Rep. Trent Franks: ‘All of us condemn this horrifying tragedy’

PHOENIX — U.S. Rep. Trent Franks said President Donald Trump “made it extremely clear” that he condemns the white supremacist violence amid criticism that the president’s message wasn’t strong enough.

On Saturday, a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia was met with protest from those who opposed racist messages. In response, a man from Ohio plowed down anti-white-supremacist protesters with his car.  At least one person was killed.

Shortly after, a Virginia State Police helicopter that officials said was assisting with the rally crashed outside Charlottesville, killing the pilot and a trooper.

Franks joined Jeanine Pirro on Fox News on Saturday evening after President Trump made a statement calling the white supremacist rallies “a display of hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides.”

Some didn’t think Trump did enough to condemn white supremacists.

“Sometimes, there are people trying to sound self-righteous when really, the president made it extremely clear — all of us condemn this horrifying tragedy,” Franks said. “Sometimes, the left maybe throws around this racism title so much that they diminish when something really truly racist and evil happens like it did today.

“I think there’s always an effort to somehow put this racism — which is so evil — on your political opponent,” Franks continued. “It’s a wrong thing all in itself and it’s something we should reject in the strongest terms.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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