After days of attacks on the judge presiding over the Trump University lawsuit, the presumptive GOP nominee has announced that he is done making comments on the case. Donald Trump’s recent criticism of U.S. District Court Judge Gonzalo Curiel created a significant backlash from conservative pundits, legal commentators, and elected GOP officeholders.

On Tuesday, Sen. Mark Kirk (R–IL) retracted his endorsement of Trump, while Sen. Jeff Flake (R–AZ) stated that the attacks on Curiel could spur a challenge to his nomination at the GOP Convention. RNC chairman Reince Preibus privately told Trump to back off his attacks on the judge. In response to the controversy, Trump released a statement Tuesday afternoon:

It is unfortunate that my comments have been misconstrued as a categorical attack against people of Mexican heritage. I am friends with and employ thousands of people of Mexican and Hispanic descent. The American justice system relies on fair and impartial judges. All judges should be held to that standard. I do not feel that one’s heritage makes them incapable of being impartial, but, based on the rulings that I have received in the Trump University civil case, I feel justified in questioning whether I am receiving a fair trial.

Claiming that some of his best friends are Mexicans seems as tone deaf as praising “my African American,” but it is interesting to see Trump make a rare attempt to back down from controversy. He spends the rest of his statement insisting that his real estate training program was above board and that he is innocent of any wrongdoing in the pending lawsuit. He also attempts to recast his previous complaints in less racial terms:

Normally, legal issues in a civil case would be heard in a neutral environment. However, given my unique circumstances as nominee of the Republican Party and the core issues of my campaign that focus on illegal immigration, jobs and unfair trade, I have concerns as to my ability to receive a fair trial.

I am fighting hard to bring jobs back to the United States. Many companies – like Ford, Nabisco, Carrier – are moving production to Mexico. Drugs and illegal immigrants are also pouring across our border. This is bad for all Americans, regardless of their heritage.

Due to what I believe are unfair and mistaken rulings in this case and the Judge’s reported associations with certain professional organizations, questions were raised regarding the Obama appointed Judge’s impartiality. It is a fair question. I hope it is not the case.

While this lawsuit should have been dismissed, it is now scheduled for trial in November. I do not intend to comment on this matter any further. With all of the thousands of people who have given the courses such high marks and accolades, we will win this case!

We’ll see over the next few days if Trump honors his commitment to keep quiet about Judge Curiel and the Trump University lawsuit.

Update: Oh well, that commitment lasted six hours.