Colin Powell Called Donald Trump ‘National Disgrace,’ Former Secretary Of State’s Leaked Emails Show

Emails leaked from former Secretary of State Colin Powell’s private email account revealed the retired four-star general called Republican U.S. presidential nominee Donald Trump “a national disgrace and an international pariah.”

In one of the emails, Powell calls Trump’s birther investigation a “racist” movement which incorrectly states that President Barack Obama was born in a foreign country.

“Yup, the whole birther movement was racist,” Powell wrote. Commenting on Trump wanting to know if Obama was Muslim, Powell wrote, “As I have said before, ‘What if he was?’ Muslims are born as Americans everyday.”

The leak was first reported by the Intercept and Buzzfeed, who attributed the breach to DCleaks.com, a website said to have ties with Russian cyber spies.

“The emails are accurate. No further comment at this time,” Peggy Cifrino, an aide to Powell, told CNN.

Powell, a Republican, hasn’t openly endorsed Trump, often avoiding questions regarding the controversial real estate mogul. In a June email, Powell wrote: “Trump is a national disgrace and an international pariah.” In another email, he said of Trump: “He appeals to the worst ... of the GOP nature and poor white folks.”

He also blasted Trump’s earlier statement where the New Yorker claimed he will win over African-American voters. “For him to say yesterday that within four years he would have 95% of blacks voting for him is schizo fantasy. And [former Fox News chief Roger] Ailes as an adviser won’t heal with women.”

Nearly 30,000 of Powell’s emails were stolen by hackers and given to DCLeaks.com, reports said.