Veteran NBC News personality Tom Brokaw apologized on Sunday evening after saying that he personally believed that Hispanics must work harder to assimilate.

On Sunday’s Meet The Press, Brokaw said that he has long held the view that Hispanics must assimilate more and make sure that all of their children “are learning to speak English.”

“And a lot of this, we don’t want to talk about. But the fact is, on the Republican side, a lot of people see the rise of an extraordinary, important, new constituent in American politics, Hispanics, who will come here and all be Democrats. Also, I hear, when I push people a little harder, ‘Well, I don’t know whether I want brown grandbabies,’” Brokaw said. “I mean, that’s also a part of it. It’s the intermarriage that is going on and the cultures that are conflicting with each other. I also happen to believe that the Hispanics should work harder at assimilation. That’s one of the things I’ve been saying for a long time. You know, they ought not to be just codified in their communities but make sure that all their kids are learning to speak English, and that they feel comfortable in the communities. And that’s going to take outreach on both sides, frankly.”

After getting backlash from the left and Latino activists, Brokaw first tweeted that he felt “terrible” that some of his “comments on Hispanics offended some members of that proud culture.”

When his original tweet brought even more criticism and backlash, Brokaw claimed that his Twitter account failed him “at the worst time” and said he was “sorry, truly sorry,” that his comments “were offensive to many.”

my twitter acct failed me at the worst time.

i am sorry, truly sorry, my comments were offensive to

many. the great enduring american tradition of diversity is to be celebrated and cherished. yamiche, thank u for your comments.

let’s go forward together. — Tom Brokaw (@tombrokaw) January 28, 2019

Brokaw added that he “never intended to disparage any segment of our rich, diverse society which defines who we are” and again said he was sorry that he failed to convey his “strong belief” that “diversity — dynamic and inclusive is what makes America.”

He also thanked PBS’s Yamiche Alcindor for pushing back on his “troubling” remarks on the panel before host Chuck Todd said, “All right, we’ll leave it there.”

“I would just say that we also need to adjust what we think of as America. You’re talking about assimilation. I grew up in Miami, where people speak Spanish, but their kids speak English,” Alcindor said. “And the idea that we think Americans can only speak English, as if Spanish and other languages wasn’t always part of America, is, in some ways, troubling.”



i feel terrible a part of my comments on Hispanics offended some members of that proud culture — Tom Brokaw (@tombrokaw) January 27, 2019

from my days reporting on cesar chavez to documenting the many contributions of hispanics in all parts of our culture — Tom Brokaw (@tombrokaw) January 27, 2019

i’ve worked hard to knock down false stereo types. in my final comment in Meet i said ALL sides hv to work harder — Tom Brokaw (@tombrokaw) January 27, 2019

at finding common ground – which i strongly believe

dialogue not division — Tom Brokaw (@tombrokaw) January 27, 2019

my twitter acct failed me at the worst time.

i am sorry, truly sorry, my comments were offensive to

many. the great enduring american tradition of diversity is to be celebrated and cherished. yamiche, thank u for your comments.

let’s go forward together. — Tom Brokaw (@tombrokaw) January 28, 2019

finally, i am sorry – i never intended to disparage any segment of our rich, diverse society which defines who we are. — Tom Brokaw (@tombrokaw) January 28, 2019

finally,i am sorry I failed to convey my strong belief that diversity – dynamic and inclusive is what makes America — Tom Brokaw (@tombrokaw) January 28, 2019

my tweet portal is whack

i hv been trying to say i am sorry i offended

and i so appreciate my colleague — Tom Brokaw (@tombrokaw) January 28, 2019

great

Yamiche is a wonderful colleague and an important voice — Tom Brokaw (@tombrokaw) January 28, 2019