Politics

The Republicans Who Condemned (but Still Support) Donald Trump

June 8th 2016

Donald Trump is proving his immunity from party repercussions once again.

donald-trumpAP/Arbogast - apimages.com

Several prominent Republicans have condemned Trump for making racist comments about the federal judge overseeing the Trump University case. But with few exceptions, those condemning Trump's remarks still plan to support the presumptive GOP presidential nominee in November.

Here are the Republicans who disavowed Trump's comments but support the candidate nevertheless.

1. Speaker of the House Paul Ryan (R-Wisc.)

paul-ryanAP/Ron Sachs - apimages.com

"I disavow those comments," Ryan said on Tuesday. The speaker of the House said that Trump's claim that the Mexican heritage of the judge overseeing his Trump University case made him biased was "the textbook definition of a racist comment." But asked whether he regretted endorsing Trump, Ryan said he simply regretted "those comments [Trump] made," CNN reports.

2. Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.)

Mitch McConnellWikimedia - wikimedia.org

In an interview with Chuck Todd of "Meet the Press," McConnell repeatedly disavowed Trump's remarks. He said he "couldn't disagree more" and hopes Trump will "change his direction on that." Still, the Senate majority leader maintains his support for Trump as the presumptive Republican presidential nominee.

3. Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.)

Tim ScottWikimedia - wikimedia.org

Scott condemned Trump's comments and called them "racially toxic," CNN reports. But according to Talking Points Memo, he also had this to say:

"I am supporting the Republican brand. I am supporting Donald Trump. I'm going to speak out when I think he does things that are inconsistent with the best interest of the country." —Sen. Tim Scott

4. Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.)

Kelly AyotteWikimedia - wikimedia.org

Ayotte voiced her opposition to Trump's "offensive and wrong" comments about the judge overseeing his Trump University case, urging him to retract them. However, she's still supporting (though not currently endorsing) the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, MSNBC reports.

5. Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio)

Rob PortmanWikimedia - wikimedia.org

Portman told The Washington Post that it was wrong for Trump to "make an issue of ethnicity or heritage."  

"The fact that the judge has a Mexican American heritage has nothing to do with how you should describe his judicial ability. The guy was born in Indiana. He’s as American as I am." —Sen. Rob Portman

That doesn't change the fact that Portman is still supporting Trump, however, according to the Post.

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