President Trump slammed Jussie Smollett Thursday on Twitter after Chicago police charged the “Empire” actor with felony disorderly conduct and filing a false police report.
.@JussieSmollett - what about MAGA and the tens of millions of people you insulted with your racist and dangerous comments!? #MAGA
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 21, 2019
Mr. Smollett turned himself in to police on Thursday morning.
The actor, who is black and gay, claimed in late January that two men attacked him in Chicago while shouting racial and homophobic slurs as well as pro-MAGA comments.
“This MAGA country n——-,” Mr. Smollet claimed his attacker said, using a racial expletive.
SEE ALSO: Jussie Smollett arrested, charged with felony disorderly conduct and making a false report
Police say Mr. Smollett manufactured the entire incident and hired two brothers he knew through the “Empire” show because he was “dissatisfied with his salary.”
Mr. Smollett also sent himself a threatening letter with racial and homophobic slurs that reportedly had “MAGA” across the front, Chicago police said.
During an interview on “Good Morning America,” Mr. Smollett suggested that the attack was in part brought on by his criticism of Mr. Trump.
“I come really, really hard against 45,” he said during the interview. “I come really, really hard against his administration.”
When reports of Mr. Smollett’s claim were first reported as an apparent hate crime, the president denounced the attack.
“That, I can tell you, is horrible,” Mr. Trump told reporters last month. ” I think that’s horrible. It doesn’t get worse, as far as I’m concerned.”
Several Democratic 2020 candidates, including Sens. Cory Booker and Kamala D. Harris, as well as celebrities and news personalities also quickly spoke out against the alleged attack.
• Gabriella Muñoz can be reached at gmunoz@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.