A descendant of Pocahontas says she is not offended by President Trump’s nickname for Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA).
Debbie “White Dove” Porreco told Sky News in September that Trump asked her if referring to Warren as “Pocahontas” offended her.
“I know that he uses ‘Pocahontas’ sometimes with Elizabeth Warren,” Porreco explained. “He said, ‘Well, does that offend you when I use that?’ And I told him, ‘No, it doesn’t offend me.’”
Porreco added that her ancestor would be “very proud” of the president if she were alive today.
“If Pocahontas were alive today, she would be very proud of President Trump,” Porreco said. “Just like Pocahontas was a heroine, Donald Trump is going to be our hero.”
Sky News also interviewed Irene Bedard, the actress who voiced Pocahontas in the animated Disney film, who provided the opposite perspective of Trump.
“Do I think Pocahontas would be a fan of Trump? Oh, no,” Bedard said. “Misogyny and bullying and name-calling at its finest. It is not intelligent discourse.”
Trump has made jokes in which he referred to Warren as Pocahontas on several occasions, most recently on Monday at an Oval Office event honoring World War II Navajo code talkers.
Warren complained about Trump’s calling her Pocahontas, going as far afterwards of accusing the president of using a racial slur.
The Massachusetts Democrat, however, has a history of making dubious claims that she is of Native American ancestry despite having no genealogical proof. Critics say she claimed Native American ancestry to gain an advantage in her career.
Breitbart News reported in May 2012 that many of Warren’s claims about her heritage had been disproved because there is no documented or genetic evidence available that backs up those claims.