McCarthy becomes the latest Republican to criticize Trump’s white supremacist dinner – but not Trump

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy on Tuesday became the latest senior Republican to condemn Donald Trump’s dinner with white supremacist Nick Fuentes – while refusing to condemn the former president himself.

Making his first comments about Trump’s dinner with Fuentes and rapper Ye, both of whom have publicly engaged in anti-Semitism, McCarthy falsely claimed that the former president had already condemned Fuentes. Trump has repeatedly said he didn’t know who Fuentes was when the white nationalist dined with him as a guest of Ye, formerly known as Kanye West.

« I don’t think anyone should have a meeting with Nick Fuentes, and his views are nowhere in the Republican Party or in this country itself, » McCarthy said following a White House meeting. with President Joe Biden and Congressional leaders. The California Republican added that « I don’t think [Trump] should have joined [Ye] as well. »

McCarthy’s comments echo those of most other congressional Republicans, who have criticized Trump’s actions but refrained from criticizing the former president himself. Trump’s former vice president, Mike Pence, deviated from that norm on Monday by demanding Trump apologize for associating with Fuentes. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell is expected to address the issue later Tuesday.