If the Culture Jihadists take down statues memorializing Robert E. Lee and the Confederacy, should they also take down statues honoring George Washington and Thomas Jefferson? Just how far will the cultural cleansing of American history go?

That question is at the heart of my upcoming book, Culture Jihad: How to Stop the Left From Killing a Nation. And it’s also at the center of the controversy surrounding President Trump and his remarks in the aftermath of the bloodshed in Charlottesville, Virginia. Reporters seemed offended that the president would compare Lee with Washington.

“George Washington was a slave owner,” the president said. “Was George Washington a slave owner? So will George Washington now lose his status? Are we going to take down — excuse me, are we going to take down statues to George Washington? How about Thomas Jefferson? What do you think of Thomas Jefferson? You like him?”

The mainstream media and Democrats accused President Trump of defending neo-Nazis. And they did it by fabricating evidence from a clipped soundbite.

“You also had people that were very fine people on both sides,” the president said.

But he also had more to say — and the media conveniently overlooks those comments.

“I’m not talking about the neo-Nazis and the white nationalists — because they should be condemned totally,” the president said.

There you have it, folks — proof that the president is not a closet white supremacist or neo-Nazi. He’s been the victim of a drive-by media hit job.

The mainstream media wants you to believe that Americans who defend Confederate memorials and statues are a bunch of racist white nationalists. They want you to believe our president is a defender of neo-Nazis. It’s a lie – but these days the truth is irrelevant.

Regardless, you need to know what the president really said and the context in which he said it. That’s why I played audio of the August 15, 2017, press conference on my national radio show Thursday. Here is a partial transcript provided by Politifact:

Reporter: “The neo-Nazis started this. They showed up in Charlottesville to protest —”

Trump: “Excuse me, excuse me. They didn’t put themselves — and you had some very bad people in that group, but 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 of, to them, a very, very important statue and the renaming of a park from Robert E. Lee to another name.”

Reporter: “George Washington and Robert E. Lee are not the same.”

Trump: “George Washington was a slave owner. Was George Washington a slave owner? So will George Washington now lose his status? Are we going to take down — excuse me, are we going to take down statues to George Washington? How about Thomas Jefferson? What do you think of Thomas Jefferson? You like him?”

Reporter: “I do love Thomas Jefferson.”

Trump: “Okay, good. Are we going to take down the statue? Because he was a major slave owner. Now, are we going to take down his statue?

"So you know what, it’s fine. You’re changing history. You’re changing culture. And you had people — and I’m not talking about the neo-Nazis and the white nationalists — because they should be condemned totally. But you had many people in that group other than neo-Nazis and white nationalists. Okay? And the press has treated them absolutely unfairly.

"Now, in the other group also, you had some fine people. But you also had troublemakers, and you see them come with the black outfits and with the helmets, and with the baseball bats. You had a lot of bad people in the other group.”

Reporter: “Sir, I just didn’t understand what you were saying. You were saying the press has treated white nationalists unfairly? I just don’t understand what you were saying.”

Trump: “No, no. There were people in that rally — and I looked the night before — if you look, there were people protesting very quietly the taking down of the statue of Robert E. Lee. I’m sure in that group there were some bad ones. The following day it looked like they had some rough, bad people — neo-Nazis, white nationalists, whatever you want to call them.

"But you had a lot of people in that group that were there to innocently protest, and very legally protest — because, I don’t know if you know, they had a permit. The other group didn’t have a permit. So I only tell you this: There are two sides to a story. I thought what took place was a horrible moment for our country — a horrible moment. But there are two sides to the country.”