Celebrities were outraged Tuesday after President Donald Trump held a press conference in New York City to condemn the neo-Nazis and white nationalist protesters in Charlottesville, Virginia, over the weekend, and in which he slammed reporters in the room for misreporting facts about the deadly rally.
“There was no way of making a correct statement that early,” the president said, defending his initial remarks made on Saturday before all the facts had been revealed in the incident which left one woman dead and another 19 wounded when a man deliberately drove his car into a crowd of protesters. “Unlike you and unlike the media, before I make a statement, I like to know the facts.”
Trump also blasted the violent “alt-left” demonstrators, asking if they had “any semblance of guilt” in the incident.
“I am not putting anybody on a moral plane,” he added. “You had a group on one side and the other and they came at each other with clubs and it was vicious and horrible.”
Within minutes, celebrities were melting down on social media.
The official Twitter account for Comedy Central’s The Daily Show tweeted: “Today is the day Donald Trump became president of the Confederacy.”
Today is the day Donald Trump became president of the Confederacy.
— The Daily Show (@TheDailyShow) August 15, 2017
Singer and Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda, actor Josh Gad, and comedian Chelsea Handler called for President Trump to be removed from office — Handler, again, specifically advanced the idea of a military coup.
Impeach this bad man. https://t.co/yZiSnY7boD
— Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin_Manuel) August 15, 2017
The 25th Ammendment today. pic.twitter.com/HXf2mv38EL
— Josh Gad (@joshgad) August 15, 2017
It is time for all the generals that trump has appointed to declare him unfit for office. He is unfit and unstable. This is madness.
— Chelsea Handler (@chelseahandler) August 15, 2017
Still, other celebrities, including actor Jeffrey Wright, actor Patton Oswalt, Modern Family producer Danny Zuker, and actress Jamie Chung, implied that President Trump either supports Nazis or is sympathetic to them.
D-Day, June 1944, Allied Forces land at Normandy, where, by @realDonaldTrump's logic, there was blame on both sides for the violence. pic.twitter.com/yT4HRGTRQ0
— Jeffrey Wright (@jfreewright) August 15, 2017
What…the…FUCK is happening in our country? Our president just…sided…with…Nazis and white nationalists. Holy. FUCK https://t.co/YJzAQBUJgp
— Patton Oswalt (@pattonoswalt) August 15, 2017
Yes Hitler was bad but those Jews did some stuff, too. Blame to go around on both sides, @RealDonaldTrump
— Danny Zuker (@DannyZuker) August 15, 2017
@realDonaldTrump is officially a Nazi supporting LUNATIC. @GOP Take a stand. He's taking your party straight to hell
— Jamie Chung (@jamiechung1) August 15, 2017
Below is a roundup of other celebrity reaction to Trump’s press conference:
I haven't seen anything that crazy since Tyson bit Holyfield @realDonaldTrump
— Jimmy Kimmel (@jimmykimmel) August 15, 2017
When it comes to love, kindness, acceptance and progress, I believe there is only one side.
— Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) August 15, 2017
Demand @RealDonaldTrump end racist policies, protect immigrants, & fire Bannon, Miller, Gorka: https://t.co/9spiMJSLjD #StandAgainstHate
— Mark Ruffalo (@MarkRuffalo) August 15, 2017
OMG. What did we just watch? He blamed the anti-racism protesters. He likened George Washington to Robert E. Lee. Donald. Trump. Fuck. You.
— Michael Moore (@MMFlint) August 15, 2017
That press conference kinda just blew up my brain. Everyone should watch that entire thing from beginning to end. It's truly shocking.
— Chris Evans (@ChrisEvans) August 15, 2017
Fuck this guy. He has such passion for all of the evil corrupt people on this planet. Never any rage at the murderers. No compassion. https://t.co/5OCUBFZdQx
— Judd Apatow (@JuddApatow) August 15, 2017
— Will Arnett™ (@arnettwill) August 15, 2017
"Look there was violence on both sides" – Trump on WW2 probably
— josh groban (@joshgroban) August 15, 2017
OMG! #TRUMP JUST DOUBLED DOWN ON HIS INITIAL STATEMENT! #Unbelievable! WILL THE @HouseGOP STILL SUPPORT THIS MAN?!! #Charolettesville https://t.co/5k3fUJxhI1
— Rosie Perez (@rosieperezbklyn) August 15, 2017
Did someone leave a tiki torch lying around the West Wing? Because the White House sure feels like it's burning down.
— George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) August 15, 2017
Don’t blame Donald Trump. He just found out yesterday the Nazis lost World War II.
— Albert Brooks (@AlbertBrooks) August 15, 2017
https://twitter.com/kumailn/status/897565519993159680
https://twitter.com/DonCheadle/status/897560444054888448
Do you think @realDonaldTrump @POTUS saying "both sides are to blame" in #Charlottesville makes him a racist supporter? Yes or no?
— Lady Gaga (@ladygaga) August 15, 2017
There is no, "alt-left," @realDonaldTrump There are we who believe all are equal. All souls on board are equal.
— loripetty (@loripetty) August 15, 2017
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
Monologue. Blown. Up. Again. Good thing @colbertlateshow team is used to this.. #intense
— Chris Licht (@ChrisLicht) August 15, 2017
Follow Jerome Hudson on Twitter @jeromeehudson
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