Racism Is Trump’s Diversion Tactic

Will Republicans ever stop turning a blind eye to Trump’s worst impulses?

President Donald Trump departs from the White House en route to Dayton, Ohio and El Paso, Texas on August 7, 2019 in Washington, DC. Photo: Zach Gibson/Getty Images

As the 2020 election grows nearer, Republicans find themselves at odds at how best to respond to President Donald Trump’s racism: Do they play to Trump’s base and turn a blind eye to the president’s statements, or do they condemn his inflammatory rhetoric?