Donald Trump this week: U.S. president Trump faces first major leadership test

But while Trump eventually condemned the fatal
violence carried out by groups like the Ku Klux
Klan, neo-Nazis and other far-right groups, he
ultimately doubled down on his initial equivocating
response blaming “both sides” for the violence
between white supremacists and counterprotesters.
READ MORE: Donald Trump asks should ‘alt-left’
have any guilt in wake of Charlottesville
“You had a group on one side that was bad, and
you had a group on the other side that was also
very violent,” Trump told reporters during a chaotic
press conference earlier in the week . “I think
there’s blame on both sides.”
Whether it was Republicans, Democrats or U.S.
business leaders and even the residents of
Charlottesville, Trump’s response to his first major
domestic crisis has been roundly criticized and
could become a defining moment in his presidency
and lead to further chaos in the White House.
Here is what happened this week in the world of
the 45th U.S. President.
WATCH: Fallout escalating for Donald Trump over
Charlottesville response
Aug 17: Trump condemns Barcelona attack
Amidst the uproar over his response to
Charlottesville, Trump quickly condemned a terror
attack in Barcelona, Spain on Thursday that killed
at least 13 people .
“The United States condemns the terror attack in
Barcelona, Spain, and will do whatever is necessary
to help. Be tough & strong, we love you,” the
president wrote.
The United States condemns the terror
attack in Barcelona, Spain, and will do
whatever is necessary to help. Be tough &
strong, we love you!
7:00 PM - Aug 17, 2017
38,594 61,267 194,987
Donald J. Trump
@realDonaldTrump
READ MORE: Terror attack in Barcelona leaves at
least 13 people dead and 50 injured
Trump’s statement on Twitter came just hours
after a van rammed through a crowd in the Spanish
city.
WATCH: Car rams into protesters at white
nationalists rally in Charlottesville
Also on Thursday, Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham
denounced Trump’s response to the racist violence
in Charlottesville.
READ MORE: Psychologists find ‘alt-right’
supporters more likely to ‘blatantly dehumanize’
racial groups
Trump blasted the Senator and denied he had
drawn a “moral equivalency” between white
supremacists and counter-protesters.
“Publicity seeking Lindsey Graham falsely stated
that I said there is moral equivalency between the
KKK, neo-Nazis & white supremacists and people
like Ms. Heyer. Such a disgusting lie,” the
president tweeted. “He just can’t forget his election
trouncing. The people of South Carolina will
remember!”
Publicity seeking Lindsey Graham falsely
stated that I said there is moral equivalency
between the KKK, neo-Nazis & white
supremacists......
11:19 AM - Aug 17, 2017
20,795 18,653 72,292
Donald J. Trump
@realDonaldTrump
...and people like Ms. Heyer. Such a
disgusting lie. He just can't forget his
election trouncing.The people of South
Carolina will remember!
11:24 AM - Aug 17, 2017
12,576 14,261 63,708
Donald J. Trump
@realDonaldTrump
And two polls showed Trump’s approval rating has
slid to 35 per cent, his lowest mark since taking
office, while Americans disapproved of his
response to Charlottesville. But one poll from the
Public Religion Research Institute found that Trump
continues to earn high marks from a key part of
the Republican base: white evangelicals, with 65
per cent saying they have a favorable view of
Trump.
Aug 16: Charlottesville fallout
Trump’s decision to defend far-right extremists
shook his administration, with the Associated Press
reporting that some top officials were considering
leaving.
“After yesterday, it’s clear that there is no way for
anyone, even a Marine general, to restrain
[Trump’s] impulses or counter what he sees on TV
and reads on the web,” one senior official told the
AP.

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