'Unintentional': MSNBC Host Apologizes After Saying Trump Calling for ‘Exterminating Latinos’

Monica Sanchez | August 7, 2019
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MSNBC host Nicolle Wallace Tuesday night issued an apology after suggesting that President Trump is calling for the “extermination" of Latinos during a recent broadcast. `

Prior to the remarks, Wallace in a panel discussion with USA Today columnist Raul Reyes was discussing President Trump's rhetoric about immigrants, which Reyes suggested provoked the El Paso mass shooting.  

As The Hill reports,

At one point in the program, Reyes noted Trump's use of the words ‘invasion’ and ‘infestation’ to describe the flow of migrants at the border in light of similar language that was found in a manifesto believed to have been written by the suspect behind the Walmart shooting in El Paso, Texas, over the weekend that left 22 people dead. 

In the document, the suspected gunman allegedly wrote that the attack was a response to a ‘Hispanic invasion of Texas.’

Wallace went on to agree in plain terms that Trump has been "talking about exterminating Latinos." 

The conversation went as follows: 

"What do you do with an infestation? With an infestation, the natural conclusion is to attempt an extermination," Reyes said. "So, to me, there’s very little distinction between his inciting this violence and the fact it’s now happening.”

He added, “This resonates with a portion of his base.”

"What do you do when, certainly, the last Republican president fought for, sought and -- it's not ideal -- but had 44 percent of Latino voters," Wallace responded. "So politically powerful inside the last Republican administration."

She continued, "President Obama used the power of the presidency to try to pass comprehensive immigration reform, with the Latino community, Latino leaders, at the table. You now have a president, as you said, talking about exterminating Latinos."

“It’s not even a question of what this president could do,” Reyes replied. "And it brings me no pleasure saying this. I just think with this administration, it is too late. And it’s not even a political question because Obama, George W. Bush, H.W., all of the presidents in modern history have made sincere outreach to Latinos, whether or not their views happen to align with mainstream Latinos. They wanted them in their party. They wanted their support."

After receiving backlash for her remarks, Wallace issued an apology via Twitter Tuesday night, saying that she “misspoke” and that her “mistake was unintentional.”

Though, she went on to essentially defend her remarks, saying, “Trump’s constant assault on people of color and his use of the word ‘invasion’ to describe the flow of immigrants is intentional and constant.”

 

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