Tim Scott’s behaviour around Trump is ‘humiliating’, says the Rev Al Sharpton

The South Carolina Republican senator Tim Scott’s behaviour around Donald Trump is “humiliating”, the civil rights leader Rev Al Sharpton said.

“It was humiliating to watch what Tim Scott did as a sitting senator,” Sharpton told MSNBC, for which he hosts a show, after Scott appeared with the former president in New Hampshire, where Trump won the Republican presidential primary on Tuesday.

Trump faces 91 criminal charges (including 17 for election subversion), civil lawsuits (one arising from a rape claim a judge called “substantially true”) and attempts to keep him off the ballot for inciting an insurrection.

Regardless, his only remaining rival for the Republican nomination is Nikki Haley, who in 2012, as governor of South Carolina, appointed Scott to the US Senate.

The only Black Republican in that chamber, Scott ran for president himself but dropped out early, endorsing Trump before New Hampshire.

Sharpton, president of the National Action Network, said: “I think [Trump] will be the nominee. And I think he’s demanding people bow to him.

“There are few moments in my life [when] I’ve been more embarrassed than to watch Tim Scott. You know, I know Tim and I are both practicing Christians, but I don’t know if he could pray like that to the other side. It was humiliating to watch what Tim Scott did as a sitting senator. And at one time … he wasn’t even on the script, he interrupted Trump to pay homage.”

In Nashua, Trump said: “Did you ever think [Haley] actually supported you, Tim? And you’re the senator of her state. And [you] endorsed me. You must really hate her.”

Interrupting, Scott said: “I just love you.”

“That’s why he’s a great politician,” Trump said.

Sharpton said: “It’s not a fine day in my life to watch [Scott] do that.