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Who Was Donald Trump Apologizing To? Here Are 23 Possibilities

There's a long list to choose from.
Image: Donald Trump, Mike Pence
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and his running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, right, help to unload supplies for flood victims during a tour of the flood damaged area in Gonzales, La., Friday, Aug. 19, 2016.Max Becherer / AP

From the very moment he launched his presidential bid in June of 2015, Donald Trump began piling up a long list of harsh insults directed toward ethnic groups, entire nations, public and private citizens, and more.

Then, on Thursday night, the GOP nominee appeared to apologize—for something.

"Sometimes, in the heat of debate and speaking on a multitude of issues, you don't choose the right words or you say the wrong thing," Trump said at North Carolina rally. "I have done that. And believe it or not, I regret it."

Exactly what he was apologizing for, or to whom, was left unsaid. On Friday morning, Trump's new campaign manager, Kellyanne Conway, was unable to clarify. "He was talking about anyone who feels offended by anything he said and that's all him," Conway said in an interview on ABC.

"Anyone" and "anything" includes a multitude of people, places, things to choose from. Could it perhaps be any of the below that he regrets offending?

1. Mexico

The time Donald Trump called the people of Mexico "rapists."

“When Mexico sends its people, they're not sending their best. They're not sending you. They're not sending you. They're sending people that have lots of problems, and they're bringing those problems with us. They're bringing drugs. They're bringing crime. They're rapists. And some, I assume, are good people.” (Presidential announcement, 6/16/15)

2. Macy's

The time Donald Trump tweeted that Macy's stores "suck."

3. John McCain

The time Donald Trump said Sen. John McCain isn't a war hero.

“He’s not a war hero. He’s a war hero because he was captured. I like people who weren’t captured.” (Remarks 7/18/15)

4. Megyn Kelly

The time Donald Trump commented that Fox News' Megyn Kelly has “blood coming out of her wherever.”

“You could see there was blood coming out of her eyes. Blood coming out of her wherever” (Comments to CNN, 8/7/15)

5. Ben Carson

The time Donald Trump compared GOP primary opponent Ben Carson to a child molester.

"He wrote a book and in the book, he said terrible things about himself," Trump said of Carson. "He said that he's pathological and he's got basically pathological disease ... I don't want a person that's got pathological disease ... If you're a child molester, there's no cure, they can't stop you. Pathological, there's no cure." (NBC News, 11/13/15)

6. Bill DeBlasio

The time Donald Trump said New York City Mayor Bill DeBlasio is the "worst Mayor in the United States."

7. Ted Cruz's Dad

The time Donald Trump associated Sen. Ted Cruz’s father with Lee Harvey Oswald.

“His father was with Lee Harvey Oswald prior to Oswald's being — you know, shot. I mean, the whole thing is ridiculous,” Trump said Tuesday during a phone interview with Fox News. “What is this, right prior to his being shot, and nobody even brings it up. They don't even talk about that. That was reported, and nobody talks about it.” (5/3/16)

8. Ted Cruz's Wife

The time Donald Trump retweeted an unflattering photo of Heidi Cruz on Twitter comparing the looks of the former GOP candidate's wife to Melania.

9. The Pope

The time Donald Trump said the Pope is a "pawn" for the Mexican government.

"They are using the pope as a pawn and they should be ashamed of themselves for doing so, especially when so many lives are involved and when illegal immigration is so rampant." (Rally, 2/18/2016)

10. A Federal Judge

The time Donald Trump said that a federal judge should recuse himself from a case that involves him because the Indiana-born justice's Mexican heritage could lead to a bias in the case.

"I'll tell you what it has to do with. I have had ruling after ruling after ruling that's been bad rulings, OK? I've been treated very unfairly. Before him we had another judge. If that judge was still there, this case would have been over two years ago ... Now, this judge is of Mexican heritage." (CNN, 6/3/16)

11. The Khan Family

The time Donald Trump criticized the family of a U.S. soldier killed in Iraq.

“I saw him. He was, you know, very emotional. And probably looked like a nice guy to me. His wife, if you look at his wife, she was standing there. She had nothing to say," Trump said. "Maybe she wasn't allowed to have anything to say. You tell me, but plenty of people have written that." (ABC, 7/31/16)

12. President Obama

The time Donald Trump called Obama the “founder” of ISIS.

“He’s the founder of ISIS. He’s the founder of ISIS. He’s the founder. He founded ISIS,” Trump said, adding, “I would say the co-founder would be crooked Hillary Clinton.” (8/10/16)

13. Jeb Bush

The many, many times Donald Trump insulted "low energy" Florida Gov. Jeb Bush.

14. Marco Rubio

The many, many times Donald Trump insulted "little Marco."

15. Lindsey Graham

The time Donald Trump called Sen. Lindsey Graham a "lightweight," a "stiff" and an "idiot," and also gave a crowd the South Carolina senator's cell phone number. (7/21/2015)

16. Karl Rove

The time Donald Trump called GOP strategist Karl Rove a "dope" and a "moron."

17. Rick Perry

The time Donald Trump said Texas Gov. Rick Perry was faking his intelligence with the help of eye-wear.

"He put glasses on so people will think he's smart. It just doesn't work." (7/21/2015)

18. Rand Paul

The time Donald Trump implied Sen. Rand Paul was unattractive at a Republican debate last fall.

"I never attacked him on his look and believe me there's plenty of subject matter there—that I can tell you." (9/16/2015)

19. Carly Fiorina

The time Donald Trump flat-out called primary opponent Carly Fiorina unattractive.

"Look at that face. Would anyone vote for that?" (9/15/2016)

20. A Colorado Fire Marshal

The time Donald Trump picked a fight with a fire marshal.

"Now because of your fire marshal, who I am not a fan of, he’s probably a Democrat, probably a guy than doesn’t get it, I’m going to go into the other room and say hello to people that didn’t get your location." (7/29/2016)

21. Martin O'Malley

The time Donald Trump straight up called the former mayor of Baltimore a "clown."

22. Refugees

The multiple times Donald Trump has promised to build a wall to keep all immigrants and refugees out of the United States.

23. Hillary Clinton

The time Donald Trump deemed his Democratic presidential opponent "shrill" and "crooked," among other things.

"Hillary, who's become very shrill — do you know the word 'shrill'? She's become shrill." (9/24/2015)