Michael Flynn, a retired US General and supporter of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, sparked controversy Sunday when he retweeted an anti-semitic post.
"CNN implicated. The USSR is to blame! Not anymore, Jews. Not anymore,” read the tweet.
Flynn took the tweet down two hours later and issued an apology.
The original tweet by @30PiecesofAG_ — an anonymous Twitter account that appear to support Trump, posts racists tweets, and often bashes Democrats — showed a brief video clip of Hillary Clinton campaign manager Robby Mook speaking with CNN’s Jake Tapper Sunday.
Clinton campaign manager on DNC leak: Experts say "Russians are releasing these emails" to help Trump #CNNSOTU https://t.co/GwJhloosPs
In the clip, Mook raised questions about the timing of the hacked Democratic National Convention emails and alleged “Russian state-actors” were releasing the emails to help Trump’s campaign.
“I don’t think it’s coincidental that these emails were released on the eve of our convention here," Mook said, adding that Trump made changes to his platform that are pro-Russian.
Flynn, who was at one point on Trump’s short-list of vice presidential candidates, retweeted the anti-semitic tweet and added his own comment:
Flynn’s tweet remained online for nearly two hours after it was posted, despite numerous replies to Flynn on Twitter pointing out the racist implications and apparent endorsement of anti-semitism:
@GenFlynn you are going to issue an apology for this yes? You should probably just get on that right now
@GenFlynn General, you need to delete this now and issue a clarification.
@GenFlynn You're retweeting Antisemitism for Trump? The fuck happened to honor and integrity, General?
Flynn later took the tweet down and issued an apology:
All, this is what was meant to be retweeted...the earlier retweet was a mistake. My sincerest apologies. https://t.co/0s1OqEC3gr
Trump himself is no stranger to sharing racist or questionable tweets.
Most recently, Trump sparked controversy when he tweeted a critical image of Hillary Clinton that contained a six-pointed star, which many took to be a Star of David, with the message "The Most Corrupt Candidate Ever" over a pile of cash.