Following Trump’s interview over the weekend in which he avoided disavowing former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke, Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT) said that the Republican presidential frontrunner just doesn’t quite understand how to express his beliefs.
“I think it’s up to us to make it clear that we don’t tolerate those types of racist organizations and I don’t know many people who would believe that we do,” Hatch said on Tuesday when discussing how Republican lawmakers should approach Trump’s comments, like those he made regarding the KKK, according to CNN. “I think deep down, I don’t think Donald Trump tolerates it either. I think he is just inexperienced in expressing himself at things like that.”
After Trump dodged questions about whether he would disavow an endorsement from Duke, Republican lawmakers have been prompted to clarify that they do not support the KKK.
House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) on Tuesday denounced the KKK and bashed Trump for not clearly disavowing Duke.
“If a person wants to be a nominee of the Republican Party there can be no evasion and no games. They must reject any group or cause that is built on bigotry,” he said. “The Republican Party does not prey on people’s prejudices.”
And Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) condemned Duke and the KKK on behalf of Senate Republicans.
