(CNN) Leaders of the Republican Party in Congress on Tuesday came to the defense of President Donald Trump amid an intense backlash to racist comments from the President suggesting that four Democratic congresswomen of color should "go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came."

"The President's not a racist," Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said at a news conference Tuesday afternoon on Capitol Hill, responding to a question if Trump's comments were racist.

"I think the tone of all of this is not good for the country," he added. "Everyone outta calm down their rhetoric, and we ought to move back to the issues."

At the same time, McConnell criticized the Democratic congresswomen Trump had attacked with his statements.

"We've seen the far-left throw accusations of racism at everyone, anyone who disagrees with them on anything, including the speaker of the House," McConnell said.

Read More