President Donald Trump issued fresh remarks Monday in response to the Charlottesville, Virginia, attack following his original vague remarks, which lacked a denouncement of racism, white supremacists, neo-Nazis and the KKK.
But Hollywood wants to know why it took him two days too many to respond appropriately.
During a press briefing Monday at the White House, Trump told reporters:
"We condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides, on many sides. It has been going on for a long time in our country -- not Donald Trump, not Barack Obama. It has been going on for a long, long time. It has no place in America. We have so many incredible things happening in our country, so when I watch Charlottesville, to me it is very, very sad. No matter our color, creed, religion or political party, we are all Americans first. We love our country, we love our God, we love our flag, we are proud of our country, we are proud of who we are. So we want to get this situation straightened out in Charlottesville and we want to study it, and we want to see what we are doing wrong as a country where things like this can happen."
Trump first addressed the Charlottesville attack Saturday from his golf club in Bedminister, New Jersey, in which he condemned "hatred," called for unity and but said the violence "on many sides" needs to stop. Criticism of POTUS' remarks was swift with both GOP and Democratic leaders publicly calling him out for his lack of specificity.
"We ALL must be united & condemn all that hate stands for. There is no place for this kind of violence in America. Lets come together as one!" he tweeted Saturday in his initial response to the attack.
Trump's belated sentiments fell on deaf ears in Hollywood and they pounced quickly on Twitter.
For a guy who hates teleprompters, this jerk can't even condemn racism without one. If I wasn't so mad, I would laugh.
β olivia wilde (@oliviawilde) August 14, 2017
It felt like @realDonaldTrump read the TelePrompTer message condemning hate groups like a hostage forced to read a statement by his captors.
β Bryan Cranston (@BryanCranston) August 14, 2017
Trump declaring 'racism is evil' is like Joey Chestnut decrying hot dogs.ππΎ pic.twitter.com/43uffZp6ok
β Jeffrey Wright (@jfreewright) August 14, 2017
@POTUS did you feel the presidents speech just now was adequate and showed good leadership in response to racism?
β xoxo, Gaga (@ladygaga) August 14, 2017
. @realDonaldTrump @POTUS
β xoxo, Gaga (@ladygaga) August 14, 2017
You should read my poll I have a lot of followers. https://t.co/59LcPxPWxJ
Impeach the white supremacist in the White House or STFU https://t.co/xy8RPoYoZs
β John Legend (@johnlegend) August 13, 2017
READING FROM TELEPROMPTER
β Cher (@cher) August 14, 2017
IN HIS βTheyβre making me do thisβway isππ© Watch & Listen 2 him call out N.KOREA,JOHN McCAIN,CONG.SESSIONS.HESβ οΈ
Too late asshole.
β Will Chase (@WillChaseMe) August 14, 2017
If Trump had given speech like this on Saturday, we'd have commended him. On Monday, it does nothing for me. Zero. I suspect, I'm not alone.
β Ana Navarro (@ananavarro) August 14, 2017
Pres. Trump's statement after public outrage comes late and was the least he could say to save any credibility.
β Dan Rather (@DanRather) August 14, 2017
Was Trump's statement too little, too late? He began by bragging about accomplishments, then briefly dealt w/talk about racism.
β Dan Rather (@DanRather) August 14, 2017
Trump just said, "Racism has no place in America." Agreed. That's why we've got to get him out of the White House.
β George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) August 14, 2017
It took you three days. It lasted 40 seconds. You never said "domestic terrorism."
β Keith Olbermann (@KeithOlbermann) August 14, 2017
Fuck you, @realdonaldtrump
Lacking all sincerity (like a hostage, reading remarks prepared by his captors), it signals to his deplorables that he was forced to say it.
β mark romanek (@markromanek) August 14, 2017
I once challenged @RealDonaldTrump's ratings & he tweeted me in 15 minutes. It took him 3 days to say the KKK is bad. Sorry, it's too late.
β Danny Zuker (@DannyZuker) August 14, 2017
