US President Donald Trump was criticized by Republicans and Democrats for not explicitly denouncing white supremacists in the aftermath of violent clashes in Virginia, with lawmakers saying he needs to take a public stand against such groups.

Trump, while on a working vacation at his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, addressed the nation Saturday soon after a car plowed into a group of counter-protesters in Charlottesville, a college town where neo-Nazis and white nationalists had assembled for at "Unite the Right" rally. A woman was killed and nearly 20 other people were injured.

The president did not single out any group, instead blaming "many sides" for the violence. "We condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides, on many sides," he said.

On Sunday, the White House issued a statement seeking to expand on Trump's remarks. "The president said very strongly in his statement yesterday that he condemns all forms of violence, bigotry and hatred and of course that includes white Supremacists, KKK, neo-Nazi and all extremist groups," according to a White House spokesperson.

Police charged James Alex Fields Jr., 20, of Maumee, Ohio, with second-degree murder and other counts after the silver Dodge Challenger they say he was driving barreled through a crowd of counter-protesters, killing Heather Heyer, 32, a paralegal from Charlottesville, and injuring at least 19 others.

Hours later, two state troopers were killed when the helicopter they were flying in as part of a patrol effort at the rally crashed into a wooded area outside the city.

White nationalists had assembled in Charlottesville to vent their frustration against the city's plans to take down a statue of Civil War Confederate General Robert E. Lee. Hundreds of counter-protesters came to oppose the racism.

In a New York Daily News photo, Fields was shown wearing a Vanguard America uniform of khakis and white polo shirts. The men held shields with Vanguard America's logo of two crossed axes.

The Daily News said the photo was taken about 10:30 am. Saturday before authorities say Fields crashed his car into the crowd at 1:42 p.m. The Anti-Defamation League says Vanguard America believes the US is an exclusively white nation.

US Senator Cory Gardner, Republican of Colorado, tweeted: "Mr. President - we must call evil by its name. These were white supremacists and this was domestic terrorism."

Senator Marco Rubio, a Florida Republican, tweeted: "Nothing patriotic about #Nazis, the #KKK or #WhiteSupremacists."

GOP Governor Chris Christie of New Jersey wrote: "We reject the racism and violence of white nationalists like the ones acting out in Charlottesville."

Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer of New York said "of course we condemn ALL that hate stands for. Until @POTUS specifically condemns alt-right action in Charlottesville, he hasn't done his job."

The president's daughter and White House aide Ivanka Trump tweeted Sunday: "There should be no place in society for racism, white supremacy and neo-nazis."

Associated Press

(China Daily USA 08/14/2017 page1)