Steve King: Republicans promise action against congressman after 'white supremacist' remark

'That is not the America I know, and it’s most certainly not the party of Lincoln,' says senior Republican Kevin McCarthy

Steve King (Getty)

The top Republican in the House of Representatives has promised to take action against congressman Steve King following his much-condemned comments about white nationalism and white supremacy.

House minority leader Kevin McCarthy said that he would be meeting with Mr King on Monday to discuss the remarks and Mr King’s future in the Republican Party. “Action will be taken,” he said.

However, Mr McCarthy did not specify what the action against the Iowa representative would be.

“That language has no place in America,” Mr McCarthy said on CBS’s Face the Nation. “That is not the America I know, and it’s most certainly not the party of Lincoln.”

Mr King, who has a long history of incendiary remarks, has been condemned by members of both the GOP and the Democrats over remarks made to The New York Times in a recent interview.

“White nationalist, white supremacist, western civilization – how did that language become offensive?” he said. “Why did I sit in classes teaching me about the merits of our history and our civilization?”

Mr McCarthy said of the remarks: “I will not stand back as a leader of this party, believing in this nation that all are created equal, that that stands or continues to stand and have any role with us.”

Texas Republican Senator Ted Cruz, joined the chorus against the comments on NBC’s Meet the Press.

“What Steve King said was stupid,” he said. “It was stupid. It was hurtful. It was wrong. And he needs to stop. I think all of us ought to be united, regardless of party, in saying, white supremacism, white nationalism, is hatred. It is bigotry. It is evil. It is wrong.”

The Congressional Black Caucus had previously called for concrete steps be taken against Mr King. “If Republicans really believe these racist statements have no place in our government, then their party must offer more than shallow temporary statements of condemnation,” said chairwoman Representative Karen Bass, a Democrat from California.

“Instead, they must actually condemn Mr King by removing him from his committee assignments so that he can no longer affect policies that impact the very people he has made it clear he disdains,” Ms Bass added in a statement on Saturday.

Mr King has sought to walk back his remarks in the wake of the backlash, saying he rejects white nationalism and white supremacy.

“It's not part of any of my ideology,” Mr King told NBC News. “I reject anyone who carries that ideology.”