Jemele Hill Issues Statement on Trump Comments, Says She Regrets Painting ESPN in an ‘Unfair Light’
ESPN SportsCenter host Jemele Hill has issued a statement regarding her Twitter comments about President Trump, following a wave of controversy.
"Donald Trump is a white supremacist who has largely surrounded himself w/ other white supremacists," Jemele wrote on Twitter on Tuesday. "Trump is the most ignorant, offensive president of my lifetime. His rise is a direct result of white supremacy. Period."
While many people—including several peers and celebrities— found absolutely no lies in Hill's comments, and outwardly supported her for telling the truth, Trump supporters called for her firing and ESPN issued a statement distancing itself from her comments, saying that the network had "addressed” it with her, and adding that Hill recognized her “actions were inappropriate.”
But ESPN's statement wasn't enough for Trump supporters, who continued to call for her firing. Even White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders somehow found time in the midst of all of the many issues that the country faces to rebuke Hill from the White House podium, calling Hill's comments a "fireable offense."
Now, Hill has issued a statement, not apologizing to Trump for her comments, but saying that they represent her own views and not those of the network.
"My comments on Twitter expressed my personal beliefs," Hill said. "My regret is that my comments and the public way I made them painted ESPN in an unfair light. My respect for the company and my colleagues remains unconditional."
A few minutes after that, ESPN issued another statement, accepting her apology.
"Jemele has a right to her personal opinions, but not to publicly share them on a platform that implies that she was in any way speaking on behalf of ESPN," the statement read. "She has acknowledged that her tweets crossed that line and has apologized for doing so. We accept her apology."
So maybe now this is water under the bridge? And hopefully, Hill, who is often outspoken on social justice issues, won't find herself hesitating the next time she's in a position to say something impactful, even after this controversy, which only further exposed the truth in her comments.