Billionaire Mark Cuban halfheartedly apologized on Friday to those who “felt slighted” at him suggesting that women around former President Donald Trump are weak and dumb, saying he has “no excuses” — while trying to offer a bunch.
Cuban, a top campaign surrogate for Vice President Kamala Harris, attempted to walk back his remarks a day after sparking widespread fury for emphatically declaring on ABC’s “The View” that Trump is “never” around any “strong and intelligent women.”
“When I said this during the interview, I didn’t get it out exactly the way I thought I did. So I apologize to anyone who felt slighted or upset by my response. As I said, it wasn’t about trump voters, supporters or employees. Current or former,” he posted on X early Friday.
“And, I set myself up for the 6 sec soundbite. No excuses. Can’t nail every interview. My skin is thick enough.”
During his appearance on the talk show, the “Shark Tank” co-host had suggested Trump doesn’t surround himself with smart women, in part, because he is threatened by them.
“Donald Trump, you never see him around strong, intelligent women. Ever,” Cuban declared.
“It’s just that simple. They’re intimidating to him. He doesn’t like to be challenged by them. Nikki Haley will call him on his nonsense with reproductive rights and how he sees and treats and talks about women. I mean, he just can’t have her around. It wouldn’t work.”
His insult — which came just days after President Biden called Trump’s supporters “garbage” — triggered a fierce backlash from the GOP candidate’s campaign and top female allies who came out of the woodwork to put him in his place.
Cuban on Friday bemoaned the criticism leveled against him.
“What bothers me though is that so many of the comments or media, in support of, or against me, has some level of insult attached to it. Not just here. But everywhere,” he said in his apology statement.
“I’m not blaming anyone. We are where we are,” he continued.
“Here is hoping that changes at least a little bit in a week. In the spirit of joy … I have to add that all the AI memes of me with the long hair crack me up. So there is a positive!”
It comes after Cuban had earlier tried to distance himself from the eyebrow-raising comment, providing The Post with a list of the conservative women he deems intelligent — including Haley, Kellyanne Conway and Tulsi Gabbard.
Meanwhile, GOP women were quick to weigh in on Cuban’s bumbling remarks.
“This is so profoundly offensive. I worked for Donald Trump. I consider myself a strong woman. I consider those around me strong women. Kellyanne Conway, Brooke Rollins, Ivanka Trump, Hope Hicks, Sarah Sanders,” said Kayleigh McEnany, Trump’s former White House press secretary.
“That’s before we get to the women Donald Trump elevated to very high levels, like Nikki Haley who still supports him, like Amy Coney-Barrett, who he put on the Supreme Court,” added McEnany, the co-host of Fox’s “Outnumbered.”
