Democratic Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (N.Y.) implied Monday on CNN's "Situation Room" that President Donald Trump is a member of the Ku Klux Klan.
"His reaction to Charlottesville, which was clearly inadequate, unacceptable, inappropriate, and for many people throughout America led them to conclude that the president of the United States chose to pull the sheets off and reveal himself in terms of his tendency to be a racial arsonist," Jeffries told host Wolf Blitzer.
Blitzer brought the comment up shortly thereafter.
"When you said a second ago, congressman, pull the sheets off. I suspect I know what you are referring to. But I want to give you a chance to elaborate," Blitzer said.
"Well, let me simply say that time and time again he's refused to distance himself from individuals like David Duke, an avowed white supremacist, as well as others for reasons that many of us can't figure out," Jeffries said.
Then Jeffries mentioned Trump's Charlottesville comments.
"Why in the world would anyone equivocate, particularly the leader of the free world, as it relates to individuals like the KKK and neo-nazis? That's deeply troubling. But we know Donald Trump has a history of fanning the flames of racial hatred, using stereotypes to advance his own personal and political agenda," Jeffries said.
"Are you suggesting he's a racist?" Blitzer asked.
"No, he's a racial arsonist. He uses race to advance his own ends. That's troubling. I'm not going to stand here and call him a racist or not," Jeffries said.