Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Trump responds to Trudeau blackface scandal: 'I was more surprised when I saw the number of times'

'I’ve always had a good relationship with Justin,' says president

Friday 20 September 2019 12:39 EDT
Comments
Donald Trump says he was 'surprised' by Justin Trudeau blackface revelations

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Donald Trump has waded into controversy surrounding Justin Trudeau after it emerged the Canadian prime minister wore 'blackface' on multiple occasions.

Asked about the controversy surrounding the his counterpart, the US leader first insisted he hoped he would not be asked about it the issue, before quickly offering a response.

“I’m surprised, and I was more surprised when I saw the number of times," he said.

“I’ve always had a good relationship with Justin.”

The Canadian leader's re-election campaign has been increasingly overshadowed by the matter, despite his efforts to draw a line under the issue.

He declined to answer questions from reporters as to how many instances there may have been, with a total of three incidents having come to light so far.

He claimed he had never told anyone about the incidents, including officials who vetted him before he joined the party and became a member of parliament.

“I never talked about this,” he told a press conference in Winnipeg, Manitoba. “Quite frankly, I was embarrassed.”

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in