Pence aide: Trump's 'intent' wasn't racist

BY BRETT SAMUELS - 07/15/19 09:07 AM EDT

The chief of staff to Vice President Mike Pence on Monday attempted to defend President Trump's incendiary tweets targeting progressive congresswomen, asserting that the president's "intent" was not racist.

Marc Short, the former White House legislative liaison and current top aide to Pence, told reporters the administration is welcoming to all nationalities after Trump tweeted that Democratic lawmakers should "go back" where they came from.

"I don’t think that our president’s intent in any way is racist,” Short said.

Short became the first administration official to publicly defend Trump as Democrats have universally condemned his tweets as racist. Republicans have remained largely silent on the issue.

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https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/453048-top-pence-aide-trumps-intent-wasnt-racist-in-attacks-on-progressive