He issued a statement about the ongoing flap over Trump University and Judge Gonzalo Curiel, saying that it was “unfortunate that my comments have been misconstrued as a categorical attack against people of Mexican heritage.” However, he remained steadfast in his belief that he was “justified in questioning whether I am receiving a fair trial.” He said it was a “fair question” whether Curiel, who is of Mexican ancestry, could oversee his case impartially, given his “unique circumstances as nominee of the Republican Party and the core issues of my campaign that focus on illegal immigration, jobs, and unfair trade.” He concluded, “I do not intend to comment on this matter any further.”
Good luck with that. It’s hard to see what the point of this statement is, other than to half-heartedly recast the controversy as a debate about media bias. Dave Weigel predicted that Trump would attempt to “move on from his Curiel obsession,” and that the GOP would be happy to follow, but for it to work Trump has to actually move on. Instead, he stuck to his position, which has become radioactive to his fellow Republicans. Mark Kirk, the senator from Illinois, became the first Republican to un-endorse Trump, saying Trump’s beliefs are “not only dead wrong,” but “un-American.” Ted Cruz, meanwhile, says he is still “assessing” whether to vote for Trump, another sign that it is starting to become more politically beneficial to oppose Trump than to endorse him.