Washington DC - The White House publicly condemned recent comments from Donald Trump, who claimed African-American voters are supporting him more due to his criminal convictions.

During a briefing on Tuesday, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was asked about the remarks that Trump made during a speaking event last week.

Jean-Pierre described his words as "divisive and repugnant," a sentiment she said President Joe Biden agrees with, as she spoke to him personally about the matter.

"In any context, it is profane to compare the long, painful history… of abuse and discrimination suffered by Black Americans… to something that is totally different than self-serving purposes," she argued. "That's what we saw from the former president."

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Last Friday, while speaking to Black Conservatives ahead of the South Carolina primary, he likened his legal woes to discrimination and claimed Black Americans can relate.

"I got indicted for nothing, for something that is nothing," Trump said. "And a lot of people said that's why the Black people like me, because they have been hurt so badly and discriminated against, and they actually viewed me as I'm being discriminated against.

"It's been pretty amazing," he added, "but possibly, maybe, there's something there."

As Donald Trump faces 91 criminal charges and a mountain of other legal issues while he runs for re-election, he has pleaded innocent to every count and allegation and has insisted his woes are part of a conspiracy by President Biden and other Democrats to keep him out of power.

He has gone to crazy lengths to help raise funds for the massive legal bills he has been racking up.

Earlier this month, Trump unveiled a new sneaker line, which included a pair of gold shoes priced at $399.

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After the kicks surprisingly sold out, one Fox News host suggested Trump was "connecting with Black America because they love sneakers!"

Many critics have speculated that many of these tactics are ploys to win Black support ahead of November's general election, as Trump has even publicly said that he is considering Black politicians Tim Scott and Byron Donalds to be his running mate.

Biden cannot afford to lose any more of his Black support, as a poll released at the beginning of the year found that Black, Hispanic, and young voters are abandoning him for Trump in droves.