Pence defends Trump response to Charlottesville violence – The Hill

Vice President Mike PenceMichael (Mike) Richard PenceScaramucci: Pence 'can't believe' what's going on OPINION | Mike Pence's 2020 run will go down in flames with Trump's presidency OPINION | Trump is a fake president and his base is starting to agree MORE on Sunday condemned white supremacists and defended President Trump following criticism that the administration failed to adequatelycondemn specific groups after Saturdayviolence in Charlottesville, Virginia.

We have no tolerance for hate and violence, white supremacists or neo-Nazis or the KKK, Pence said at a press conference in Cartagena, Colombia, according to a White House press pool report.

Trump had neglectedto namethe groups that organized the rally that turned violent inCharlottesville the previous day.

However, Pence said Trump clearly and unambiguously condemned what happened in Charlottesville. He referred to such groups as "dangerous fringe groups" and saidwe condemn them in the strongest possible terms."

The president also made clear that behavior by others of different militant perspectives are also unacceptable in our political debate and discourse, Pencesaid.

He also criticized the media for reporting on the criticism of Trump's response. A number of Republicans were quick to urgethe president to specifically condemn white supremacy, while Democrats sought to connectWhite House advisers to the far right movement.

I take issue with the fact that many in the national media spent more time criticizing the presidents words than they did criticizing those that perpetuated the violence to begin with, Pencesaid.

We should be putting the attention where it belongs, and that is on those extremist groups that need to be pushed out of the public debate entirely and discredited for the hate groups and dangerous fringe groups that they are," he continued.

A protest against government removal of a Confederate statue in Charlottesville on Saturday turned violent. The alt-right protesters clashed with counter protesters, leading the governor to declare a state of emergency before the rally even started. A young woman died and multiple were injured after a car then plowed into counter-protesters.

Trumps response to the violence in Charlottesville was criticized on both the left and right by lawmakers whosaid he needed to explicitlycondemn white supremacists and place the blame on far right groups for sparking the violence.

"We condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides on many sides," Trump said on Saturday.

The White House clarified Trump's position on Sunday.An official said "of course" the president condemns violence by"white supremacists, KKK Neo-Nazi and all extremist groups."

Protesters rallying in the name of the Charlottesville victims on Sunday night protested Trump at Trump Tower in New York City and Trump International Hotel in Washington, D.C.Demonstrators held signs that read No Free Speech For Fascists" andMake Racists Afraid AgainSmash White Supremacy!

- This report was updated at 9:15p.m.

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Pence defends Trump response to Charlottesville violence - The Hill

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