Sen. Brian Schatz Brian Emanuel SchatzVideo of Lindsey Graham arguing against nominating a Supreme Court justice in an election year goes viral Democrat on Graham video urging people to 'use my words against me': 'Done' Polls show trust in scientific, political institutions eroding MORE (D-Hawaii) is calling for all of President Trump Donald John TrumpBiden leads Trump by 36 points nationally among Latinos: poll Trump dismisses climate change role in fires, says Newsom needs to manage forest better Jimmy Kimmel hits Trump for rallies while hosting Emmy Awards MORE's Jewish cabinet members to resign in protest over his response to violence in Charlottesville, Va., last weekend.

In an interview on MSNBC Friday night, Schatz, who is Jewish, was asked if he thought Jewish cabinet members should resign in protest.

"Yes. I think they have to," Schatz responded.

"I think people of conscience can't pretend that this president is something they hoped he would be. That they were hoping he would be competent, that he would be a deal maker in the middle, a pragmatist. I remember reading an article online at the beginning of the presidency that he was going to function as an executive chairman and allow each one of his cabinet officials to run the government as they see fit," Schatz continued. "None of that happened." ADVERTISEMENT

"I think this is the beginning of the end of Republicans being able to hide behind some imaginary Donald Trump that clearly doesn't exist anymore. This person is not capable morally, politically or in terms of incompetencies to lead the free world," Schatz said.

Schatz comments were in part a response to Trump's impromptu, bombastic press briefing on Tuesday.

During the briefing, Trump defended himself against bipartisan criticism that he was slow and equivocal in condemning neo-Nazis and white supremacists who incited violence during demonstrations in Charlottesville on Saturday.

He also revived his claim from Saturday that it wasn't just white supremacists that were responsible for the violence, saying "alt-left" groups were "very, very violent" in opposing the right-wing demonstrators, who had initially planned to protest the city's decision to remove a Confederate statue from a park.

"This week, it is Robert E. Lee and this week, Stonewall Jackson. Is it George Washington next?" he said. "You have to ask yourself, where does it stop?”

Schatz condemned the press briefing earlier in the week.

"As a Jew, as an American, as a human, words cannot express my disgust and disappointment," Schatz wrote on Twitter. "This is not my President."