Ex-Trump aide David Bossie apologises for racist ‘cotton-picking’ remark

Donald Trump’s former deputy campaign manager sparked a race row today after telling a black man that he was “out of his cotton-picking mind” during a TV debate on immigration.

Fox News was forced to apologise after former Trump aide David Bossie, who is white, clashed with Joel Payne, a Democratic Party strategist.

They were discussing the Trump administration’s “zero tolerance” immigration policy which has led to some 2,000 children being separated from their families at the Mexico border.

The debate grew heated as Mr Trump and his supporters were compared to the Nazis. Ex-CIA director Michael Hayden had drawn parallels between the president’s border policy and the treatment of families in concentration camps during the Second World War.

"That liberal Michael Hayden, that screaming liberal Michael Hayden,” Mr Payne said.

“You’re out of your cotton-picking mind,” responded Mr Bossie.

“Cotton-picking mind?” Mr Payne said. “Brother, let me tell you something, I got some relatives who picked cotton and I’m not going to sit back and let you attack me on TV like that.”

Fox & Friends presenter Ed Henry stepped in and, after an ad break, said: “It was obviously offensive and these debates get fiery, that’s unfortunate.”

In a tweet today, Mr Bossie wrote: “I should have chosen my words more carefully and never used the offensive phrase that I did. I apologise to Joel Payne, Fox News and its viewers.”

First Lady Melania Trump spoke last night about the importance of “kindness, compassion and positivity” at a student conference in Washington. Last week she wore a jacket decorated with the words “I really don’t care. Do u?” on a visit to the Mexico border in Texas.