House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) finally broke his silence on Tuesday about former President Donald Trump’s dinner with Nick Fuentes, declaring that there’s “no place” for the notorious white supremacist in the Republican Party.
At the same time, McCarthy—who is hoping to become Speaker of the House in the next congressional term—wouldn’t go so far as to criticize Trump for hosting the 24-year-old white nationalist alongside antisemitic rapper Kanye West.
Following a meeting with President Joe Biden and Democratic leaders, McCarthy spoke to reporters outside of the White House and was immediately asked why he has yet to condemn Trump for meeting with Fuentes.
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“I don’t think anybody should be spending any time with Nick Fuentes,” the GOP leader said. “He has no place in this Republican Party. I think President Trump came out four times and condemned him and didn’t know who he was.”
The reporter, however, noted that Trump has yet to actually condemn Fuentes or his ideology and has instead just insisted he had no knowledge of Fuentes prior to the meeting.
“Well, I condemn his ideology, and it has no place in society. At all,” McCarthy interjected, only to get pressed once again about Trump’s refusal to do the same.
“The president didn’t know who he was,” the Republican lawmaker shot back. “He knew who Kanye West is, he said he didn’t know who Fuentes is.”
While some prominent Republicans have forcefully denounced the former president for the “disgusting” and “indefensible” meeting, other conservative lawmakers have ignored it altogether. Fox News, meanwhile, has largely gone radio silent on the story. Additionally, Trump himself has refused to listen to advisers’ pleas to condemn Fuentes because he’s reportedly concerned it could alienate his MAGA base.
