Donald Trump said he is often the "least racist person".
President Donald Trump said in a British television interview Friday that he was ready to apologize for retweeting anti-Muslim videos from a far-right British group, and he reiterated his assertions that he is not a racist.
In an interview with the "Good Morning Britain" program, Trump was pushed by Piers Morgan, the presenter, about his November retweet of three videos by the group called Britain First that caused outrage in Britain and brought a rare rebuke from Prime Minister Theresa May.
Trump said he was unaware of the group's politics and that the tweets showed his concern over the threat of radical Islamic terrorism.
"If you are telling me they're horrible people, horrible, racist people, I would certainly apologize if you'd like me to do that," he said, according to a report on the interview by the British ITV broadcaster.
Morgan described Britain First, which presents itself as a political party but is widely seen as an extremist group targeting Muslims, as "racist." Trump denied any knowledge of the group when he shared three videos from Jayda Fransen, its deputy leader.
"Of course I didn't know that. I know nothing about them, and I know nothing about them today other than I read a little bit," Trump said. "I don't know who they are. I know nothing about them, so I wouldn't be doing that."
He added that "I am often the least racist person that anybody is going to meet."
After Trump retweeted the videos, Fransen expressed joy over the move, tweeting "God Bless You Trump!" and noting that the U.S. president has 44 million Twitter followers. She was convicted of religiously aggravated harassment in November 2016 after abusing a woman wearing a hijab and was arrested a year later for a speech in Belfast that used "threatening, abusive, insulting words."
The videos showed alleged violent acts carried out by Muslims, including one of a boy on crutches being beaten by a man purported to be a "Muslim migrant." Dutch authorities said the assailant was actually born and raised in the Netherlands and was punished under Dutch law.
A statement from the British prime minister's office later called it "wrong" to share such materials that promote "hateful narratives."
Trump in turn responded on Twitter: "Theresa @theresamay, don't focus on me, focus on the destructive Radical Islamic Terrorism that is taking place within the United Kingdom. We are doing just fine!"
Morgan, the interviewer, also weighed in on the controversy at the time, tweeting: "Good morning, Mr President @realDonaldTrump - what the hell are you doing retweeting a bunch of unverified videos by Britain First, a bunch of disgustingly racist far-right extremists? Please STOP this madness & undo your retweets."
Friday's interview was conducted while Trump was attending the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, and he took the opportunity praise his relations with Britain and May.
"I can tell you I have a very good relationship with your prime minister," Trump said, according to Reuters. "She's been doing a very good job. We actually have a very good relationship, although a lot of people think we don't."
He added that the United States would come to the defense of Britain if needed.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In an interview with the "Good Morning Britain" program, Trump was pushed by Piers Morgan, the presenter, about his November retweet of three videos by the group called Britain First that caused outrage in Britain and brought a rare rebuke from Prime Minister Theresa May.
Trump said he was unaware of the group's politics and that the tweets showed his concern over the threat of radical Islamic terrorism.
"If you are telling me they're horrible people, horrible, racist people, I would certainly apologize if you'd like me to do that," he said, according to a report on the interview by the British ITV broadcaster.
Morgan described Britain First, which presents itself as a political party but is widely seen as an extremist group targeting Muslims, as "racist." Trump denied any knowledge of the group when he shared three videos from Jayda Fransen, its deputy leader.
"Of course I didn't know that. I know nothing about them, and I know nothing about them today other than I read a little bit," Trump said. "I don't know who they are. I know nothing about them, so I wouldn't be doing that."
He added that "I am often the least racist person that anybody is going to meet."
After Trump retweeted the videos, Fransen expressed joy over the move, tweeting "God Bless You Trump!" and noting that the U.S. president has 44 million Twitter followers. She was convicted of religiously aggravated harassment in November 2016 after abusing a woman wearing a hijab and was arrested a year later for a speech in Belfast that used "threatening, abusive, insulting words."
The videos showed alleged violent acts carried out by Muslims, including one of a boy on crutches being beaten by a man purported to be a "Muslim migrant." Dutch authorities said the assailant was actually born and raised in the Netherlands and was punished under Dutch law.
A statement from the British prime minister's office later called it "wrong" to share such materials that promote "hateful narratives."
Trump in turn responded on Twitter: "Theresa @theresamay, don't focus on me, focus on the destructive Radical Islamic Terrorism that is taking place within the United Kingdom. We are doing just fine!"
Morgan, the interviewer, also weighed in on the controversy at the time, tweeting: "Good morning, Mr President @realDonaldTrump - what the hell are you doing retweeting a bunch of unverified videos by Britain First, a bunch of disgustingly racist far-right extremists? Please STOP this madness & undo your retweets."
Friday's interview was conducted while Trump was attending the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, and he took the opportunity praise his relations with Britain and May.
"I can tell you I have a very good relationship with your prime minister," Trump said, according to Reuters. "She's been doing a very good job. We actually have a very good relationship, although a lot of people think we don't."
He added that the United States would come to the defense of Britain if needed.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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