2020 candidate and former Rep. Beto O’Rourke (D-TX) on Sunday slammed President Donald Trump as a white nationalist who is “encouraging” the kind of mass shooting that occurred in El Paso, Texas on Saturday.
Texas authorities believe the suspected gunman, who killed at least 20 people when he fired at a Walmart parking lot, may have written a white nationalist manifesto railing against a Hispanic “invasion.”
O’Rourke, whose former district included El Paso, told CNN’s “State of the Union” host Jake Tapper that along with tighter gun control, politicians need to acknowledge the “environment” of “open racism” in the country that Trump is facilitating.
“We see it on Fox News, we see it on the internet but we also we see it from our commander-in-chief,” O’Rourke said. “And he is encouraging this. He doesn’t just tolerate it, he encourages it, calling Mexicans immigrants rapists and criminals.”
The Texas Democrat said that Trump’s racist rhetoric “doesn’t just offend us,” it also “encourages the kind of violence that we’re seeing, including in my home town of El Paso yesterday.”
Tapper asked O’Rourke if he agreed with Gov. Jay Inslee (D)’s charge that Trump is a “white nationalist.”
“Yes, I do,” the former congressman replied.
Trump tweeted early Sunday morning that the El Paso shooting was an “act of cowardice” and that he condemns the “hateful act.”
….Melania and I send our heartfelt thoughts and prayers to the great people of Texas.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 4, 2019
Watch Beto below:
Beto O'Rourke on El Paso shooter possibly motivated by white supremacy: Trump is "encouraging this" pic.twitter.com/J9dY72sq9X
— TPM Livewire (@TPMLiveWire) August 4, 2019
Beto O'Rourke: Trump is a white nationalist pic.twitter.com/HQ9esC4z6B
— TPM Livewire (@TPMLiveWire) August 4, 2019
