‘The Most Despicable Answer in Presidential Debate History’: Trump Comments About White Supremacists and Proud Boys Spark Confusion, Outrage on Twitter
President Donald Trump told far-right neo-fascist group the Proud Boys to “stand back and stand by” when former Vice President Joe Biden and moderator Chris Wallace challenged him to denounce white supremacists — sparking both outrage and confusion on Twitter.
“But are you willing tonight to condemn white supremacists and militia groups?” Wallce asked the president.
“Proud boys, stand back and stand by,” Trump said. “But I’ll tell you what, somebody’s got to do something about Antifa and the left because this is not a right-wing this is not a right-wing problem
Many Twitter users pointed out that Trump failed to actually condemn anyone, while some were confused and concerned by what he meant when he asked them to “stand by.”
The president was asked point blank to disavow white supremacists.
Here’s what he said:
“Proud Boys, stand back and stand by, but I’ll tell you what, somebody’s gotta do something about Antifa and the left because this is not a right-wing problem, this is a left-wing problem.”
— Ben Collins (@oneunderscore__) September 30, 2020
Trump didn’t denounce White supremacists. He told them to “stand back and stand by.” This wasn’t an accident.
— Marc Lamont Hill (@marclamonthill) September 30, 2020
Did the President of the United States just instruct a white supremacist group to “stand by”?
— Pete Buttigieg (@PeteButtigieg) September 30, 2020
Did he just tell white supremacists to “stand by?”
— Kumail Nanjiani (@kumailn) September 30, 2020
Telling Proud Boys to “stand by” is telling them to…await further instruction.
— Chris Hayes (@chrislhayes) September 30, 2020
This man literally told white supremacists to “stand by.”
— Clint Smith (@ClintSmithIII) September 30, 2020
A moment to behold.
The president when asked to denounce white supremacists said, “Proud Boys, stand back and stand by.” https://t.co/8zO22YwWzS
— Yamiche Alcindor (@Yamiche) September 30, 2020
Donald Trump told the Proud Boys to “stand by.”
— Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) September 30, 2020
“Proud Boys – stand back and stand by.”
-Donald J. Trump
— Rex Chapman?? (@RexChapman) September 30, 2020
Donald J. Trump did not condemn white supremacy.
Instead, he told them to “stand back and stand by.”
— brittany packnett cunningham does not do remixes. (@MsPackyetti) September 30, 2020
Trump didn’t condemn white suprematists when given the chance, simply saying the Proud Boys should “stand back and stand by.”
— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) September 30, 2020
Moment to remember.
Q to Trump: Would you condemn white supremacists?
Trump doesn’t answer the question & brings up ANTIFA.
Wallace: Will you condemn white supremacists?
Trump: “Proud Boys, stand back & stand by.”
That is not a condemnation by any stretch of the imagination.
— Yamiche Alcindor (@Yamiche) September 30, 2020
President Trump was just offered up, on a silver platter, the chance to emphatically denounce white supremacists in front of tens of millions of voters.
All he could manage to muster: “Stand back and stand by.”
— Tim Alberta (@TimAlberta) September 30, 2020
“Stand by” was so chilling.
— Emily Nussbaum (@emilynussbaum) September 30, 2020
everyone, @realDonaldTrump just refused to condemn white supremacists on live television. he literally refused to say it. all he could say is for the proud boys to “stand back, and STAND BY.” absolutely disgusting. donald trump is racism and hate incarnate. #PresidentialDebate
— Dylan Minnette (@dylanminnette) September 30, 2020
trump cannot condemn and ask the white nationalist paramilitaries and proud boys to stand down. he literally justified their existence by talking about how violent antifa is
— hasanabi (@hasanthehun) September 30, 2020
The President of the United States refused to condemn white supremacists and then told them to “stand back and stand by.” Please don’t forget that. Let it sink in. Feel that pain.
