CBS News: RNC Chairman Asks Donald Trump To Tone Down Remarks On Mexican Immigrants
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- During a lengthy phone call Wednesday, Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Preibus asked Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump to tone down his rhetoric about Mexican immigrants, CBS News has confirmed.
However, Trump tweeted Thursday the call only lasted 10 minutes and that Preibus said he hit a nerve and that he's doing well.
During his presidential kickoff event last month, Trump called Mexican immigrants criminals and said that some are rapists.
"They're bringing drugs, they're bringing crime, they're rapists and some, I assume, are good people," Trump said at the June 16 event. "It's coming from more than Mexico. It's coming from all over south and Latin America and it's coming, probably, from the Middle East, but we don't know because we have no protection."
Trump has been widely criticized for the statement, but he has refused to apologize and instead repeated his views.
The fallout was extensive. A host of organizations and countries are re-examining or severing their relationships with Trump and businesses connected to him, and their ranks are growing.
On Monday, Trump and the PGA of America mutually agreed not to hold the Grand Slam of Golf at Trump National Golf Club in Los Angeles on Oct. 19-21. Trump said because of the backlash over his comments he does not want the PGA of America to deal with any consequences.
ESPN also announced it was moving its ESPY Celebrity Golf Classic from Trump's course in Los Angeles to nearby Pelican Hill.
NBC, Univision and Macy's have also cut ties to Trump over his comments.
New York City has also been reviewing its contracts with the real estate mogul.
Trump stood by his remarks, issuing a statement Monday in which he said the Mexican government is "forcing their most unwanted people into the United States" and claimed that in many cases, those people are "criminals, drug dealers, rapists, etc."
Trump said the controversy is helping his poll numbers, which recently placed him second behind Jeb Bush among likely Republican voters.
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