On Sundays Last Week Tonight, John Oliver blasted President Trump for repeatedly failing to condemn white nationalists in connection with Saturdays deadly white power rally in Charlottesville, Virginia.
The group gathered for a Unite the Right march in the city, carrying torches and chanting phrases like white lives matter and Nazi slogan blood and soil. In the early afternoon, a car plowed into a crowd near a group of counter-protesters, killing one and injuring 19. But Trump failed to mention racism or white supremacy by name when he addressed the tragedy, instead condemning this egregious display on hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides.
Oliver was horrified at Trumps meek response. Wait, on many sides? the host asked. This was a white nationalist rally. You have to call that out by name. There arent many instances in modern American politics where you can honestly think, That guy really should have mentioned the Nazis, but this is emphatically one of them.'
After his speech, two reporters asked Trump specifically about white nationalists. He dodged the first question and walked away from the second.
It simply doesnt get easier than disavowing Nazis, Oliver said. Its as much of a presidential gimme as pardoning a fucking turkey. It is almost impossible to screw it up, but thats exactly what happened. So there is clearly no point in waiting for leadership from our president at moments like this because it is just not coming. Which means we will have to look to one another because, incredibly, in a country where previous presidents have actually had to defeat Nazis, we now have one who cannot even be bothered to even condemn them.
Watch below:White supremacists and counterprotestors clashed in Virginia on Saturday, resulting in one death and dozens of injuries.