White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus on Sunday defended a statement the White House released on Holocaust Remembrance Day that was criticized for not mentioning Jews or anti-Semitism.

Priebus said in an interview on NBC's "Meet The Press" that the Holocaust was a "horrible event" and a "miserable time in history that we remember here at the White House."

"And certainly we'll never forget the Jewish people that suffered in World War II and obviously still incredible wounds that remain in a time in history that was of great incredible horrific magnitude," Priebus added.

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Priebus said, though, he doesn't regret the words used in the statement, adding that the White House acknowledges the Holocaust and what it meant for history.

"But why whitewash Jews from that statement?" host Chuck Todd asked.

"I'm not whitewashing anything," Priebus responded.

"It's a terrible time in history and obviously, you know that President Trump has dear family members that are Jewish and there was no harm or ill will or offense intended by any of that."

When asked again about whether he regretted the words use in the statement, Priebus reiterated that he didn't.

"I don't regret the words ... I'm trying to clear it up for you," he said.

"Everyone's suffering in the Holocaust, including obviously all of the Jewish people affected and the miserable genocide that occurred is something that we consider to be extraordinarily sad and something that can never be forgotten."