THIS AFTERNOON. OUR HALLIE JACKSON STARTS US OFF.
>> Reporter: TONIGHT, A DEFINING MOMENT IN DONALD TRUMP'S
PRESIDENCY. >> YOU LOOK AT BOTH SIDES, I THINK THERE'S
BLAME ON BOTH SIDES. AND I HAVE NO DOUBT IT, AND YOU DON'T HAVE
ANY DOUBT ABOUT IT EITHER. >> Reporter: THE
DEFENDANT UNFILTERED AND DEFIANT RESPONDING TO CRITICISMS OF HIS
COMMENTS CONDEMNING THE ATTACK. >> HOW ABOUT THE
AT-LEFT, DO THEY HAVE ANY SEMBLANCE OF GUILT?
LET ME ASK YOU THIS. WHAT ABOUT THE FACT THEY CAME CHARGING
WITH CLUBS IN THEIR HANDS, SWINGING CLUBS, DO THEY HAVE ANY
PROBLEM? I THINK THEY DO. >> Reporter: BOTH
PROTESTERS AND COUNTERPROTESTERS CAME READY FOR A FIGHT, BUT
SATURDAY'S RALLY WAS SPONSORED IN THE FIRST PLACE BY WHITE
NATIONALISTS WHO SHOWED UP IN FORCE. IT'S ONE OF THOSE
ATTENDEES, KILLING 32-YEAR-OLD HEATHER HEYER.
>> YOU ALSO HAD PEOPLE THAT WERE VERY FINE PEOPLE.
ON BOTH SIDES. YOU HAD PEOPLE IN THAT GROUP -- EXCUSE ME,
EXCUSE ME, I SAW THE SAME PICTURES AS YOU DID.
YOU HAD PEOPLE IN THAT GROUP THAT WERE THERE TO PROTEST, THE TAKING
DOWN TO THEM A VERY, VERY IMPORTANT STATUE. AND THAT RENAMING OF A
BAR FROM ROBERT E. LEE TO ANOTHER NAME. >> DO YOU THINK WHAT
YOU CALL THE AT-LEFT IS THE SAME AS NEO-NAZIS?
>> THOSE PEOPLE -- ALL OF THOSE PEOPLE -- EXCUSE ME.
I CONDEMNED NEO-NAZIS. I'VE CONDEMNED MANY DIFFERENT GROUPS.
BUT NOT ALL OF THOSE PEOPLE WERE NEO-NAZIS, BELIEVE ME.
NOT ALL OF THOSE PEOPLE WERE WHITE SUPREMACISTS, BY ANY
STRETCH. THOSE PEOPLE WERE ALSO THERE BECAUSE THEY
WANTED TO PROTEST THE TAKING DOWN OF A STATUE ROBERT E. LEE.
EXCUSE ME. YOU TAKE A LOOK AT SOME OF THE GROUPS,
AND YOU WOULD KNOW IT IF YOU'RE HONEST REPORTERS WHICH IN
MANY CASES YOU'RE NOT, BUT MOST OF THE PEOPLE THERE WERE THERE TO
PROTEST THE TAKING DOWN OF THE STATUE OF ROBERT E. LEE.
THIS WEEK IT'S ROBERT E. LEE. I NOTICE STONEWALL
JACKSON IS COMING DOWN. IS IT GEORGE
WASHINGTON THE NEXT WEEK? AND THOMAS JEFFERSON
AFTER? YOU REALLY HAVE TO ASK YOURSELF, WHERE DOES
IT STOP. GEORGE WASHINGTON WAS A SLAVE OWNER.
WILL GEORGE WASHINGTON NOW LOSE HIS STATUS? >> Reporter: THE
PRESIDENT'S WORDS TODAY ECHO WHAT HE SAID SATURDAY, WHEN HE
BLAMED MANY SIDES FOR HATRED, BIGOTRY AND VIOLENCE, NOT
CONDEMNING THEN THE WHITE SUPREMACISTS AND NEO-NAZIS WHO
PARTICIPATED IN THE WEEKEND RALLY. HE DID DENOUNCE THEM
EX FLIS ITLY MONDAY, BUT TODAY -- >> EXCUSE ME, I'VE
CONDEMNED NEO-NAZIS. I'VE CONDEMNED MANY DIFFERENT GROUPS.
BUT NOT ALL OF THOSE PEOPLE WERE NEO-NAZIS, BELIEVE ME.
NOT ALL OF THOSE PEOPLE WERE WHITE SUPREMACISTS.
>> Reporter: THE PRESIDENT SAYS HE NEVER SPOKE WITH HAD
CONTROVERSIAL CHIEF STRATEGIST, STEVE BANNON, ABOUT HIS
ORIGINAL STATEMENT THIS WEEKEND. >> I LIKE HIM.
HE'S A GOOD MAN. HE IS NOT A RACIST, I CAN TELL YOU THAT.
HE'S A GOOD PERSON. HE ACTUALLY GETS A VERY UNFAIR PRESS IN
THAT REGARD. BUT WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS WITH MR.
EXTRAORDINARY BACK-AND-FORTH YOU JUST WATCHED WAS NEVER
SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN IN THE FIRST PLACE. NBC NEWS HAS LEARNED
THE PRESIDENT WAS NOT SET TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, ACCORDING
TO A SENIOR WHITE HOUSE OFFICIAL, WHO TELLS US PRESIDENT
TRUMP SIMPLY WENT ROGUE. HIS NEW CHIEF OF
STAFF, JOHN KELLY, STOOD OFF TO THE SIDE AS IT HAPPENED, AT
TIMES LOWERING HIS HEAD AND FOLDING HIS HANDS.
REMEMBER, PRESIDENT TRUMP CAME DOWN TO THE LOBBY OF TRUMP TOWER
IN THE FIRST PLACE TO TALK ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE, BUT AS
HAS HAPPENED AGAIN AND AGAIN IN THIS ADMINISTRATION, WHAT