Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump weighed in Wednesday on controversy surrounding the lack of diversity in this year’s Oscar nominations.
Several black actors have suggested boycotting the Academy Awards as a result of the situation.
Asked about the controversy in general during an interview on Fox News’ “Fox and Friends,” Trump said, “It’s a tough situation.”
“I saw somebody on your show today say, ‘Well what do we do with BET, Black Entertainment?” Trump said. “I thought it was an amazing interview actually. I never even thought of it from that standpoint.”
Trump was referring to comments made by Stacey Dash, a black actress and Fox News commentator.
“Either we want to have segregation or integration. If we don’t want segregation, then we need to get rid of channels like BET and the BET Awards and the Image Awards, where you’re only awarded if you’re black,” Dash said on “Fox and Friends.”
Trump moved on, saying, “It would certainly be nice if everybody could be represented.”
The real estate mogul added that the host of this year’s ceremony, stand-up legend Chris Rock, will “probably make a big issue out of it, and I think that’s fine.”
Trump said that in the past “(African Americans) have been very well represented and this is not one of those years.”
In that interview, Trump also discussed an endorsement he received from Sarah Palin and hit Sen. Ted Cruz.
“Ted is not a person that’s liked. I mean he’s a nasty guy and people don’t like him,” Trump said.