Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) says President Donald Trump should ācelebrateā the fact that an investigation determined that a hate crime was not committed after a noose was found in NASCAR driver Bubba Wallaceās garage.
On Monday morning, Trump took to Twitter to ask if Wallace apologized after the investigation as he called the incident a āhoax,ā as IJR reported.
However, during an interview on Fox Newsā Brian Kilmeadeās radio show,ā Graham said, āI donāt think Bubba Wallace has anything to apologize for.
Graham continued to note that āin the times in which we live, thereās a lot of anxiety.ā
āYou saw the best in NASCAR. When there was a chance that it was a threat against Bubba Wallace, they all rallied to Bubbaās side. I would be looking to celebrate that kind of attitude more than being worried about it being a hoax,ā he added.
Additionally, Graham defended NASCARās decision to ban Confederate flags at its events, āNASCAR is trying to grow the sport. And one way that you grow the sport is you take images that divide us and ask that they not be brought into the venue. That makes sense to me.ā
Listen to the segment below: (1:30:30):
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In a tweet, Trump asked on Monday, āHas apologized to all of those great NASCAR drivers & officials who came to his aid, stood by his side, were willing to sacrifice everything for him, only to find out that the whole thing was just another HOAX? That Flag decision has caused lowest ratings EVER!ā
After the FBI determined that a hate crime was not committed, Wallace addressed allegations that the incident was a hoax.
āNone of the allegations of being a hoax will break me or tear me down,ā Wallace said, adding, āWill it piss me off? Absolutely.ā
However, he said that it āonly fuels the competitive drive in me to shut everybody up.ā