‘Proud Boys stand by’: Donald Trump’s debate remark puts white supremacy in focus
- US president’s refusal to condemn right-wing extremists unsettles allies, who fear it will undercut Republicans seeking re-election
- Rival Joe Biden blasts ‘dog whistle to white supremacy’ while Trump claims not to know who Proud Boys are
Donald Trump’s volcanic debate performance put the president’s sympathy for white supremacists in the campaign spotlight on Wednesday, heightening a sense of menacing chaos in the campaign that threatens to undercut other Republicans up for re-election in a year that was already a challenge for the party.
The remarks unsettled Trump’s allies and gave his rival, Joe Biden, a springboard to return to the themes that propelled the former vice-president’s bid – a restoration of the nation’s character that had been degraded by political coarseness and racial animus.
“Last night I think was a wake-up call for all Americans,” Biden said during a campaign event in Alliance, Ohio – one of seven stops in a train tour on Wednesday through two key states.
He blasted Trump for his “dog whistle to white supremacy”, particularly Trump’s call for the Proud Boys to “stand back and stand by”.
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Interruptions and insults dominate first Trump-Biden US presidential debate
Biden issued his own message to the extremist group: “Cease and desist.”
Trump expressed no morning-after regrets, tweeting Wednesday morning that the debate was “fun” even though it was “two on one,” claiming that moderator Chris Wallace teamed up with Biden against him.