Donald Trump Junior’s anti-refugee tweet about Skittles used a picture taken by a refugee without his permission, it has been revealed.
The son of the xenophobic Republican presidential candidate tweeted that the US should take no Syrian refugees, using an analogy of a bowl of Skittles, some of which were poisoned.
He tweeted: “Let’s end the politically correct agenda that doesn’t put America first.”
The tweet was greeted with mockery and derision for the stupidity of the metaphor.
Now, it turns out the images was taken by a Cypriot-born man who fled to Britain in 1974 from the Turkish occupation of the Mediterranean island.
David Kittos uploaded the photo to Flickr in 2010.
The 48-year-old, who lives in Guildford, told the BBC: “This was not done with my permission, I don’t support his politics and I would never take his money to use it.
“In 1974, when I was six-years old, I was a refugee from the Turkish occupation of Cyprus so I would never approve the use of this image against refugees... I don’t support Trump’s politics and I would never take his money to use it.”
Kittos said he wanted Trump Jr to delete the image, which he took at his home studio six years ago.
Skittles released a statement saying Trump Junior’s analogy was not “appropriate” and clarified that refugees are actually people.
A spokesman from Skittles said: “Skittles are candy. Refugees are people. We don’t feel it’s an appropriate analogy.
“We will respectfully refrain from further commentary as anything we say could be misinterpreted as marketing.”
Trump Jr’s comments led many to share photos of Syrian children who are victims of the war, with the caption: “This boy is not a Skittle.”