Far-right groups are continuing to celebrate President Trump’s debate performance after he refused to disavow white supremacists and urged one violent hate group, the Proud Boys, to stand by.
President Donald Trump: “What do you want to call them? Give me a name. Give me a name.”
Chris Wallace: “White supremacists and right-wing” —
Joe Biden: “White supremacists.”
President Donald Trump: “Go ahead. Who would you like me to condemn?”
Joe Biden: “Proud Boys.”
Chris Wallace: “White supremacists and right-wing militia.”
Joe Biden: “The Proud Boys.”
President Donald Trump: “Proud Boys, stand back and stand by.”
The Proud Boys are now selling T-shirts with the president’s words: “stand back and stand by.” Andrew Anglin, the founder of the neo-Nazi website The Daily Stormer, wrote on Wednesday, “I got shivers. I still have shivers. He is telling the people to stand by. As in: Get ready for war.” On Wednesday, President Trump attempted to shift his message.
President Donald Trump: “I don’t know who the Proud Boys are. I mean, you’ll have to give me a definition, because I really don’t know who they are. I can only say they have to stand down, let law enforcement do their work.”
A moment later, Trump repeated his claim that it is anti-fascists who are the “real problem.”