Former White House chief strategist Stephen K. Bannon believes that Americans should shun white nationalists, Neo-Nazis, and the KKK.

He explained his position during an interview with CBS anchor Charlie Rose, while defending President Donald Trump’s response to the protests in Charlottesville.

“[T]he Neo-Nazis and Neo-Confederates and the Klan, who, by the way, are absolutely awful – there’s no room in American politics for that,” Bannon said. “There’s no room in American society for that.”

WATCH: Former WH Chief Strategist Steve Bannon says "there's no room in American society" for neo-Nazis, neo-Confederates and the KKK. pic.twitter.com/0eRmoLOMu1 — CBS This Morning (@CBSThisMorning) September 7, 2017

Bannon continued that Trump was taking a position of support for the First Amendment, and defending Confederate monuments as part of national heritage.

“All Donald Trump was saying is, ‘Where does it end? Does it end in taking down the Washington Monument? Does it end in taking down Mount Rushmore? Does it end at taking Churchill’s bust out of the Oval Office?’” he said.

Bannon said that Trump’s critics in the administration should have defended the president, instead of trying to distance themselves from his position.

“I was proud to come out and try to defend President Trump in the media that day,” he said.