Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., expressed concern Thursday after President Trump reiterated his claim that there are many on the “other side” of the clash between white supremacists and counter-protesters in Charlottesville, Va., who were bad people.
A spokesman for Scott said in a statement that while Antifa and other groups should be condemned, there is no comparison to white supremacists who have been “tormenting” African-Americans for centuries, saying there is “no realistic comparison. Period.”
“In yesterday’s meeting, Sen. Scott was very, very clear about the brutal history surrounding the white supremacist movement and their horrific treatment of black and other minority groups,” a Scott spokesman said. “Rome wasn’t built in a day, and to expect the President’s rhetoric to change based on one 30 minute conversation is unrealistic. Antifa is bad and should be condemned, yes, but white supremacists have been killing and tormenting black Americans for centuries. There is no realistic comparison. Period.”
Additionally, Scott himself said that he did not expect Trump to change. “He is who he has been,” he told Politico.
“I didn’t go into it to change who he was,” he added. “I wanted to inform and educate a different perspective. I think we accomplished that. To assume that immediately thereafter that he’s immediately going to have an epiphany is unrealistic.”
The remarks came after Trump told reporters that the two had a “great conversation” and added that Antifa, a group of left-wing protesters who say they are anti-fascists, has some “pretty bad dudes” in their ranks.
“We had a great conversation,” Trump said of his conversation with Scott. “I think especially in light of the advent of Antifa if you look at what’s going on there. 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. When you look at really what’s happened since Charlottesville, a lot of people are saying and people have actually written, ‘Gee, Trump may have a point.’ I said there’s some very bad people on the other side also,” Trump said. “But we had a great conversation.”
