Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) on Friday accused President Trump's senior adviser Steve Bannon of being "a stone cold racist and a white supremacist sympathizer."



Jeffries on Friday told MSNBC that any meeting between Trump and the Congressional Black Caucus must exclude Bannon.



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Numerous Trump aides have defended Bannon in the past, maintaining that he is not racist.

Jeffries also said the Congressional Black Caucus would be interested in having a meeting with Trump "if he in fact is genuinely interested in working on issues of importance to black America."

Trump was asked at a press conference Thursday why he has not met with the Black Caucus. In reply, the president said he would meet with the group, asking reporter April Ryan, who is black, if she could help set up a meeting.

"We're looking forward to an open dialogue, but Steve Bannon should not be in the room," Jeffries said.Asked to elaborate on his position, he said that he does not wish to normalize Bannon."Well listen he's a stone cold racist and a white supremacist sympathizer. It'd be hard for me to participate in any meeting with Steve Bannon that normalizes his presence in the White House," he said.