Nicole Scherzinger has issued an apology after landing herself in hot water when fans spotted that she had interacted with numerous social media posts in support of Donald Trump.
Last week, it was reported that the former Pussycat Dolls singer had liked an Instagram post by the former Republican presidential hopeful Robert F Kennedy Jr expressing support of Trump’s second term as US president.
She also commented on a post by comedian and Trump supporter Russell Brand in which he held up a MAGA-style red baseball cap emblazoned with the message: “Make Jesus First Again.”
“Where can I get this hat!?” she wrote under the post in a comment that has now been deleted.
The comment under Brand’s post was doubly controversial after the Forgetting Sarah Marshall actor was accused by several women of “rape, sexual assaults and emotional abuse” last year. He has repeatedly refuted these allegations.
As the backlash surrounding Nicole began to grow on social media, she issued a lengthy response on her Instagram story.
“I deeply apologise for the hurt caused by my recent engagement with some social media posts,” the former X Factor judge began.
“When I commented on these posts, I made the mistake of not realising that they could be easily interpreted as being politically related and I apologise to anyone who understandably reached that conclusion.”
She continued: “Many presumptions are being drawn, which do not reflect who I am, what I stand for, or who l voted for.
“Many of the marginalised communities feeling hurt and concerned by the results of the presidential election are people I care about most. I stand with them, as I always have, throughout my life and career. If you know me, you know that.”
“Like so many others, in times of adversity and uncertainty, I turn to my faith,” she added. “I believed that the posts I engaged with were about encouraging people to choose love and faith – ‘putting Jesus first’. For me Christ embodies peace, compassion, hope, and – above all – unconditional love, especially for those who may feel it the least right now.
“I come from a place of love, and I will always support values that bring us closer together. It’s so important we come together with compassion, and love one another more now than ever.”
She signed off her post simply: “Nicole.”
Prior to the controversy, Nicole had been hotly tipped to win a Tony next year for her leading performance in the reimagined Sunset Boulevard, which is currently playing on Broadway.
Earlier this year, she won an Olivier for the same role in the production’s West End run.