Former Rare Staff
Following a speech about infrastructure, President Trump answered questions regarding his delayed response on the white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Va. The events led to the deaths of three people — two Virginia state troopers in a helicopter crash, and counter-protester Heather Heyer when James Alex Fields, Jr. allegedly drove his vehicle into a crowd.
Videos by Rare
There, Trump defended his initial “many sides” tweet:
President Trump on why he took two days to denounce white supremacists: When I make a statement, “I need the facts” https://t.co/SjBreOXir1
— CNN (@CNN) August 15, 2017
RELATED: Why conspiracy theorists already knew Jack Posobiec’s name before Trump’s retweet
He explained himself further, spending much time condemning the counter-protesters:
President Trump: "I think there's blame on both sides and I have no doubt about it" https://t.co/fa7ilqOa16
— NBC News (@NBCNews) August 15, 2017
NEWS ALERT: (AP) — Trump says the `alt-left' bears some responsibility for violence in Charlottesville, `nobody wants to say that.'
— FOX 5 DC (@fox5dc) August 15, 2017
Trump: "I think there's blame on both sides… you also had people that were very fine people on both sides." (via ABC) pic.twitter.com/nXoNXqo5yT
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) August 15, 2017
RELATED: Michael Rapaport weighs in on the term ‘white nationalists’ — “f*** that, call them what they are”
He also touted his winery in Charlottesville to say that he knew “a lot” about the town:
Trump touts his winery while discussing Charlottesville: "I own one of the largest wineries in the United States" https://t.co/jQ6Ol8yAPE
— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) August 15, 2017
The president eventually chose to condemn the KKK, neo-Nazis and white supremacists by name two days after Saturday’s violence.
While many awaited his updated statement, other Republicans and members of his administration chose to take a strong stance on the weekend’s events by calling the car attack that killed Heyer domestic terrorism. First Daughter Ivanka Trump also focused her attentions on “racism, white supremacy and neo-nazis” in her condemnation of the violence.
