The president commented on the attack while speaking to reporters from the Oval Office on Thursday.
Donald Trump is addressing the attack on Empire star Jussie Smollett.
While speaking to reporters on Thursday, the president commented on the assault that took place early Tuesday morning in Chicago.
"That I can tell you is horrible," Trump said. "I've seen it, last night. I think that's horrible. It doesn't get worse, as far as I'm concerned."
As previously reported, a source told ET that Smollett was walking around Chicago when two men started yelling racial and homophobic slurs at him, before repeatedly hitting him. The men then poured a substance on him (believed to be bleach), according to the source, and one of the attackers put a rope around his neck. The 35-year-old actor was then taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital.
A spokesperson for the Chicago Police Department told ET earlier this week that Smollett told detectives late Tuesday afternoon in a follow-up interview that his two attackers yelled, "MAGA country" to him during the attack, referring to Trump's "Make America Great Again" campaign slogan.
ET also learned that Smollett's manager, Brandon Z. Moore, told police he was on the phone with the actor during the attack, and that Moore said he told police he clearly heard the MAGA comment in addition to both racial and homophobic slurs. Additionally, ET has learned that Smollett is cooperating with police and the ongoing investigation.
Watch the video below for more details on the ongoing investigation.
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