Daily US Times: In the first presidential debate, President Trump refused to call out white supremacists for inciting violence at anti-police brutality demonstrations across the country, saying the violence wasn’t an issue cause by the right.
On Tuesday night, when debate moderator Chris Wallace asked Trump if he was ready to condemn white supremacists and say they need to stand down during ongoing demonstrations across the country, the Republican President told one group to “stand back and stand by.”
Mr Trump also asserted that violence at the protests was not an issue caused by conservatives.
He said: “Sure, I’m willing to (tell them to stand down), but I would say almost everything I see is from the left wing, not from the right wing. I’m willing to do anything. I want to see peace.”
Biden responded: “Say it. Do it. Say it,” encouraging Trump to condemn the groups.
Trump asked Wallace: “Who would you like me to condemn?”
“Proud Boys — stand back and stand by. But I’ll tell you what. I’ll tell you what. Somebody’s got to do something about Antifa and the left because this is not a right wing problem(.)”
Members of the far-right group Proud Boys have been seen in their black and yellow polo shirt uniform at multiple 2020 Trump campaign rallies.
CNN has previously reported on how white supremacists have posed as Antifa online, calling for violence. Before it emerged the account was run by white supremacists, Donald Trump Jr., Mr Trump’s eldest son, pointed his 2.8 million Instagram followers to the account as an example how dangerous Antifa is.
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