WH Speechwriter Axed for White Nationalism Tie

A White House speechwriter has been fired after it was revealed he had addressed a conference attended by white nationalists.

Darren Beattie "no longer works at the White House," White House spokeswoman Lindsay Walters said.

Last week, CNN’s KFile reported that Beattie had spoken at the 2016 H.L. Mencken Club Conference, an annual powwow featuring white nationalists such as Richard Spencer.

Beattie, a former visiting instructor at Duke University, said in a statement to CNN:

"In 2016, I attended the Mencken conference in question and delivered a stand-alone, academic talk titled 'The Intelligentsia and the Right. I said nothing objectionable and stand by my remarks completely."

He added: "I love President Trump, who is a fearless American hero, and continue to support him one hundred percent. I have no further comment."

The H.L. Mencken Club describes itself as "a society for the independent Right."

• Corey Stewart: People Sick and Tired of Talking About Race All the Time
• GOP Senate Candidate: Civil War Not About Slavery