White House: Trump has condemned white supremacists

The White House, in response to criticisms regarding Donald Trump's condemnation of the Charlottesville violence, stated that the President of the United States condemned all forms of violence. On Saturday, three people were killed during demonstrations by right-wingers and white supremacists against their opponents. During the clashes, one of the right-wingers drove a car into the opponents, resulting in the death of a 32-year-old woman and several others being injured. Two police officers monitoring the gathering from the air were also killed when their helicopter crashed. Donald Trump, the President of the United States, firmly condemned the violence on the same day and called for unity among the American people. He described the events in Virginia as an "excessive display of hatred, hostility, and violence" and called for a swift restoration of law and order to protect innocent lives. However, critics, including figures from both the Democratic and Republican parties, have criticized Trump for not directly naming the white supremacists. In response to these criticisms, the White House stated on Sunday: "The President very clearly condemned all forms of violence, bigotry, and hatred in his statement yesterday, and this condemnation includes white supremacists, Ku Klux Klan members, neo-Nazis, and all extremist groups." The White House's statement noted that the President called for "national solidarity and unity among all Americans." According to the Associated Press, Donald Trump did not respond to reporters' questions on Saturday about whether he rejects support from white nationalists and whether he considers the attack on right-wing opponents a terrorist act. In this context, Republican Senator Cory Gardner tweeted: "Mr. President, we must name the devil by name. These were white supremacists, and this was domestic terrorism." Republican Senator Marco Rubio also wrote: "Nazis, Ku Klux Klan members, or white supremacists have nothing to do with patriotism and are in complete contradiction to what America stands for." Chris Christie, the Governor of New Jersey and a supporter of Donald Trump, also wrote: "We reject racism and violence from white nationalists, as exemplified in Charlottesville. Anyone in leadership must speak out." Senate Democratic Leader Charles Schumer also stated: "Of course, we condemn all forms of hatred until the President of the United States condemns the 'alt-right' action, he has not done his duty." On Saturday, Terry McAuliffe, the Democratic Governor of Virginia where these events occurred, told reporters that he told the President in a phone call, "We must stop this hateful rhetoric and this language." The Governor of Virginia stated that he has asked Donald Trump to act more decisively against white supremacists. The right-wingers took to the streets in response to the decision to remove a Confederate general's statue from the Civil War era. These protesters carried torches reminiscent of the Ku Klux Klan, a group opposed to the equality of Black Americans with whites. Additionally, some protesters came armed to the streets.