President Donald Trump and Republican leaders in Congress denounced white supremacy after the mass shootings in Ohio and Texas over the weekend.
Trump said on Aug. 5: “In one voice, our nation must condemn racism, bigotry, and white supremacy. These sinister ideologies must be defeated. Hate has no place in America.”
“White supremacy has no place in this world. Violence inflicted because of someone’s race or ethnicity is vile, repulsive, and one of the worst evils we face. It must end,” said Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-Texas).
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) called the El Paso shooting an act of “despicable hate meant to divide us.”
“As the son of a Cuban immigrant, I am deeply horrified by the hateful anti-Hispanic bigotry expressed in the shooter’s so-called ‘manifesto.’ This ignorant racism is repulsive and profoundly anti-American,” he wrote in a statement.
“We must speak clearly to combat evil in any form it takes. What we saw yesterday was a heinous act of terrorism and white supremacy. There is no place for this in El Paso, in Texas, or anywhere across our nation.”
Trump’s daughter and White House adviser, Ivanka Trump, said in a statement, “White supremacy, like all other forms of terrorism, is an evil that must be destroyed.”
George P. Bush, son of former president George H.W. Bush, said in a statement that he fought in Afghanistan in the U.S. Navy to “fight and kill terrorists” and that “fighting terrorism remains a national priority.”
“That should include standing firm against white terrorism here in the U.S.,” he added. “This is a real and present threat that we must all denounce and defeat.”
Some Republicans expressed support for gun control laws while others said that underlying issues need to be addressed.
“Time to do more than pray,” said Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), advocating for so-called red flag laws. “Time to enact common-sense legislation in Congress to empower states to deal with those who present a danger to themselves and others—while respecting robust due process.”
“May not have mattered here, but Red Flag laws have proven to be effective in states that have them,” he wrote. Crenshaw and Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) were among other lawmakers saying they support red flag laws, while Ivanka Trump also said she supported them in addition to increasing resources for mental health support.
