August 13, 2017

Senator Lindsey Graham told Chris Wallace on Fox News Sunday that President Trump needs to dissuade neo-Nazis and white supremacists "of the fact that he's sympathetic to their cause."

That's hard to do with Steve Bannon and Stephen Miller -- two well-regarded alt right members --in his White House, and his refusal to condemn anything associated with white nationalism.

Sen. Graham told the Sunday talk show host that Trump can be very clear when he wants to be, but for some reason, still needs to clarify his beliefs after his bogus statement on the violence in Charlottesville.

Wallace said, "Thousands of people including neo-Nazis and members of the Klan marching to, quote, take America back. Your reaction?"

Sen. Graham called them "domestic terrorists" and said DHS should look at them.

"But when it comes to President Trump, I'm with Cory Gardner. He missed an opportunity to be very explicit here. These groups seem to believe they have a friend in Donald Trump in the White House. I don't know why they believe that, but they don't see me as a friend in the Senate, and I would urge the president to dissuade these groups that he's their friend."

Wallace played a clip of Trump's wishy-washy condemnation on the protests and the violence these racists caused. .

Chris asked, "Why do you think the president said that, on many sides and never referred to white supremacist, never referred to neo-Nazis? And do you think -- you say that some of them feel they have a friend of the White House, do you think that this president, who has no problem talking tough to a lot of people, is somehow not willing to take on that, maybe a small part, but that part of his base?

Graham replied, "I would urge the president to dissuade them of the fact that he's sympathetic to their cause, because their cause -- it's hate, it is un-American. They are domestic terrorists. And we need more from our president on this issue.

Wallace, "And do you have any thought as to why he didn't do that yesterday?

Sen. Graham, "It's up to [Trump] to correct the record here, not me. I know they don't consider me as their friend and I think the president can be clear when he wants to be. He needs to be clear here."

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