'I've got to push back': NBC host and Byron Donalds battle over Trump's 'racist' speech

NBC host Kristen Welker and Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL) disagreed over a speech Donald Trump gave to a group of Black conservatives.

In a speech Friday to the Black Conservative Federation's annual gala, Trump argued that African-Americans like him because of his legal problems.

Welker confronted Donalds about the speech on Sunday after Biden campaign co-chair Cedric Richmond, a former congressman, called it "plain racist."

"How do you respond to that charge that it's just plain racist?" Welker asked.

"What I would say is that Cedric is trying to play politics and use racial politics even now as we get into the general election," Donalds replied. "Number two, like I said at the top, the number one reason why minority voters in our country want to support Donald Trump is because he did the job of president. He did a great job as president."

"What Americans don't want to see, especially Black Americans and anybody else, they don't want to see a politicized Justice Department," he continued. "They don't want to see a two-tier system of justice. They want justice to be followed. They want lady justice to be blind."

Welker corrected the lawmaker.

"Again, there's no evidence that the indictments against him are politicized," she pointed out. "But sticking to this question, were you offended at all by his comments, Congressman?"

"No, I wasn't, because I understood what the president was talking about," Donalds insisted. "And Kristen, let me push back a little bit."

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"You have to acknowledge the fact that now that the Robert Hur report has come out about Joe Biden's misuse of classified information, which is a violation of the Espionage Act, he had no rights to any of those documents when he was a senator or vice president, yet there are no charges against President Biden, but President Trump is under prosecution?" he said. "Come on now. We know that doesn't make any sense at all."

"I have to hit the pause button for one minute, Congressman, because the Hur report was very clear that there was not enough evidence to bring charges against President Biden, and that ultimately there was not enough," Welker observed.

Donalds battled the NBC host.

"Kristen, I've got to push back on you," he remarked.

"Congressman, that is exactly what the Hur report said," Welker said.

"The Espionage Act is clear," Donalds interrupted.

"There wasn't enough evidence to bring charges," Welker noted.

"You cannot possess those documents as a senator or a vice president," Donalds asserted.

"Bottom line, though, Hur himself said there wasn't enough evidence to bring charges," Welker concluded.

Watch the video below from NBC or at the link.