Media tycoon Rupert Murdoch apologized for his Wednesday night tweet, which suggested that President Barack Obama is not a "real black president."
"Apologies! No offence meant. Personally find both men charming," he wrote on Thursday after hours of backlash in the media.
The 84-year-old billionaire said in a tweet late Wednesday that Republican presidential nominee Ben Carson would give the U.S. "a real black president who can properly address the racial divide."
Murdoch's tweet praised Carson, the only African-American running in the 2016 race, and his wife, Candy, as "terrific," shortly after promoting the nominee's appearance on "The Kelly File" on his Fox News Channel.
The message sparked controversy on Twitter. Simpsons star Harry Shearer was among dozens who asked Murdoch to explain his remark.
Murdoch and his family boast a net worth of $12.1 billion and control 120 newspapers in five countries, according to Forbes.
News Corp and 21st Century Fox, firms which Murdoch chairs and co-chairs respectively, did not immediately respond to request for comment early Thursday.
This story originally appeared on NBCNews.com