Trump responds to Trudeau blackface scandal: 'I was more surprised when I saw the number of times'

'I’ve always had a good relationship with Justin,' says president

Donald Trump has waded into controversy surrounding Justin Trudeau after it emerged the Canadian prime minister wore 'blackface' on multiple occasions.

Asked about the controversy surrounding the his counterpart, the US leader first insisted he hoped he would not be asked about it the issue, before quickly offering a response.

“I’m surprised, and I was more surprised when I saw the number of times," he said.

“I’ve always had a good relationship with Justin.”

The Canadian leader's re-election campaign has been increasingly overshadowed by the matter, despite his efforts to draw a line under the issue.

He declined to answer questions from reporters as to how many instances there may have been, with a total of three incidents having come to light so far.

He claimed he had never told anyone about the incidents, including officials who vetted him before he joined the party and became a member of parliament.

“I never talked about this,” he told a press conference in Winnipeg, Manitoba. “Quite frankly, I was embarrassed.”