Updated at 9:58 a.m. Jul 9th 2015
As Donald Trump refuses to apologize for remarks calling Mexican immigrants “rapists” and drug dealers, Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus spoke to the real estate mogul over the phone on Wednesday asking him to soften his tone, the Washington Post reported.
Sources told the Washington Post that Priebus spent about an hour on the phone with Trump talking about the presidential candidate’s stance on immigration.
On Thursday, Trump denied that Priebus asked him to tone it down on immigration during the phone call.
Totally false reporting on my call with @Reince Priebus. He called me, ten minutes, said I hit a “nerve”, doing well, end!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 9, 2015
The RNC confirmed to CNN that Priebus spoke to Trump on Wednesday, as GOP leaders grow increasingly worried that Trump’s remarks will reflect poorly on the entire Republican party.
“They had a respectful discussion across a wide range of issues including illegal immigration,” RNC Spokesman Sean Spicer told CNN about the phone call.
Priebus did not initiate the call, but returned an initial message left by Trump, according to CNN.
Trump’s campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, told CNN that Trump spoke to Priebus, but did not say what the two spoke about.
“There’s no question in my mind that Mr. Trump’s fortitude on [immigration] will be unshaken, whether it’s a phone call from Reince Priebus or whether it’s [a business cutting its ties,]” Lewandowski said.
Following Trump’s initial remarks, numerous businesses have cut ties with the businessman. Yet Trump remains convinced that he will “win the Latino vote.”
