David Cay Johnston said President Donald Trump‘s questioning of the Puerto Rico death toll after Hurricane Maria was a result of the longstanding views he holds about nonwhite people.

Appearing on Dean Obeidallah‘s SiriusXM show, the Trump biographer and Pulitzer prize winning reporter was asked about the president’s reaction to the tragedy.

“Donald does not see people who are not white as people,” Johnston said. “And he’s been like this for a long, long time. This not a newly acquired thing.”

Johnston recalled a famous anecdote from a book by former Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino President John R. O’Donnell, which claimed that Trump rejected black accountants, instead saying: “The only kind of people I want counting my money are short guys that wear yarmulkes every day.”

“Donald has been found after judicial proceedings to have discriminated against blacks, women, Asians, Puerto Ricans,” Johnston added.

Trump rejected the death toll of 2,975 adopted by Puerto Rico officials on Thursday, setting off a storm of controversy, and a swift backlash from lawmakers and island officials. He doubled down on Thursday night, retweeting a Lou Dobbs segment backing his completely unfounded claims.

The conspiracy theorizing from Trump came two days after he praised his administration’s response to Puerto Rico as a success.

“I actually think it was one of the best jobs that’s ever been done with respect to what this is all about,” he told reporters. “I think that Puerto Rico was an incredible unsung success.”

Listen above, via SiriusXM.

[image via screengrab]

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