The last time former KKK leader David Duke offered praise for Donald Trump, he was criticized for not rejecting it quickly or forcefully enough.
The presumptive Republican presidential nominee apparently learned his lesson. After Duke offered some praise to him that many Jewish leaders viewed as anti-Semitic, Trump wasted no time to reject it.
During his radio program Wednesday, Duke praised Trump’s victory in Tuesday’s Indiana Primary—and his resulting status as the presumptive Republican presidential nominee—as an opportunity to expose “Jewish supremacists who control our country.” Asked to respond to those comments, Trump immediately denounced them:
“I totally disavow his comments,” Trump said. “Anti-Semitism has no place in our society, which needs to be united, not divided.”
The Anti-Defamation League, which has been critical of Trump in the past, quickly praised his response this time. CEO Jonathan Greenblatt issued the following statement in response:
“While no one should associate Mr. Trump’s own views with David Duke’s hatred, it is vital for political leaders to use their bully pulpit to speak out against bigotry. We think it is important that Mr. Trump denounced the anti-Semitism of David Duke and has made clear that he disavows anti-Semitism.
“It benefits the public conversation and the political process that the GOP nominee has made clear that he disavows anti-Semitism. As such, we hope that those among Mr. Trump’s supporters will follow his lead and refrain from using anti-Semitic stereotypes or hateful language targeting any minority, whether because of their faith, origin, gender, ability or any other distinction in social media or other venues.”
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