White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany raged at Fox News reporter John Roberts after the White House correspondent grilled her over President Donald Trump’s refusal to disavow white supremacists.
Trump on Tuesday was asked to do so during the first presidential debate, but he pivoted to attack that “Black Lives Matter” movement and ‘Antifa” instead.
On Thursday, Roberts asked the press secretary to disavow those hate groups:
“I would like to ask you for a definitive and declarative statement without ambiguity or deflection, as the person who speaks for the president, does the president denounce white supremacists?” Roberts asked during Thursday’s briefing.
“This was answered by the president himself,” she said. “He said sure three times. Yesterday he was point-blank asked, do you denounce white supremacy, and he said, I’ve always denounced any form of that. I can read for you, in August 2019, ‘In one voice our nation must condemn racism, bigotry, white supremacy.’ August ’17: ‘Racism is evil and violence in its name are criminal.’ I have an entire list of these quotes I can go through with you. He has condemned more than any president in modern history.”
Roberts asked her to go on record, during that briefing, and make a declarative statement against white supremacy.
“I just did,” McEnany said. “The president has denounced it repeatedly. The president was asked this. You are contriving a story line and narrative.”
The Fox News host asked McEnany to put the issue to rest with a declaration statement denouncing white supremacists, but she resisted.
“I just did,” she said. “I read you all the quotes. They are in writing and I will put them in an email.”
“I just did,” McEnany insisted, as Roberts pressed her again. “White supremacy and KKK and hate groups in all forms. He signed a resolution to that effect. The president just last week expressed his desire to see the KKK prosecuted as domestic terrorists. This president has advocated for the death penalty for white supremacist. His record is unmistakable, and it’s shameful the media refuses to cover it.”
Watch:
