Source: Instagram
Donald Trump has finally condemned the violence that took place in Charlottesville, Virginia this past weekend.
In a report from Time, during a brief visit to Washington, Trump used an address from the White House to say the following about Charlottesville:
Racism is evil and those who cause violence in its name are criminals and thugs, including the KKK, neo-Nazis, white supremacists and other hate groups that are repugnant to everything we hold dear as Americans.
The statement comes after Trump faced criticism for not directly condemning the white supremacy groups that were present in Charlottesville for the "Unite The Right" rally. Trump had initially said the following:
We condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides, on many sides...We must love each other, respect each other and cherish our history and our future together. So important. We have to respect each other. Ideally we have to love each other.
A White House official was then responsible for clarifying Trump's vague statement, saying:
The President said very strongly in his statement yesterday that he condemns all forms of violence, bigotry, and hatred. Of course that includes white supremacists, KKK Neo-Nazi and all extremist groups. He called for national unity and bringing all Americans together.
The violence in Charlottesville ultimately led to the death of 32-year-old Heather Hayer, who was hit by a white supremacist when he drove his vehicle into a crowd of counter-protesters.
Source: time.com
