Lee accused of racist ‘hit’ by Trump

PRESIDENT TRUMP branded the African-American filmmaker Spike Lee “racist” after hearing his acceptance speech for best adapted screenplay.

He accused the director of

BlacKkKlansman of taking a “hit” on his presidency after invoking the United States’ history of racism and slavery.

Lee had implored the American people to choose wisely in a battle of “love versus hate” and make a “moral choice” in the 2020 election.

He touched in his speech on Black History Month, his own family’s origins in servitude, and the genocide of native Americans.

“Let’s all mobilise. Let’s all be on the right side of history,” Lee said.

The president did not mince words when he tweeted his reaction, and disparaged Lee’s use of notes in his speech.

Trump wrote: “Be nice if Spike Lee could read his notes, or better yet not have to use notes at all, when doing his racist hit on your President, who has done more for African Americans (criminal justice reform, lowest unemployment numbers in history, tax cuts,etc.) than almost any other Pres.”

The Oscars themselves had earlier been at the centre of racial controversy, after the host, comedian Kevin Hart, withdrew over a series of tweets from years before that had come to light.

The ceremony at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles eventually went ahead without a host.