Donald Trump condemns white nationalists who rallied in Charlottesville

President Donald Trump, under heavy political pressure from Democrats and Republicans alike, on Monday condemned white supremacists who rallied in Virginia over the weekend, sparking violence that claimed one life.

“Racism is evil and those who cause violence in its name are criminals and thugs, including the KKK, neo-Nazis, white supremacists and other hate groups that are repugnant to everything we hold dear as Americans,” Trump said from the White House.

Trump had been assailed by Republicans and Democrats alike for failing to respond more forcefully to Saturday’s violence in Charlottesville, in which a woman was killed when a man crashed his car into a group of counter-protesters.

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Critics said Trump had waited too long to address the bloodshed, and slammed him for stating initially that “many sides” were involved, rather than explicitly condemning white supremacists widely seen as sparking the melee.

3:47 Trump calls white supremacists ‘repugnant’ after public outcry

• Trump calls white supremacists ‘repugnant’ after public outcry
• Standing in solidarity against hate
• CIA chief says Donald Trump’s remarks on Charlottesville was ‘very clear’
• Scaramucci ‘would not’ have recommended Trump’s statement on Charlottesville violence
• Virginia Gov. McAuliffe condemns Charlottesville violent protest, calling white supremacists ‘dividers’
• Atlanta protesters march for Charlottesville victims
• Oakland responding in solidarity to decry racism after Charlottesville violence
• Virginia State police helicopter crashes near Charlottesville golf course
• Charlottesville police chief comments on violent protest
• Charlottesville Mayor Michael Signer on overcoming ‘hate, intolerance, bigotry’

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A 20-year-old man said to have harbored Nazi sympathies as a teenager was facing charges he plowed his car into protesters opposing the white nationalists, killing Heather Heyer and injuring 19 people. The accused, James Alex Fields, was denied bail at an initial court hearing on Monday.

In a strong rebuke to the president, the chief executive of one of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies, Merck & Co Inc, resigned from a business panel led by Trump, citing a need for leadership countering bigotry.

CEO Kenneth Frazier, who is black, did not name Trump or criticize him directly in a statement posted on the drug company’s Twitter account, but the rebuke was implicit.

“America’s leaders must honor our fundamental values by clearly rejecting expressions of hatred, bigotry and group supremacy,” said Frazier.