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Nikki Haley links Trump’s rhetoric to Charleston church shooting

by Jesse Byrnes - 06/03/16 9:37 AM ET

South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley is sharpening her criticism of presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, linking his rhetoric to the 2015 shooting at a black church in Charleston, S.C.

While Haley said she doesn’t think Trump’s supporters are racists, she told The Associated Press that the rhetoric he uses is dangerous. She invoked the Charleston shooting, in which Dylann Storm Roof is accused of killing nine black parishioners at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church there.

{mosads}”I know what that rhetoric can do. I saw it happen,” Haley said.

Police said Roof, who was seen holding a Confederate flag in a manifesto discovered online after the shootings, wanted to start a race war.

Haley has repeatedly spoken out against Trump, including in February when she knocked the businessman for not forcefully disavowing support from white supremacists.

“I will not stop until we fight a man that chooses not to disavow the KKK,” Haley said. “That is not a part of our party, that is not who we want as president. We will allow not allow that in our country.”

The South Carolina governor backed Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) for president but pledged to support Trump if he won the nomination.

Despite her criticism of his rhetoric, Haley told the AP she doesn’t agree with those who say Trump’s supporters are racists.

“That’s a different kind of anger. They’re upset with Washington, D.C. They’re upset nothing’s got done,” she said. “The way he communicates that, I wish were different.”

Tags Charleston shooting Donald Trump Marco Rubio South Carolina