The woman who Donald Trump endorsed to be head of the Republican National Committee, Ronna Romney McDaniel, has said the blame for the violence in Charlottesville “lays squarely on the KKK and white supremacists”, contradicting the President’s view “there’s blame on both sides” for the deadly clashes last Saturday.

Ms McDaniel’s comments are part of the growing backlash Mr Trump has received for insisting that white supremacists, neo-Nazis and other hate groups did not deserve 100 per cent of the responsibility for the violence that resulted in the death of 32-year-old Heather Heyer.

“When it comes to Charlottesville, the blame lays squarely on the KKK and the white supremacists who organised this rally and put together an entire event around hate and bigotry,” Ms McDaniel said. “I don't think comparing blame works in this situation because we know what initiated the violence and the death of this young woman whose life was taken too soon.”

White nationalist demonstrators gathered in the Virginia city last Saturday to protest the removal of a statue of Confederate General Robert E Lee. The rally, met by counter-protests, quickly became violent – prompting the governor to declare a ‘state of emergency’.

Inside his Manhattan skyscraper on Tuesday, Mr Trump said there were “some very bad people” among the protesters, but added, “You also had people that were very fine people, on both sides.”

While the President won praise from white nationalists and former KKK leader David Duke for his comments, several members of Congress – as well as two ex-Republican presidents – have published statements condemning racial bigotry in the wake of Mr Trump’s remarks.

Former presidents George HW Bush and George W Bush said in a joint statement that “America must always reject racial bigotry, anti-Semitism, and hatred in all forms.”

Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Show all 9 1 /9 Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Protesters clash and several are injured White nationalist demonstrators clash with counter demonstrators at the entrance to Lee Park in Charlottesville, Virginia. A state of emergency is declared, August 12 2017 Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Trump supporters at the protest A white nationalist demonstrator walks into Lee Park in Charlottesville, Va., Saturday, Aug. 12, 2017. Hundreds of people chanted, threw punches, hurled water bottles and unleashed chemical sprays on each other Saturday after violence erupted at a white nationalist rally in Virginia. AP Photo Violence on the streets of Charlottesville State police stand ready in riot gear Virginia State Police cordon off an area around the site where a car ran into a group of protesters after a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia AP Photo Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Militia armed with assault rifles White nationalists, neo-Nazis and members of the 'alt-right' with body armor and combat weapons evacuate comrades who were pepper sprayed after the 'Unite the Right' rally was declared a unlawful gathering by Virginia State Police. Militia members marched through the city earlier in the day, armed with assault rifles. Getty Images Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Statue of Confederate General Robert E Lee The statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee stands behind a crowd of hundreds of white nationalists, neo-Nazis and members of the 'alt-right' during the 'Unite the Right' rally 12 August 2017 in Charlottesville, Virginia. They are protesting the removal of the statue from Emancipation Park in the city. Getty Images Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Racial tensions sparked the violence White nationalists, neo-Nazis and members of the 'alt-right' exchange insults with counter-protesters as they attempt to guard the entrance to Lee Park during the 'Unite the Right' rally Getty Violence on the streets of Charlottesville A car plows through protesters A vehicle drives into a group of protesters demonstrating against a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. The incident resulted in multiple injuries, some life-threatening, and one death. AP Photo Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Rescue personnel help injured people after a car ran into a large group of protesters after an white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia AP Photo Violence on the streets of Charlottesville President Donald Trump speaks about the ongoing situation in Charlottesville, Virginia from his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey. He spoke about "loyalty" and "healing wounds" left by decades of racism.

“As we pray for Charlottesville, we are reminded of the fundamental truths recorded by that city's most prominent citizen in the Declaration of Independence: we are all created equal and endowed by our Creator with unalienable rights,” they said, referring to Thomas Jefferson. “We know these truths to be everlasting because we have seen the decency and greatness of our country.”

Even though members of Congress from both parties have also issued statements condemning racial violence, Republicans appear to be more apprehensive about calling out Mr Trump directly.

So far, less than 20 of 292 Republicans in Congress have published statements that refer to Mr Trump explicitly by name or title, according to ThinkProgress, a political news blog by the liberal Center for American Progress.

Mitch McConnell, the top Republican in the Senate, released a statement on Wednesday in which he said “there are no good neo-nazis”, but did not specifically address the President’s comments.

Mr McConnell said the groups behind the Charlottesville violence are planning a rally in Lexington, in his home state of Kentucky. He warned that “their messages of hate and bigotry are not welcome in Kentucky and should not be welcome anywhere in America.”

House Speaker Paul Ryan, who also did not explicitly state Mr Trump’s name, tweeted on Wednesday, “We must be clear: white supremacy is repulsive. This bigotry is counter to all this country stands for. There can be no moral ambiguity.”

Meanwhile, other Republicans did not shy away from addressing the President.

Senator John McCain, whom Mr Trump called out at the news conference for not voting for the Republican healthcare bill, tweeted, “There's no moral equivalency between racists & Americans standing up to defy hate& bigotry. The President of the United States should say so”.

In a statement to CNN, Senator Lindsey Graham – a frequent critic of Mr Trump – said, “Mr President, I encourage you to try to bring us together as a nation after this horrific event in Charlottesville.”



Senate Democratic Leader Charles Schumer said great and good American presidents seek to unite, not divide.

“Donald Trump’s remarks clearly show he is not one of them,” Mr Schumer wrote on Twitter. “By saying he is not taking sides, Donald Trump clearly is. When David Duke and white supremacists cheer, you’re doing it very very wrong.”