David M Jackson

USA TODAY

A Donald Trump African-American outreach event in Cleveland turned awkward Wednesday when a prominent backer used the N-word.

Boxing promoter Don King was discussing the need for African-American entrepreneurship when he said, "I told Michael Jackson, I said, 'if you're poor, you are a poor negro -- I would use the 'n word' ...."

King did just that moments later, saying "if you are a dancing and sliding and gliding n----- ... I mean negro ..."

Trump chuckled in the background.