{"id":2030,"date":"2017-08-13T13:08:46","date_gmt":"2017-08-13T17:08:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/press.nbcnews.com\/?p=2030"},"modified":"2017-08-13T13:08:46","modified_gmt":"2017-08-13T17:08:46","slug":"mtp-mcmaster-reacts-to-charlottesville-of-course-its-terrorism-trumps-condemnation-includes-white-supremacists-and-neo-nazis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nbcuniversalnewsgroup.com\/nbcnews\/2017\/08\/13\/mtp-mcmaster-reacts-to-charlottesville-of-course-its-terrorism-trumps-condemnation-includes-white-supremacists-and-neo-nazis\/","title":{"rendered":"MTP: MCMASTER REACTS TO CHARLOTTESVILLE: \u2018OF COURSE IT\u2019S TERRORISM,\u2019 TRUMP\u2019S CONDEMNATION \u2018INCLUDES WHITE SUPREMACISTS AND NEO-NAZIS\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

McMaster says reporting on his relationship with Bannon is \u201cjust a lot of noise,\u201d declines to answer if they can work in the same White House<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

McMaster defends Tillerson following Gorka\u2019s comments: \u201cWe should always take Secretary of State Tillerson at his word\u201d<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

PLUS: Charlottesville Mayor: \u201cIt\u2019s on the president and on all of us to say \u2018enough is enough\u2019\u201d<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

AUGUST 13, 2017 \u2013 \u00a0\u201cOf course it was terrorism,\u201d Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster,<\/strong> national security adviser to President Trump, told \u201cMeet the Press\u201d moderator Chuck Todd this morning in reaction to the Charlottesville rally violence.<\/a><\/p>\n

When asked why Trump did not single-out the neo-Nazis or white supremacists in his response, McMaster said, \u201cWhen he condemned bigotry and hatred on all sides, that includes white supremacists and neo-Nazis, and I think it\u2019s clear. I know it\u2019s clear in his mind.\u201d<\/p>\n

The national security adviser reacted to recent criticism about Secretary Tillerson from Sebastian Gorka, deputy assistant to the president, who had told the BBC that the secretary on \u201cmilitary matters is simply nonsensical,\u201d telling Todd: \u201cWe should always take Secretary of State Tillerson at his word.\u201d<\/p>\n

McMaster also called the speculation about his relationship with the president\u2019s senior counselor Steve Bannon \u201cjust a lot of noise,\u201d repeatedly declining to answer <\/a>whether they can work in the same White House.<\/p>\n

The show\u2019s other guests also responded to the Charlottesville violence. Adm. Mike Mullen,<\/strong> former chairman of the Joint Chief of Staffs, exclusively told Todd: \u201cIt’s not just about the president from my perspective.<\/a> I think political leaders, community leaders, leaders throughout the country need to start standing up to unify this country.\u201d Charlottesville Mayor Michael Signer <\/strong>said, \u201cIt\u2019s on the president and on all of us to say \u2018enough is enough.\u2019\u201d <\/a><\/p>\n

NBC News correspondent Tom Costello<\/strong> reported from the ground<\/a> in Charlottesville on the aftermath from the rally. He also caught up with Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) in an exclusive, on-camera interview<\/a>, in which McAuliffe said the suspect \u201cis a terrorist, and he used his car as a weapon.\u201d<\/p>\n

The New York Times\u2019 Helene Cooper<\/strong>, National Review\u2019s Rich Lowry<\/strong>, MSNBC\u2019s Joy Reid<\/strong> and The Cook Political Report\u2019s Amy Walter <\/strong>joined this morning\u2019s roundtable<\/a> for insight, addressing how \u201cthis was a moment the president could have elevated himself.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read the full transcript of this morning\u2019s \u201cMeet the Press\u201d on <\/strong>MeetThePress.com.<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

For more from moderator Chuck Todd throughout the week, sign up for the \u201cFirst Read\u201d newsletter,<\/a> and subscribe to the \u201c1947: The Meet The Press Podcast\u201d<\/a> for on-demand interviews.<\/p>\n

MANDATORY CREDIT: NBC NEWS\u2019 \u201cMEET THE PRESS WITH CHUCK TODD\u201d \u00a0<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n