Sessions defends Trump statement on violence

US Attorney General Jeff Sessions says “too much has been read into” President Donald Trump’s statement Saturday amid violence at a protest in Charlottesville, Virginia, related to the removal of a Confederate monument.

Sessions tells NBC’s “Today” that Trump had “explicitly condemned” violence and that “he totally opposes” the values espoused by white supremacy organizations. Trump referenced violence “on many sides.” An excerpt of the interview was aired Monday.

Sessions says he expects Trump to say more, saying “I think you’ll hear that again today.” He noted the White House had expressly condemned white supremacy-driven violence in a statement Sunday.

Sessions told the network, “I think he will do what is correct. … Facts have come out in the interim.”

Sessions also said that he and FBI officials have a meeting scheduled with Trump on Monday, saying “we’re on this case.”

— AP