GOP leaders' silence on Trump's racism grows more awkward as rank and file speak out

Trump made the comments at the White House while discussing a legislative package on DREAMers and immigration issues with senators and staff. The comments were first reported by the Washington Post, and the White House does not deny that Trump used this callous language. Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin, who was at the meeting, confirmed the comments Friday morning.

While a handful of rank and file Republicans have spoken out in disgust, there has been a complicit silence from GOP leadership.

House Speaker Paul Ryan, who called comments made by Trump during the campaign the “textbook definition of a racist comment,” now seems more intent on placating Trump than speaking out and has yet to comment.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky has retreated into a shell of silence, unwilling or too fearful to condemn such a blatantly racist comment.

Other Republican leaders have refused to weigh in on mind-numbingly bigoted comments from the leader of their party.

Perhaps they’re afraid of ruffling the Republican base.

According to Gallup, 87 percent of Republicans approve of Trump’s job performance.

Republican silence is especially disappointing considering that Trump has a long history of making racially charged and outright racist comments.

He was a staunch proponent of the so-called “birther” movement that spread lies about President Barack Obama’s birthplace.

He kicked off his presidential campaign by calling Mexicans “rapists.”

He attacked a Muslim Gold Star family and a Latina beauty queen.

He said an American judge could not render a fair trial because of the judge’s Mexican heritage.

When in office, one of Trump’s first initiatives was to institute a racist Muslim ban, which was repeatedly struck down by courts.

When a mob of Nazis and white supremacists wreaked havoc in Charlottesville, Virginia, Trump claimed that those marching with Nazis were “very fine people.”

When being briefed about immigrants from Haiti, Trump previously said, “They all have AIDS.” He also complained that immigrants from Nigeria, once in the United States, would never “go back to their huts” in Africa.

Puerto Rico is experiencing the longest power blackout on record, and Trump is withholding aid.

Through all of this, Republican leadership, and most Republicans in Congress, have proudly stood by Trump. Nothing he has said has caused Republican leadership any hesitation or misgivings about Trump’s role as leader of the United States.

And the silence about the most recent insult to more than 50 countries shows that no matter what racist filth Trump spews from his perch in the Oval Office, Republican leadership will line up behind him.