Don King—a valued booster of Donald Trump and legendary boxing promoter—won’t be speaking at the Republican National Convention this week. And he says it’s because Reince Priebus, the RNC chairman, is racist.
“I’m not speaking because Reince Priebus is still thinking he don’t like black people,” King told reporters outside the Quicken Loans arena where the convention is being held.
It’s been widely reported that Trump wanted King to speak at the convention. But it isn’t going to happen. And The New York Times reported earlier Monday that Priebus told Trump King wasn’t welcome because he was convicted of manslaughter after stomping someone to death.
King said he doesn’t buy that explanation, and instead told reporters that he thinks Priebus withdrew Trump’s invitation out of racism.
“I have less than a damn about what Reince Priebus thinks, especially when he’s so antiquated,” King continued.
The RNC will feature several African-American speakers, including Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke and Colorado Republican Senate candidate Darryl Glenn. An RNC spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
King also said that he doesn’t hate Hillary Clinton, Trump’s presumptive Democratic opponent.
“Listen, I love Hillary,” he said.
“But Hillary didn’t answer my cry when I said, all—everybody, say you’re going to create a new system,” he continued. “Only one that did was Donald Trump.”
—Betsy Woodruff
