15 Trump

In August 2017, far-right protesters gathered in Charlottesville, VA, to oppose the removal of statues of Confederate leaders. This Unite the Right rally attracted white supremacist and neo-Nazi groups, as well as many left-wing counter-protesters. In the clashes that ensued, a far-rightist drove a car into a crowd of protesters, killing a young woman. Reacting to the events, President Trump declared that “I think there is blame on both sides. You had some very bad people in that group. You also had some very fine people on both sides.” As his remarks were reported and interpreted, Trump was condemned for describing Nazis and Klansmen as “very fine people,” justifying the liberal attacks on him as a white supremacist. At the same time, he seemed to be condemning those people who protested against the extreme Right. Many conservatives joined in that reaction, finding his words utterly unacceptable.