February 25, 2019

Trump Blasts “Racist” Spike Lee After Oscars Acceptance Speech

The president’s obsession with the biggest night in Hollywood continues apace.

Chris Kleponis/ZUMA

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President Donald Trump kicked off Monday morning by lashing out at Spike Lee after the “BlacKkKlansman” director used his Oscars acceptance speech to call on voters to reject the politics of hate, reminding the audience that the “2020 election was around the corner.”

In doing so, Trump repeated his false claim that his administration had done more for African Americans than almost any other president.

The president’s attack came hours after Lee, in a rousing speech that sparked a standing ovation, recalled his family history to mark the significance of his first Oscars win. The director also urged Americans to “be on the right side of history” as the next presidential election drew closer.

“Let’s all mobilize. Let’s all be on the right side of history,” Lee said. “Make the moral choice between love versus hate. Let’s do the right thing!” Lee did not identify Trump by name. Yet by Monday morning, Trump appeared to take personal offense to the remarks.

Prior to becoming president, Trump was known to passionately live-tweet the Oscars from home. In 2014, he suggested he take on hosting duties “just to shake things up.”

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