GOP senator: ‘There is no realistic comparison’ between antifa and white supremacists

Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) said “there is no realistic comparison” between white supremacists and anti-fascist groups after his one-on-one meeting with President Trump on Wednesday.

“In yesterday’s meeting, Senator Scott was very, very clear about the brutal history surrounding the white supremacist movement and their horrific treatment of black and other minority groups,” Scott said in a statement. “Antifa is bad and should be condemned, yes, but white supremacists have been killing and tormenting black Americans for centuries.”

“There’s no realistic comparison. Period,” he continued.

{mosads}Scott’s statement came after Trump spoke to reporters on Air Force One about his meeting with Scott and their discussion on violence in Charlottesville, Va., last month at a white supremacist rally.

After the rally, Trump said there was blame on “both sides” of the rally. On Thursday, he doubled down, telling reporters that there were, “some pretty bad dudes on the other side also.”

“We had a great talk yesterday,” Trump said when asked about his meeting with Scott. “I think especially in light of the advent of antifa, if you look at what’s going on there. You have some pretty bad dudes on the other side also and essentially that’s what I said.”

“Now because of what’s happened since then with antifa. When you look at really what’s happened since Charlottesville, a lot of people are saying and people have actually written, ‘Gee, Trump may have a point.’ I said there’s some very bad people on the other side also,” Trump continued.

Scott, the Senate’s lone black Republican, said he tried to educate Trump on “the real picture” surrounding the violence last month that left a counterprotester dead and injured more than a dozen others.

“It has to do with the affirmation of hate groups who over three centuries of this country’s history have made it their mission to create upheaval in minority communities as their reason for existence,” Scott said.

Scott had said Wednesday he was “encouraged” after the meeting with Trump.