During a statement on Monday, President Trump declared that anyone who engaged in criminal conduct during the “racist violence” over the weekend will be held accountable and condemned those like the KKK, neo-Nazis, and white supremacists who perpetrate violence in the name of racism as “criminals and thugs” who are “repugnant” to American values.
Trump announced the Department of Justice has opened a civil rights investigation into the deadly car attack in Charlottesville before stating, “To anyone who acted criminally in this weekend’s racist violence, you will be held fully accountable. Justice will be delivered. As I said on Saturday, we condemn, in the strongest possible terms, this egregious display of hatred, bigotry, and violence. It has no place in America. And as I have said many times before, no matter the color of our skin, we all live under the same laws. We all salute the same great flag, and we are all made by the same almighty God. We must love each other, show affection for each other, and unite together in condemnation of hatred, bigotry, and violence. We must rediscover the bonds of love and loyalty that bring us together as Americans. Racism is evil, and those who cause violence in its name are criminals and thugs, including the KKK, neo-Nazis, white supremacists, and other hate groups, that are repugnant to everything we hold dear as Americans. We are a nation founded on the truth that all of us are created equal. We are equal in the eyes of our creator. We are equal under the law, and we are equal under our Constitution. Those who spread violence in the name of bigotry, strike at the very core of America.”
Trump also expressed his sympathy over the deaths of Heather Heyer and the two police officers killed over the weekend, concluding, “These three Americans embody the goodness and decency of our nation. In times such as these, America has always shown its true character, responding to hate with love, division with unity, and violence with an unwavering resolve for justice. As a candidate, I promised to restore law and order to our country, and our federal law enforcement agencies are following through on that pledge. We will spare no resource in fighting so that every American child can grow up free from violence and fear. We will defend and protect the sacred rights of all Americans, and we will work together so that every citizen in this blessed land is free to follow their dreams in their hearts and to express the love and joy in their souls.”
Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett