“That’s your opinion”: Republican senator insists white nationalists are not racist
Sen. Tommy Tuberville, a Republican from Alabama, is drawing criticism from colleagues in Congress for refusing to denounce white nationalism.
Speaking with CNN host Kaitlan Collins on Monday, Tuberville asked to clarify remarks he made in May in which he appeared to defend white nationalists by suggesting they should not be barred from serving in the military. Due to Tuberville’s personal objection to Petagon policies on abortion, the senator is currently holding up more than 200 general and flag officers whose nominations are currently stalled in the Senate. As of Monday, the U.S. Marines do not have a confirmed leader for the first time in more than a century.
“I’m a senator,” Tuberville told Collins on Monday, “I can hold any confirmation I want until we get some kind of confirmation of why you’re doing this” from the White House and Pentagon.
“Just to be clear, you agree that white nationalists should not be serving in the US military. Is that what you’re saying?” Collins asked.
“If people think that a white nationalist is a racist. I agree with that, I agree they shouldn’t,” Tuberville replied.
“A White nationalist is someone who believes that the white race is superior to other races,” Collins said.
“Well, that’s some people’s opinion,: Tuberville insisted.
Asked Collins: “What’s your opinion?”
“My opinions of a white nationalist, if somebody wants to call them white nationalist, is to me ‘an American,” Tuberville said. “Now, if that white nationalist is a racist, I’m totally against anything they want to do, because I am 110% against racism. But I want somebody that’s in our military, that’s strong belief in this country, that’s an American, that will fight alongside anybody, whether with a man or woman, black or white, red. It doesn’t make any difference. And so I’m totally against identity politics. I think it’s ruining this country. And I think that Democrats ought to be ashamed for how they’re doing this, because it’s divided this country and it’s making this country weaker every day.”
Tuberville’s comments are already being picked up by critics: