Twitter users are divided after a Donald Trump supporter yelled out an ambiguous comment during the President's speech on the first day of the Republican National Convention, following a reference to his predecessor, Barack Obama.
In the clip, which has since gone viral on social media, Trump can be heard saying: "[Democrats] are trying to steal the election, just like they did it last time with spying - and we caught them - and that included President Obama. And that included..."
An attendee can then be heard yelling out a single word, which some viewers have claimed was "Spygate" - a reference to Trump's allegations that the Obama administration spied on his 2016 campaign. Yet others are unconvinced, saying the remark sounded like "monkey" - a racial slur.
Another audience member then loudly declared, "Sleepy Joe", in reference to Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden.
Trump took a deliberate pause following the comment, before beginning to chuckle.
"Let's be nice. Biden," he said, scoffing and pointing a finger presumably in the direction of the attendee. "This can only happen in North Carolina."
The audience then erupts into laughter.
Twitter users have hotly contested the remark, with some claiming Trump wouldn't have countered the comment with "let's be nice" if the attendee had yelled "Spygate", a word the President reportedly used a number of times.
"Why would he say 'let's be nice' after someone yells 'Spygate', a word he used several times in his speech," one account commented.
"Clearly says Spygate. Jesus Christ the length people go to make s**t up," another wrote.
"I don't think this is right. I went back and re-listened. The man yells 'Spygate!' and then someone in the crowd says, 'Sleepy Joe!' That latter remark is the one Trump joked about," tweeted journalist Aaron Rupar.
"My producer and I listened to the original audio with headphones on and it actually sounds like this person is yelling 'Spygate' but that’s doesn’t explain why Trump stopped, told him to be nice & made a joke about NC. Seems like Trump may have heard something different [sic]," CBS White House correspondent Paula Reid weighed in.
The debate was spurred when the anti-Trump political action committee, the Lincoln Project, reportedly claimed Trump "relished" in a supporter calling Obama a "monkey" in a since-deleted tweet.
"When President Trump mentioned Obama, someone from the crowd shouted, 'Monkey!' and the president relished in it. Disgusting," the Lincoln Project reportedly tweeted, tagging Republican senator Thom Tillis, who is up for reelection.
National Review, an American conservative editorial magazine and news website, claims the video "clearly shows the term was not used".
The 2020 Republican National Convention is an event in which delegates of the United States Republican Party select the party's nominees for President and Vice President in the 2020 United States presidential election. It is being held in Charlotte, North Carolina from August 24 to August 27. Both Trump and Mike Pence are running for reelection as the Republican presidential nominee and Vice Presidential nominee respectively.
