Politics

The plagiarism that wasn't: Donald Trump Jr's speech sparks confusion

Trump Jr.: He sees potential in people
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Trump Jr.: He sees potential in people

The Trump family could not avoid plagiarism chatter for the second straight day.

Internet talk about the possibility of new stolen lines surfaced shortly after Donald Trump Jr. spoke at the Republican National Convention on Tuesday night. A "Daily Show" tweet showed similarities between sentences in Trump's speech and those in an article written by George Mason University law professor F.H. Buckley for The American Conservative outlet.

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But what appeared to be Buckley's Twitter account quickly responded, writing "except it wasn't stealing." He told Vox that he was the principal speechwriter for Trump Jr., adding "it's not an issue."

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On Wednesday morning, Buckley added in a follow-up tweet: "Ironically, the lines I used I didn't invent. I borrowed them from someone else. I forget whom."

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It follows the revelation that Trump's stepmother Melania's Monday night speech bore striking similarities to one first lady Michelle Obama gave in 2008.

Side-by-side comparison of Melania's and Michelle's speeches
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Side-by-side comparison of Melania's and Michelle's speeches

The Trump campaign had to play defense Tuesday, the second day of the GOP convention, following the plagiarism accusations.

Jason Miller, a senior communications advisor with the campaign, released a statement after the speech that said a "team of writers" included "fragments" of other peoples' writing in Melania Trump's speech.