Attorney General Jeff Sessions pushed back against claims Monday that President Trump did not condemn white nationalist groups in Virginia over the weekend.
“He gave a statement at a press conference that was already scheduled on veterans issues. It was a long statement about violence, bigotry and hatred. He condemned it. He called for unity in our country. He called on us to get along with one another and have love and affection and unity under the American constitution. He was strong about that,” Mr. Sessions said on CBS News.
Mr. Sessions was addressing Mr. Trump’s reaction to a white nationalist rally with white supremacists and neo-Nazis in Charlottesville, Virginia, over the weekend where one woman protesting against them was killed, as well as two police officers. Mr. Trump has been heavily criticized for failing to address the group directly and instead condemning violence on what he called “many sides.”
“We condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides, on many sides,” Mr. Trump said in a speech from his residence in Bedminster, New Jersey, on Saturday.
Mr. Sessions said that despite the criticism the White House does not tolerate this kind of violence.
“The directions I’ve gotten from the White House … is that we will not tolerate this kind of hatred and violence. We will not allow these extremist groups to obtain credibility,” the attorney general said.
He also addressed Mr. Trump’s criticism of him a few weeks ago saying that he intends to serve until the president asks him to depart.
“I intend to serve as long as I can make a contribution and as long as the president wants me to serve. He can have as his attorney general someone else, if he chooses. He can ask me to depart. But I intend to fulfill my duties,” Mr. Sessions said.
The attorney general also told NBC News that Mr. Trump has not apologized for his remarks, including referring to Mr. Sessions as “beleaguered” in a series of tweets.
“He has not apologized. He’s quite frank about his concerns,” Mr. Sessions said on NBC News. “He has the right to scold his Cabinet members if he’s not happy with them.”
• Sally Persons can be reached at spersons@washingtontimes.com.
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