Trump Denies He Mocked Journalist With Disability

Trump, who made the comments in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina on a Tuesday night rally, claims he was defending false claims that thousands of Arab-Americans were celebrating the terrorist attacks in September 11 2001. “Uh I don’t remember”, Trump stated in a mocking tone while he imitated Kovaleski, who has visibly limited flexibility in his arms.

“Now, the poor guy – you ought to see the guy [Kovaleski]”, Trump said, making jerky movements. “I don’t remember!,'” the GOP presidential frontrunner said, jerking his arms, especially his right arm, in a manner depicting Kovaleski’s disability.

Trump, in an uncharacteristically lengthy statement posted on Twitter, said he does not know Kovaleski and had not meant to mock his disability.

“We think it’s outrageous that he would ridicule the appearance of one of our reporters”, The Times said Wednesday in a statement. “I’ve talked to him at press conferences”, he added.

A Thanksgiving Day statement from the Ruderman Family Foundation, which works to promote more inclusive policies for people with disabilities, condemned Mr Trump.

Trump mocked Serge Kovaleski during a campaign meeting at SC.

During his speech, Trump criticized the reporter for defying his story. He then mimicked reporter Serge Kovaleski, the journalist who wrote the article he used as reference. “Perhaps that is what I said'”. He also denied having known the journalist, “somebody at the financially failing and totally biased New York Times said that”. Kovaleski told CNN this week that he did “not recall anyone saying there were thousands, or even hundreds, of people celebrating”, however.

“I do not know the reporter for the @nytimes, or what he looks like”, he tweeted.

The award-winning veteran reporter in question, Serge Kovalski, said he has not only known Trump for decades, but that he’s interviewed the celebrity real estate mogul enough times over the years to claim a familiar rapport.

Trump’s assertions regarding Muslims celebrating back in 2001 had been checked for accuracy and discredited by government and law enforcement officials who were during those days in New Jersey following the attacks.

Kovaleski has covered Trump many times in NY over the years, but Trump says he did not know Kovaleski. I don’t remember.’ He’s going, ‘I don’t remember.

Meanwhile, in the wake of the mocking incident, a Boston-based advocacy group offered sensitivity training to the Republican presidential candidate on Thursday.