Donald Trump says it was a 'sheriff's star' in tweet criticized as anti-Semitic

NEW YORK, July 5 (UPI) -- Donald Trump defended his use of what he describes as a "sheriff's star or plain star" in an anti-Hillary Clinton tweet that some have criticized as featuring a Star of David and being anti-Semitic.

The presumptive Republican presidential nominee posted a tweet Saturday featuring a picture of Clinton on a backdrop of $100 bills next to a red, six-pointed star that read "Most Corrupt Candidate Ever!"

The tweet was deleted and revised with a graphic of a circle instead of a star. Some critics interpreted the star as a Star of David, a symbol of Judaism.

Trump addressed the tweet on Monday.

"Dishonest media is trying their absolute best to depict a star in a tweet as the Star of David rather than a Sheriff's Star, or plain star!" he tweeted.

Dishonest media is trying their absolute best to depict a star in a tweet as the Star of David rather than a Sheriff's Star, or plain star!
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— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 4, 2016

The controversy has drawn condemnation, including from Clinton, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee.

Clinton said in a statement: "Donald Trump's use of a blatantly anti-Semitic image from racist websites to promote his campaign would be disturbing enough, but the fact that it's a part of a pattern should give voters major cause for concern. Now, not only won't he apologize for it, he's peddling lies and blaming others. Trump should be condemning hate, not offering more campaign behavior and rhetoric that engages extremists. The president should be someone who brings Americans together, not someone who sends signals and offers policies of division."

Trump issued another statement, mainly responding to Clinton.

"These false attacks by Hillary Clinton trying to link the Star of David with a basic star, often used by sheriffs who deal with criminals and criminal behavior, showing an inscription that says 'Crooked Hillary is the most corrupt candidate ever' with anti-Semitism is ridiculous," Trump said in the statement.

On Monday night, Trump campaign's social media director, Daniel Scavino, further defended the imagery.

"The social media graphic used this weekend was not created by the campaign nor was it sourced from an anti-Semitic site," Scavino said in a statement. "It was lifted from an anti-Hillary Twitter user where countless images appear."

"The sheriff's badge -- which is available under Microsoft's 'shapes' -- fit with the theme of corrupt Hillary and that is why I selected it," Scavino added.

Scavino also said "I would never offend anyone and therefore chose to remove the image."