Janet Jackson Apologizes After Questioning if Kamala Harris Is ‘Black’: Comments ‘Based on Misinformation’

Following Janet Jackson’s comments questioning Vice President Kamala Harris’ race, the singer has issued an apology.

Jackson, 58, falsely claimed that Harris, 59, wasn’t Black in an interview with The Guardian, echoing a right-wing conspiracy theory. On Sunday, Sept. 22, in a statement shared with PEOPLE, the Grammy winner apologized to Harris.

The statement reads, “Janet Jackson acknowledges that her recent comments about Vice President Kamala Harris’ racial identity were based on misinformation. She extends her sincerest apologies for any confusion caused and reaffirms her respect for Harris’ dual heritage as both Black and Indian.”

“Janet remains committed to fostering unity, inclusion, and understanding and is grateful for the opportunity to clarify her stance,” the statement continues. “She will continue to use her platform to support leaders who represent diversity and progress.”

During her interview with The Guardian, which was published on Saturday, Sept. 21, it was mentioned that Harris, 59, could become the first Black woman to be elected president. In response, Jackson said: “Well, you know what they supposedly said?”

“She’s not Black. That’s what I heard. That she’s Indian,” Jackson added. When the reporter responded that Harris is both, Jackson falsely claimed, “Her father’s White. That’s what I was told. I mean, I haven’t watched the news in a few days.”

Adding: “I was told that they discovered her father was White.”

The singer added that she was unsure if America was “ready” for a “woman of color” to be president. “I don’t know,” Jackson said. “Honestly, I don’t want to answer that because I really, truthfully, don’t know. I think either way it goes is going to be mayhem.”

“I think there might be mayhem,” Jackson responded when asked if she didn’t think there would be a “peaceful transition of power.”

Harris’ mother, Dr. Shyamala Gopalan was raised in India. Her father, Donald J. Harris, immigrated from Jamaica to study economics at the University of California in Berkeley, which is where he met Gopalan.

Presidential candidate Donald Trump previously made false claims about Harris’ race at the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) convention in July, saying that “she became a Black person.”

“She was always of Indian heritage, and she was only promoting the Indian heritage,” Trump claimed at the time. “I didn’t know she was Black, until a number of years ago, when she happened to turn Black, and now she wants to be known as Black. So I don’t know, is she Indian or is she Black?”

“But you know what, I respect either one, I respect either one, but she obviously doesn’t, because she was Indian all the way, and then all of a sudden she made a turn, and she went — she became a Black person,” Trump continued.