Breaking: Trump Finally Denounces White Supremacists Three Days After Attacks in Virginia Began
Too Little, Too Late?
Calling it a “deadly car attack” and not domestic terrorism, President Donald Trump delivered a last-minute speech Monday afternoon in which he finally named the KKK and white supremacists, calling them “criminals and thugs.” His remarks come three days after white supremacists first traveled to Virginia and marched on the University of Virginia with torches, and two days after a 32-year old woman was murdered, allegedly by a white supremacist Neo-Nazi in an act of domestic terrorism after a white supremacist rally.
“Racism is evil and those who cause violence in its name are criminals and thugs, including the KKK, neo-Nazis, and white supremacists,” President Trump finally said.
POTUS: “Racism is evil and those who cause violence in its name are criminals and thugs, including the KKK, neo-Nazis, white supremacists” pic.twitter.com/O6jO7sIkKH
— ABC News (@ABC) August 14, 2017
Trump’s speech was exceptionally short. His specific denunciation of the KKK and white supremacism did not come until almost the end of his two-minute speech.
The President’s words were still insufficient. He called the groups a law and order problem, not a problem of ideology. He was far from the moral leader Americans expect their President to be. And it was clear he delivered the speech under duress.
Trump’s words left many feeling dissatisfied, especially since he was specifically asked on Saturday if he would denounce white nationalism and refused to.
I miss being 100% certain the President of the United States is anti-Nazi.
— Ian Millhiser (@imillhiser) August 14, 2017
Being presidential is not being beaten to the punch in your condemnation of a Nazi murderer by a tiki torch company
— Sarah Kendzior (@sarahkendzior) August 14, 2017
.@margarettalev notes on CNN that Trump made no specific outreach to non-white groups that may have felt victimized. Bare minimum.
— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) August 14, 2017
Its striking that he has to carefully read it off a teleprompter. He railed against prompters yet he can’t speak from the heart about racism https://t.co/olP7gXjR80
— Katy Tur (@KatyTurNBC) August 14, 2017
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