Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump’s personal attorney, on Wednesday tweeted a collage of photos of himself standing next to black people as purported evidence that he is not “racist” for supporting Trump.
“As the son of a holocaust survivor, I have no tolerance for racism,” Cohen tweeted. “Just because I support [Trump] doesn’t make me a racist.”
As the son of a holocaust survivor, I have no tolerance for #racism. Just because I support @POTUS @realDonaldTrump doesn't make me a racist pic.twitter.com/lfIwdosreE
— Michael Cohen (@MichaelCohen212) August 16, 2017
Cohen posted the tweet as his boss faced wide backlash from all corners (except those occupied by white supremacists) for his return to equivocal rhetoric blaming “both sides” for violence that erupted at a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia.
As the president wakes up in NYC today pic.twitter.com/ddGghEQ6Np
— Michael Calderone (@mlcalderone) August 16, 2017
In response to TPM’s email asking what the collage was supposed to prove and why he posted the tweet when he did, Cohen wrote, “All morning I am receiving horrific comments about being anti-black, racist, etc.. for supporting Trump. It’s just wrong!”
Cohen said he knows Trump “and his heart” and claimed the President “doesn’t have a racist bone in his body.”
“Trump is not a racist and neither am I,” he wrote. “I emphatically denounce white supremacy, white nationalism, nazi beliefs and hatred of anyone based on race, religion, creed, color or sexual orientation.”
New York magazine reporter Olivia Nuzzi tweeted sections of what appeared to be her text messages with Cohen regarding his tweet, some of which Cohen appeared to quote directly in his email to TPM.
??♀️ pic.twitter.com/H34VNKHvNc
— Olivia Nuzzi (@Olivianuzzi) August 16, 2017
This is going super well pic.twitter.com/kiZdiOV7gG
— Olivia Nuzzi (@Olivianuzzi) August 16, 2017
