
It's not hard to get on the wrong side of Donald Trump. All it takes, apparently, is one tweet.
In the wake of Mr Trump's worrying response to the violence in Charlottesville, ESPN host Jemele Hill began tweeting her thoughts on the President's attitudes towards black people.
One tweet she sent accused the President of being a "white supremacist".
@DonnyParlock @demillz84 @JayG34 Donald Trump is a white supremacist who has largely surrounded himself w/ other white supremacists.— Jemele Hill (@Jemele Hill) 1505174080
Hill's comments were immediately condemned by the White House, with Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders commenting:
That is one of the more outrageous comments that anybody could make and certainly is something that is a fireable offense by ESPN
Hill later followed up the tweet with a clarification that what she said were her own beliefs, and not those of her employer ESPN.
So, to address the elephant in the room ... #Facts https://t.co/RTrIDD87ut— Jemele Hill (@Jemele Hill) 1505360327
While ESPN clarified:
The comments on Twitter from Jemele Hill regarding the President do not represent the position of ESPN.
We have addressed this with Jemele and she recognizes her actions were inappropriate.
Trump certainly wasn't happy.
However, Hill's comments have struck something of a chord with people online.
TV writer Michael Green took to Twitter to support Hill, and thank her for “speaking her mind". He also started the hashtag #NaziBucketChallenge.
I'm in television and I'm also calling President Trump a white supremacist. Anyone else?— Michael Green (@Michael Green) 1505334324
#NaziBucketChallenge— Michael Green (@Michael Green) 1505334425
The hashtag is a reference to 2014’s ice bucket challenge, where people dumped ice cold buckets of water over themselves for charity.
It quickly gained popularity, with many people joining in.
Military veterans, engineers and voters on both sides of the aisle were among those who threw the metaphorical ice bucket over their heads to show support for Hill.
I'm a writer, Russian history Ph.D., college instructor, and vocal ex-Evangelical, and I'm calling Trump a white su… https://t.co/Yfg1vTts0l— Chrissy Stroop (@Chrissy Stroop) 1505513882
I am a military veteran and a proud Texan, and I am calling Trump a white supremacist. Keep it going. https://t.co/SFgMXyRsos— Charlotte Clymer 🏳️🌈 (@Charlotte Clymer 🏳️🌈) 1505436734
@cmclymer I'm an aerospace engineer who served NASA for almost 23yrs. I am calling Trump a White Supremacist. Anyone else?— Gary Dalrymple (@Gary Dalrymple) 1505437773
#NaziBucketChallenge Daughter of a Nazi sympathizer and I know absolutely without question Trump is a White Supremacist!— Star 🌈🌊🌊🌈Proton 🌬 (@Star 🌈🌊🌊🌈Proton 🌬) 1505538733