Hours after Donald Trump refused to disavow the Ku Klux Klan and former Grand Wizard David Duke, who publicly supports Trump, Florida Sen. [crscore]Marco Rubio[/crscore] attacked him for it.
“Something happened today and this is why I’m so fired up this morning,” Rubio told the crowd. He then recounted how Trump refused to associate himself with the Reform Party in 2000 because of Duke’s involvement, showing Trump has known who Duke is for some time. (RELATED: Trump Refuses To Condemn David Duke, The KKK And ‘White Supremacist’ Supporters)
In February 2000, Trump told the New York Times, “The Reform Party now includes a Klansman, Mr. Duke, a neo-Nazi, Mr. Buchanan, and a communist, Ms. Fulani. This is not company I wish to keep.”
Sunday on CNN, Trump told host Jake Tapper he didn’t know who Duke was so he couldn’t disavow his support. “I just don’t know anything about him,” Trump said.
Two days earlier, Trump was asked about Duke’s support and said he didn’t know about it but, “I disavow, OK?”
“He was asked this morning two times ‘will you reputiated and condemn the Ku Klux Klan?’ and he refused to do that as well,” Rubio told the crowd. “We cannot be a party that nominates someone who refuses to condemn white supremacists and Ku Klux Klan.”
Rubio continued, “By the way, not only is that wrong, it makes him unelectable. How are we going to grow our party with a nominee that refuses to condemn the Ku Klux Klan? Don’t tell me he doesn’t know who the Ku Klux Klan is.”
Watch:
In response, Trump tweeted a 12 second video of himself saying, “I disavow, OK?” when asked about Duke’s support.
As I stated at the press conference on Friday regarding David Duke- I disavow. pic.twitter.com/OIXFKPUlz2
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 28, 2016
Trump then returned to tweeting insults of Rubio, Texas Sen. [crscore]Ted Cruz[/crscore] and 2012 GOP nominee Mitt Romney.