David Duke thanks Trump for his 'honesty and courage'
President Trump on Tuesday reverted to blaming "both sides" for the violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, over the weekend, when white supremacist demonstrators clashed with anti-racist counter-protesters in escalating incidents that resulted in the death of a woman.
On Saturday, Trump addressed the violence, saying he condemned "this egregious display of hatred, bigotry, and violence, on many sides." His remarks immediately drew criticism because he failed to directly mention the race-based nature of the protests and equated the white supremacists with the counter-protestors; on Monday, he ostensibly righted that wrong when he referred by name to "the KKK, neo-Nazis, and white supremacists," saying their views "have no place in America."
But on Tuesday, in an angry press conference at Trump Tower, Trump once again cast equal blame. "I think there's blame on both sides, and I have no doubt about it," Trump said, questioning the "alt-left that came charging" at the white supremacists. "Don't they have any guilt?" In an apparent defense of Robert E. Lee, who led the main branch of the Confederate States Army during the Civil War and whose statue was at the center of the violence in Virginia, Trump pointed out that both George Washington and Thomas Jefferson owned slaves and questioned whether their statues should be removed too.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
In response to Trump's combative Tuesday stance, one notable figure expressed his approval: white nationalist and former Ku Klux Klan grand wizard David Duke, who thanked Trump for his "honesty and courage" in declining to pin the entirety of the blame on white supremacists. Read his message below. Kimberly Alters
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Kimberly Alters is the news editor at TheWeek.com. She is a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.
-
Women are getting their own baseball league again
In the Spotlight The league is on track to debut in 2026
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Giant TVs are becoming the next big retail commodity
Under the Radar Some manufacturers are introducing TVs over 8 feet long
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
When will mortgage rates finally start coming down?
The Explainer Much to potential homebuyers' chagrin, mortgage rates are still elevated
By Becca Stanek, The Week US Published
-
Wyoming judge strikes down abortion, pill bans
Speed Read The judge said the laws — one of which was a first-in-the-nation prohibition on the use of medication to end pregnancy — violated the state's constitution
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
US sanctions Israeli West Bank settler group
Speed Read The Biden administration has imposed sanctions on Amana, Israel's largest settlement development organization
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Gaetz ethics report in limbo as sex allegations emerge
Speed Read A lawyer representing two women alleges that Matt Gaetz paid them for sex, and one witnessed him having sex with minor
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Biden allows Ukraine to hit deep in Russia
Speed Read The U.S. gave Ukraine the green light to use ATACMS missiles supplied by Washington, a decision influenced by Russia's escalation of the war with North Korean troops
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Sri Lanka's new Marxist leader wins huge majority
Speed Read The left-leaning coalition of newly elected Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake won 159 of the legislature's 225 seats
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Biden arrives in Peru for final summits
Speed Read President Joe Biden will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping, visit the Amazon rainforest and attend two major international summits
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Senate GOP selects Thune, House GOP keeps Johnson
Speed Read John Thune will replace Mitch McConnell as Senate majority leader, and Mike Johnson will remain House speaker in Congress
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Trump tests GOP loyalty with Gaetz, Gabbard picks
Speed Read He named Matt Gaetz as his pick for attorney general and Tulsi Gabbard as director of national intelligence. Both have little experience in their proposed jurisdictions.
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published