Conservative commentator Ben Shapiro said in an interview that aired Monday on "Rising" that President Trump Donald John TrumpOmar fires back at Trump over rally remarks: 'This is my country' Pelosi: Trump hurrying to fill SCOTUS seat so he can repeal ObamaCare Trump mocks Biden appearance, mask use ahead of first debate MORE's "divisive way" of defending America has not been helpful.

"So defending the basic idea that America is good is certainly a positive thing, and that's something President Trump has done," Shapiro, the editor-in-chief of The Daily Wire, told Hill.TV's Buck Sexton on Friday. "The sort of divisive way in which he has done it is not nearly as helpful, I think."

Shapiro is promoting his new book, "The Right Side of History: How Reason and Moral Purpose Made the West Great," in which he calls for more morals and faith in U.S. culture and society.

"The truth is, I think that President Trump in terms of the philosophy is basically [in] a holding pattern," Shapiro said.

"I don't think that he is pushing back forcefully in terms of the philosophies of Western civilization, he just doesn't really know enough to speak deeply to these principles," he continued.

"On policy, obviously, he's doing a lot to push back against leftism, and I think that's great, I mean I like President Trump on policy a lot, but in terms of the educational mission, he's I just don't think qualified to really speak to the foundations of Western civilization," he said.

Shapiro has defended Trump's conservative policies but has also criticized his rhetoric.

The conservative commentator said in a tweet late last year that Trump's characterization of the news media as the "enemy of the people" has to stop.

— Julia Manchester