When there was a chance that it was a threat against Bubba Wallace, they all rallied to Bubba’s side, so I would be looking to celebrate that kind of attitude more than being worried about it being a hoax.”
Graham also credited NASCAR for banning Confederate flags from races.
“NASCAR made a decision to ban the Confederate flag inside the infield and NASCAR arenas,” the senator said. “They’re trying to grow the sport. I’ve lived in South Carolina all my life and, if you’re in business, the Confederate flag is not a good way to grow your business. The idea that Bubba Wallace, who is I think the only African American driver, was upset by somebody finding a noose in the garage made perfect sense to me. So what I would tell people from outside of South Carolina that NASCAR is trying to grow the sport, and one way you grow the sport is you take images that divide us and ask that they not be brought into the venue. That makes sense to me.”
You can listen to Graham’s remarks below:
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