Donald Trump’s Insistence On Blaming ‘Both Sides’ For Charlottesville Sparks Reactions From Lawmakers

Getty Image

President of the United States Donald Trump attacked what he described as the ‘very, very violent alt-left’ during remarks Tuesday regarding the violence that occurred in Charlottesville, VA. He insists the blame for the events surrounding the influx of white supremacists, neo-Nazis and Klan members should be taken on by both sides in Charlottesville and attempted to deflect claims that the side with the tiki-torch wielding protesters were racist.

Trump’s comments quickly earned reactions from citizens, news media personalities and (as always) the nation’s lawmakers.

Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe responded swiftly to Trump’s Charlottesville remarks. McAuliffe rejected Trump’s “both sides” argument and called for the president to demonstrate leadership.

Criticism of Trump’s framing of the domestic terror attack arrived online from both Republicans and Democrats of every level of office. The fierceness of rebuke doled out varies, but there is some noticeable pushback.

“Blaming “both sides” for #Charlottesville?!” tweeted GOP U.S. Rep Ileana Ros-Lehtinen “No. Back to relativism when dealing with KKK, Nazi sympathizers, white supremacists? Just no.”

“We cannot accept excuses for white supremacy and acts of domestic terrorism. We must condemn them. Period,” said Arizona Republican Sen. Jeff Flake on Tuesday in what’s been an avalanche of response to Trump’s campaigns.

If past behavior is any indication, it’s unlikely we’ve heard the last of Trump providing his two cents on the media response to Charlottesville.

×