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Trump Jr. on charges his father is racist: 'All the rappers, all his African-American friends ... have pictures with him'

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Donald Trump Jr.: The Basics
AP Photo/Charles Sykes
Byby DAVID CAPLAN
February 07, 2018, 4:53 AM

— -- President Donald Trump's eldest son isn't mincing words about critics of his father who label him as a racist, implying that such a characterization is misguided, considering the commander-in-chief has had longstanding relationships with African-American public figures -- and there are photos to prove it.

"Well, I think it's terrible for a couple reasons," Donald Trump Jr. told The Daily Caller, when asked by interviewer Ginny Thomas, "What do you think about the left's efforts to frame your dad and anyone who supports your dad as a hater, as a racist, as a fascist?" (Thomas is married to Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas.)

President-elect Donald Trump and Kanye West pose for a picture in the lobby of Trump Tower in New York, Dec. 13, 2016.
Seth Wenig/AP Photo

Trump Jr. explained to Thomas, "I spent this on the campaign trail when it was so obvious that was sort of the game plan. You know, 'we’re gonna smear you with racist, fascist, whatever. The real problem is those things exist. Certainly, racism exists but if it’s your response to any argument you can’t win, you actually do real disservice to those people actually afflicted by it."

Donald and Melania Trump, Sean 'P Diddy' Combs, Kimora Lee Simmons and Russell Simmons at Russell Simmons 'Art For Life Palm Beach' Honoring Sean 'P Diddy' Combs at Mar-a-Lago on March 11, 2005 in Palm Beach, Florida.
Gustavo Caballero/Getty Images
Rapper Ja Rule and Donald Trump attend the launch party for the new photo book, 'Backstage Sexy' at Spice Market February 11, 2003 in New York City.
Evan Agostini/Getty Images)

Trump Jr. continued, "To those people who are actually oppressed and hurt by real racism, real sexism. So if you use it every time, what really happens ... as people hear it, they roll their eyes and they move on because they realize it’s nonsense. In this case, the problem is when people who are actually affected by it say it doesn’t matter anymore. It’s lost its effect because it’s been numbing to people. You can only overplay your hand so many times before people start calling your bluff, so it’s actually doing nothing on the positive side of being able to promote that as a real issue."

Donald Trump and Rev. Al Sharpton at the Megu Midtown at Trump World Towers in New York City, New York in April 2006.
Jamie McCarthy/WireImage

And now for the clincher:

"And what it's doing, on the other side, is it's hurting those that are actually afflicted by it so it’s been terrible to watch," Trump Jr., 40, said. "I see, I know him [the president], I’ve seen him my whole life. I've seen the things he’s done. You know it’s amazing -- all the rappers, all his African-American friends, from Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton, have pictures with him."

Donald Trump joins Jesse Jackson at a party at Trump Plaza before the Tyson-Spinks title fight in 1988.
Getty Images

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