Donald Trump on Monday railed against NASCAR for banning the Confederate flag from its races and targeted Bubba Wallace, one of the sport’s top Black stars, roughly two weeks after a noose was found in the driver’s garage stall. Trump demanded that Wallace apologize for being upset about the incident.
Wallace, who pressed NASCAR to ban the Confederate flag from his venues and has been widely praised within and outside NASCAR. Trump falsely wrote that the noose found in Wallace’s stall was a “hoax.”
“Has Bubba Wallace 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?” the president wrote on Twitter. “That & Flag decision has caused lowest ratings EVER!”
The FBI last month determined that the noose found in Wallace’s garage was actually a garage door pull that was not placed there as part of a deliberate attempt at racial intimidation against Wallace.
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NASCAR announced in early June that displays of the flag at its events were banned, saying it “runs contrary to our commitment to providing a welcoming and inclusive environment for all fans, our competitors and our industry.”
Tyler Reddick, a NASCAR driver, tweeted in response to Trump’s message: “We don’t need an apology. We did what was right and we will do just fine without your support.
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
