President Trump on Thursday repeated his claim that both sides were to blame for violence at a rally of white supremacists in Charlottesville, Virginia, last month. The attacks injured dozens and left 32-year-old Heather Heyer dead after 20-year-old Nazi sympathizer James Fields barreled his car into a crowd of anti-fascist protesters. Trump’s comments in the wake of the attacks, including a claim that there were “very fine people” among far-right protesters, drew outrage—even from members of the Republican Party. On Thursday, Trump doubled down on his remarks as he spoke to reporters about Wednesday’s meeting with the Senate’s lone black Republican, South Carolina’s Tim Scott—or, as the White House mislabeled him in a photo of their meeting, “Tom Scott.” Trump was speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One.
President Donald Trump: “We had a great talk yesterday. I think especially in light of the advent of Antifa, if you look at what’s going on there, you know, you have some pretty bad dudes on the other side also, and essentially that’s what I said. Now, because of what’s happened since then with Antifa, you look at, you know, really what’s happened since Charlottesville, a lot of people are saying—in fact, a lot of people have actually written, 'Gee, Trump might have a point.'”