Trump Jr. compares Syrian refugees to Skittles

by Harper Neidig - 09/20/16 7:40 AM ET

Donald Trump Jr. ignited a firestorm of criticism when he posted a meme on Twitter comparing Syrian refugees to tainted Skittles.

The image shows a bowl of Skittles along with a caption that reads, “If I had a bowl of skittles [sic] and I told you just three would kill you. Would you take a handful? That’s our Syrian refugee problem.”

“This image says it all,” Trump Jr. wrote in another tweet. “Let’s end the politically correct agenda that doesn’t put America first.”

This image says it all. Let’s end the politically correct agenda that doesn’t put America first. #trump2016 pic.twitter.com/9fHwog7ssN

— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) September 19, 2016

His tweet prompted a quick backlash from critics of his father, Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump.

Denise Young, spokeswoman for Wrigley, which makes Skittles, told The Hollywood Reporter in a statement that the company didn’t feel the analogy was “appropriate.”

“Skittles are candy,” Young said. “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.”