To the editor:

After President Trump’s speech Tuesday equating racism, white supremacy, Nazism and the Ku Klux Klan with counter-protesters, members of his administration were shocked. Shocked! The reaction strains credibility.

It is the general belief that patriots, like the White House chief of staff Gen. John Kelly, are so competent that they would be a check on “the Donald’s” erratic tendencies. Not going to happen. Surely by now Gen. Kelly realizes this. Watching him hang his head in shame while standing near the president as he emboldened and provided cover for Nazis, white supremacists and KKK members was painful for this writer. It is time for Republicans to call President Trump out by name like Sens. Jerry Moran, Lindsey Graham, Marco Rubio and John McCain did.

Business leaders have left Trump’s business council, and military leaders have criticized Trump’s executive order banning transgender people from the military. So much for Trump’s proclamation about his business prowess and his military credentials. It is to be noted that the president served no time in the military.

The momentum is building against the president. This writer urges it to continue. It’ll take more than just a general remark against racism. It’ll take naming Trump himself and having the courage to do so. I guarantee that it will be a litmus test in the 2018 elections.