President Trump on Thursday called the Jussie Smollett case an “embarrassment” to the U.S., becoming the latest and highest profile person to weigh in on the “Empire” star’s legal saga.
Trump in an early morning tweet noted the FBI — part of the Department of Justice — is looking into the Smollett case, as reported in recent days.
Smollett, 36, was indicted on Feb. 20 for disorderly conduct after allegedly paying two Nigerian men to stage a fake hate crimes assault on him and filing a false police report. Under a March 26 plea agreement between Smollett and Cook County, Ill., prosecutors, all charges were dropped in return for him performing community service and forfeiting his $10,000 bond.
FBI & DOJ to review the outrageous Jussie Smollett case in Chicago. It is an embarrassment to our Nation!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 28, 2019
The plea announcement sparked fierce backlash from Chicago police and Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel. They said these cases draw attention away from real instances of hate crimes against gay people and others.
