WASHINGTON ― If you thought that a racist refrain that erupted at a re-election rally for President Donald Trump on Wednesday would be met by quick denouncements from members of the president’s party, you’d once again be completely wrong.

Instead, the day began like so many others had on Capitol Hill when a controversy involving Trump is in the news: Republicans ducked, dodged and sometimes even literally ran from reporters who inquired about it.

“I seriously have got to get ready for this hearing,” Sen. Martha McSally (R-Ariz.) said Thursday when asked to comment about the matter.

Trump attempted to distance himself from the refrain on Thursday, telling reporters he was “not happy” with the crowd and claimed that he had tried to cut them off from shouting “send her back” at Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.). The freshman congresswoman immigrated to the United States as a refugee when she was a child.

In fact, Trump waited 13 seconds, until the chants stopped, to start speaking again. He did not disavow it at the time and continued on with his stump speech. Nor did he delete the racist tweets that the crowd echoed in their chant.

Republican lawmakers were initially hesitant to condemn the chant Thursday morning, stating they could not do so until they’d seen footage of the event. (They often employ that line when a bombastic Trump comment makes headlines). Some defended Trump, arguing that he doesn’t bear responsibility for being unable to control the crowds at his rallies, which are often loud and rambunctious.

“A group of people chanted, he didn’t ask them to chant it. You can’t control that any more than you can control the reaction at a rock concert,” Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), who attended the rally with the president, told HuffPost on Thursday.

“People chant what they want. I’d rather attack ideas than people,” added Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.).

Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) expressed skepticism that Trump heard the crowd at all, however. Of course, Trump’s comments later on Thursday ruled out that scenario.