Covington High School student Nick Sandmann, the teen at the center of the viral firestorm after a video surfaced of a MAGA hat-clad Sandmann standing close to and smirking at Native American elder Nathan Phillips, appeared on the Today Show Wednesday to explain why he’s not sorry for the perceived disrespect.
“As far as standing there, I had every right to do so. My position is that I was not disrespectful to Mr. Phillips. I respect him. I’d like to talk to him,” Sandmann told NBC’s Savannah Guthrie. “But I can’t say that I’m sorry for listening to him and standing there.”
“As far as standing there, I had every right to do so. My position is that I was not disrespectful to Mr. Phillips. I respect him. I’d like to talk to him…But I can’t say that I’m sorry for listening to him and standing there.” Nick Sandmann on if he owes anyone an apology pic.twitter.com/iiVqPtltjf
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) January 23, 2019
Sandmann also said that he had been receiving death threats since the video went viral.
Sandmann’s family has retained the surfaces of RunSwitch, a PR firm co-run by advisor to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) Scott Jennings. After the firm was hired, Sandmann put out a lengthy statement on his side of the interaction and videos surfaced giving a fuller image of what happened.
