Former CBS News anchor Dan Rather said Thursday on MSNBC’s “The Beat” that “the Republican Party as a whole and overwhelmingly has been playing with the fire of white nationalism.”

When asked if President Trump should be held accountable for the Capital Hill riot, Rather said, “The answer is yes. Donald Trump can be made to pay a price. I would argue that it is absolutely essential for the general health of our democracy in our country that that happen. And we can get things under control.”

Hew continued, “You know, everybody knows if you play with fire, you usually get burned. And the Republican Party as a whole and overwhelmingly has been playing with the fire of white nationalism, false grievances, crazy conspiracy theories, lies and outright propaganda. And now for the Republicans it’s a wildfire burning out of control.”

He added, “There is one thing very clear, that we are in the situation we’re in right now primarily because of Donald Trump and his selfishness and his recklessness, about that there has to be a consequence for him. And that’s the broad overview of what we’re going through now with this probability of a Senate trial next week what consequence does he have to pay? And that’s up to us to see that he does pay a consequence.”

Follow Pam Key on Twitter @pamkeyNEN