Condemnation from across the spectrum for Trump's latest comments on Charlottesville
Disbelief and rejection swept across the Internet after Donald Trump again spread blame widely for an attack on counter protestors outside a white supremacist rally.
However, many of the President's supporters celebrated him for assailing violence from "the left".
After facing a firestorm of criticism for failing to explicitly condemn white supremacists after the attack, Mr Trump specifically rejected white nationalist groups like the Ku Klux Klan - before retreating to his earlier position by pointing to "blame on both sides" and assailing "alt-left" agitators.
Members of Congress from both parties were quick to disavow Mr Trump on Twitter, with a Democratic senator expressing "disgust and disappointment" and a growing cohort Republicans distancing themselves from Mr Trump - following business leaders who have abandoned the president in a growing cascade this week.
As a Jew, as an American, as a human, words cannot express my disgust and disappointment. This is not my President.
— Brian Schatz (@brianschatz) August 15, 2017
Blaming "both sides" for #Charlottesville?! No. Back to relativism when dealing with KKK, Nazi sympathizers, white supremacists? Just no.
— Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (@RosLehtinen) August 15, 2017
The #WhiteSupremacy groups will see being assigned only 50% of blame as a win.We can not allow this old evil to be resurrected 6/6
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) August 15, 2017
I don't understand what's so hard about this. White supremacists and Neo-Nazis are evil and shouldn't be defended.
— Steve Stivers (@RepSteveStivers) August 15, 2017
Just stopped on roadside to read @POTUS remarks. I nearly threw up. An American President offering a defense of white supremicists. My god.
— Chris Murphy (@ChrisMurphyCT) August 15, 2017
Republican Rep. Hurd says he’s “absolutely” not proud of how Trump handled news conference, says if kids are watching, racism “is not okay” pic.twitter.com/bT5jDiQhz2
— The Situation Room (@CNNSitRoom) August 15, 2017
Many saw Mr Trump's unwillingness to firmly reject white supremacists as an affirmation of the president's true beliefs.
One good thing about that abomination of a speech: it's now impossible for any Trump supporter to pretend they don't know what he is.
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) August 15, 2017
Without a teleprompter Trump just showed us his true colors – we should believe him.
— Jackie Speier (@RepSpeier) August 15, 2017
Supporters of Mr. Trump, meanwhile, including prominent conservative commentators and figures in the "alt-right" movement - which embraces a worldview founded on white identity - cheered the president for taking a stand.
Nearly the entire quisling "conservative" media immediately caved to the B.S. left-wing media narrative on Charlottesville. NOT TRUMP!
— Ann Coulter (@AnnCoulter) August 15, 2017
Declare #AltLeft AntiFa a domestic terrorist organization! https://t.co/3YVhUeu8Mp
— Jack Posobiec 🇺🇸 (@JackPosobiec) August 15, 2017
I'm proud of him for speaking the truth.
— Richard ☝🏻Spencer (@RichardBSpencer) August 15, 2017
Among those heaping praise was former KKK leader David Duke, who has had glowing words for Mr Trump since the presidential campaign.