(CNN) Nick Sandmann says he doesn't owe anyone an apology, but he respects Omaha Nation elder Nathan Phillips, with whom he faced off in Washington D.C., and he'd be willing to engage in dialogue with him.

Speaking for the first time to the "Today" show Wednesday, the 16-year-old said neither he nor any of his classmates at Kentucky's Covington Catholic High School are racist and they've been mischaracterized based on videos of the scene that unfolded in front of the Lincoln Memorial last week.

When asked if he saw his own fault in any way or if he felt he needed to apologize for his actions, Sandmann said: "As far as standing there, I had every right to do so. My position is that I was not disrespectful to Mr. Phillips. I respect him. I'd like to talk to him. In hindsight, I wish we could've walked away and avoided the whole thing, but I can't say that I'm sorry for listening to (Phillips) and standing there."

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Videos from the incident show a small group of Hebrew Israelites taunting and hurling homophobic and bigoted slurs at the students before Phillips and other native Americans wade into the crowd. Phillips, playing his drum, eventually finds himself face to face with Sandmann and they lock eyes as Phillips continues to play his drum.

Critics have said Sandmann and the other kids were disrespectful, but Sandmann told "Today" that he did not see his classmates engage in a taunting "tomahawk chop," which was captured in one video, nor did he hear any of his classmates utter epithets or chant, "Build the wall." In none of the videos viewed by CNN could the students be heard chanting "Build the wall."

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