Donald Trump tweets that ESPN should 'apologize for untruth'

Scott Gleeson | USA TODAY

Show Caption Hide Caption Trump blasts ESPN in tweet: 'Apologize for untruth' Donald Trump tweets that ESPN should apologize for a tweet made by Jemele Hills.

President Donald Trump attacked ESPN on Friday morning, criticizing the network in an early morning tweet while asking for an apology.

“ESPN is paying a really big price for its politics (and bad programming),” Trump tweeted at 7:20 a.m. ET. “People are dumping it in RECORD numbers. Apologize for untruth!”

On Monday, SportsCenter host Jemele Hill labeled Trump a “white supremacist” in a series of tweets, writing that he had "largely surrounded himself w/ other white supremacists" and that Trump's "rise is a direct result of white supremacy."

White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders called Hill’s comments “outrageous” and said it was a fireable offense on Wednesday. On Friday afternoon, Sanders called ESPN "hypocritical," saying that the network once suspended anchor Linda Cohn over a political statement.

"ESPN has been hypocritical," Sanders said. "They should hold anchors to a fair and consistent standard."

Sanders also said that, while she maintains that Hill's comments are a "fireable offense," she is not specifically calling on ESPN to fire her: "That's something for ESPN to decide."

Another reporter asked if Trump, in calling for an ESPN apology, is willing to apologize for his past comments. Sanders did not answer.

More: ESPN sends out statement regarding Jemele Hill tweets

More: White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders calls ESPN 'hypocritical'

Messages left for ESPN on Friday were not returned.

Late Wednesday night, ESPN issued a statement that distanced itself from Hill's remarks.

ESPN is paying a really big price for its politics (and bad programming). People are dumping it in RECORD numbers. Apologize for untruth! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 15, 2017

"Jemele has a right to her personal opinions, but not to publicly share them on a platform that implies that she was in any way speaking on behalf of ESPN," ESPN said in the statement to USA TODAY Sports and other outlets. "She has acknowledged that her tweets crossed that line and has apologized for doing so. We accept her apology."

On Thursday night, ESPN denied a report that the network had attempted to pull Hill off the air on Wednesday. Communications manager Chris LaPlaca tweeted that the network "never asked any other anchors to do last night's show. Period."

The American Civil Liberties Union tweeted Friday morning in response to Trump's attack on ESPN: "The president and his staff should not be using the enormous power of their platform to bully journalists or chill dissent."

USA TODAY's David Jackson contributed to this report.