The White House on Tuesday sought to soft-pedal President Trump Donald John TrumpFederal prosecutor speaks out, says Barr 'has brought shame' on Justice Dept. Former Pence aide: White House staffers discussed Trump refusing to leave office Progressive group buys domain name of Trump's No. 1 Supreme Court pick MORE's comparison of the impeachment inquiry targeting him to a "lynching," with a spokesman saying Trump was not comparing his experience to "dark times" in U.S. history.

“The president is not comparing what’s happened to him with one of our darkest moments in American history,” White House deputy press secretary Hogan Gidley insisted in a back-and-forth with reporters at the White House.

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“What he’s explaining, clearly, is the way he has been treated by the media since he announced for president.”

Gidley insisted that Trump has been treated unfairly throughout the impeachment process, accusing Democrats of not affording him due process.

The White House spokesman sidestepped questions from reporters about whether he would condemn the word “lynching,” or whether he agreed with Sen. Tim Scott Timothy (Tim) Eugene ScottAuthor Ryan Girdusky: RNC worked best when highlighting 'regular people' as opposed to 'standard Republicans' Now is the time to renew our focus on students and their futures GOP lobbyists pleasantly surprised by Republican convention MORE (S.C.), the only African American Republican in the U.S. Senate, that Trump should not have used the word.

Gidley instead sought to shift focus to how the Trump administration’s policies have benefited the African American community, pointing to progress on criminal justice reform, the creation of opportunity zones in inner cities and record low unemployment among African Americans.

“People are upset about President Trump’s words all the time, but what you can’t argue with are the results he has put forth for the African American community,” Gidley told reporters.

Trump ushered in a torrent of criticism from lawmakers, including from some Republicans, after he suggested early Tuesday that House Democrats’ impeachment inquiry was akin to a “lynching” — a word that describes the extrajudicial killings of African Americans.

“So some day, if a Democrat becomes President and the Republicans win the House, even by a tiny margin, they can impeach the President, without due process or fairness or any legal rights. All Republicans must remember what they are witnessing here - a lynching. But we will WIN!” Trump tweeted.

A number of prominent Democratic lawmakers and presidential candidates eviscerated Trump for the remark.

“You are comparing a constitutional process to the PREVALENT and SYSTEMATIC brutal torture of people in THIS COUNTRY that looked like me?” Rep. Karen Bass Karen Ruth BassOvernight Defense: Appeals court revives House lawsuit against military funding for border wall | Dems push for limits on transferring military gear to police | Lawmakers ask for IG probe into Pentagon's use of COVID-19 funds Democrats push to limit transfer of military-grade gear to police Outrage erupts over Breonna Taylor grand jury ruling MORE (D-Calif.), who chairs the Congressional Black Caucus, tweeted.

Some Republicans have also broken with Trump over the comments, including House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy Kevin Owen McCarthyHouse to vote on resolution affirming peaceful transition of power Ginsburg becomes the first woman to lie in state in the Capitol McCarthy says there will be a peaceful transition if Biden wins MORE (R-Calif.), who offered tepid criticism by saying he disagreed with Trump’s use of the word.

Several Republicans have also come to Trump’s defense, including Sen. Lindsey Graham Lindsey Olin GrahamLincoln Project mocks Lindsey Graham's fundraising lag with Sarah McLachlan-themed video The Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by Facebook - Republicans lawmakers rebuke Trump on election Trump dumbfounds GOP with latest unforced error MORE (R-S.C.) who asserted the impeachment inquiry is “lynching in every sense.”

Trump has employed increasingly caustic rhetoric to respond to the quickening impeachment inquiry, accusing Democrats of a “coup” and calling the investigation “bullshit.” Trump has denied anything improper in his interactions with Ukraine, which are the subject of the impeachment inquiry.

The White House has refused to cooperate with the ongoing probe, raising due process and other legal issues with the inquiry and casting it as an illegitimate attempt to overturn the results of the 2016 presidential election.

The White House and Trump’s Republican allies have criticized Democrats for not holding a vote to formalize the impeachment inquiry, for conducting interviews in private and for refusing Republicans the right to subpoena their own witnesses, among other things.

Trump’s tweet Tuesday came as a top U.S. diplomat prepared to testify behind closed doors about issues he raised regarding the administration’s interactions with Ukraine.

Democrats are focusing on a July 25 call during with Trump asked Ukraine’s leader to look into allegations about former Vice President Joe Biden Joe BidenFormer Pence aide: White House staffers discussed Trump refusing to leave office Progressive group buys domain name of Trump's No. 1 Supreme Court pick Bloomberg rolls out M ad buy to boost Biden in Florida MORE. The phone call triggered a whistleblower complaint alleging Trump tried to use his official position to solicit foreign interference in the 2020 election.