Former US vp Mike Pence has criticised Donald Trump for eating with a Holocaust-denying white nationalist and the rapper previously often called Kanye West.
Mr Pence is amongst a variety of Republicans calling on the previous US president to apologise for what he has described as “profoundly poor judgement”.
The group – Mr Trump, Ye and Nick Fuentes, a far-right activist with antisemitic and white nationalist views – met final week at Mar-a-Lago.
In an interview with NewsNation on Monday evening, Mr Pence mentioned: “President Trump was wrong to give a white nationalist, an antisemite and Holocaust denier, a seat at the table, and I think he should apologise for it.
“And he ought to denounce these people and their hateful rhetoric, with out qualification.”
But Mr Pence insisted that Mr Trump just isn’t antisemitic or racist, saying he wouldn’t have served as vp beneath him if he was.
Other Republicans to criticise Mr Trump embody Louisiana senator Bill Cassidy, who mentioned: “President Trump internet hosting racist antisemites for dinner encourages different racist antisemites.
“These attitudes are immoral and should not be entertained.”
Florida senator Rick Scott added: “There’s no room for antisemitism or white supremacy in the Republican Party. Period.”
South Carolina senator Lindsey Graham, a long-time Trump ally, mentioned: “Yeah, the meeting was bad.
“He should not have accomplished it.”
But he added that “there is a double normal about this type of stuff and I do not assume it’s going to matter when it comes to his political future”.
Missouri senator Josh Hawley said Mr Trump could “have dinner with whomever he needs to have dinner with, however I would not have dinner with him (Mr Fuentes), I’ll put it that approach”.
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie told The New York Times that the dinner was “simply one other instance of an terrible lack of judgement from Donald Trump”.
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Retiring Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson told CNN it was “very troubling” – adding that “it should not occur”.
But others, together with House GOP chief Kevin McCarthy and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, have been silent.
Mr Trump mentioned he didn’t know who Mr Fuentes was earlier than the assembly however he has not denounced the views of Mr Fuentes or their dinner companion Ye, who has additionally made antisemitic feedback in current weeks.
The Republican Party continues to grapple with the way to deal with Mr Trump.
Many blame him for the get together’s efficiency within the mid-term elections, which was worse than anticipated, however additionally they recognise that Mr Trump – who just lately introduced he would run once more for the presidency in 2024 – stays very talked-about together with his base.
Source: information.sky.com”