— Luke Russert (@LukeRussert) September 30, 2020
“Proud Boys stand back and stand by” is not a condemnation, it’s an order.
— Jonathan Myerson Katz (@KatzOnEarth) September 30, 2020
The president did not condemn white supremacists. He simply told them “to stand back and stand by.”
— Eddie S. Glaude Jr. (@esglaude) September 30, 2020
Donald Trump still couldn’t deny white supremacy. By the way Trump told the Proud Boys to STAND BY.
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) September 30, 2020
The fact that Trump said Proud Boys should “stand by” is one of the most disgusting, dangerous things that could have possibly been said. What a vile, racist bitch. Vote this motherfucker out.
— billy eichner (@billyeichner) September 30, 2020
Trump just said to all white supremacists to “stand back and stand by”
— Julia Louis-Dreyfus (@OfficialJLD) September 30, 2020
“Stand back and stand by” means get your guns and get ready.
— king crissle (@crissles) September 30, 2020
“Stand by” he said. “Stand back and stand by”. Offered no condemnation.
— Hozier (@Hozier) September 30, 2020
Hey did he condemn white supremacists? Because I thought I heard “stand back and stand by.”
— Brian Schatz (@brianschatz) September 30, 2020
Did I just hear President Trump call on the Proud Boys, the right-wing extremists, to “stand by”?!
Stand by for an assault on election workers? Stand by for what?— Nicholas Kristof (@NickKristof) September 30, 2020
“Pr*ud B*ys, stand back and stand by” is among the most horrifying things that could have been said tonight or any night on television
— Anthony Smith (@AnthonyBLSmith) September 30, 2020
“Proud boys, stand back and stand by but somebody’s got to do something about Antifa” was the president’s answer when asked to condemn white supremacists.
I think this is the most despicable answer in presidential debate history. Anti-anti-Trump is now anti-anti-Proud Boy.
— Tim Miller (@Timodc) September 30, 2020
Drink everytime Trump is asked to tell white supremacists to stand down, but instead tells them to standby
— Sarah Cooper (@sarahcpr) September 30, 2020
Stand back and stand by??????????? No further questions your honor! #vote
— Stephen Curry (@StephenCurry30) September 30, 2020
“Stand back and stand by.” The line of the night. What Donald J. Trump said to the greatest domestic terrorist threat of our time: White supremacists. “Stand back and stand by.” #Debates2020
— Ibram X. Kendi (@DrIbram) September 30, 2020
Refusing to denounce white supremacy, @realDonaldTrump says: “Proud Boys, stand back and stand by.” pic.twitter.com/mYHJIyVN4B
— Alli Hedges Maser (@AllisonLHedges) September 30, 2020
Trump’s response to a question asking him to condemn white supremacist groups was to ask the Proud Boys to “stand by” https://t.co/r6MTkuhJFn
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) September 30, 2020
I’m still on…telling white nationalists to
Stand by?
For what?
— Zerlina Maxwell (@ZerlinaMaxwell) September 30, 2020
An important reminder that while racism is being debated, Donald Trump, a white supremacist, just told them to stand by. This again shows he is dangerous.
— Rashida Tlaib (@RashidaTlaib) September 30, 2020
Pretty sure the president said “stand back and stand by” when asked to denounce white supremacists/the Proud Boys. That is…not a denunciation.
— Hallie Jackson (@HallieJackson) September 30, 2020
Please tell me we will remember the fact that he told white supremacists to “stand by”
— Sulome (@SulomeAnderson) September 30, 2020
He told the White Supremacy to stand by like he was coming to save them
— Jay Ellis (@JayREllis) September 30, 2020
THE MOST IMPORTANT POINT OF THE NIGHT https://t.co/sFtJmOjQOC
— Mehdi Hasan (@mehdirhasan) September 30, 2020
“Proud Boys, stand back and stand by”? He really said that shit?!?! That’s a damn threat. From someone not agreeing to vacate the office when he loses. This is why even debating this guy is a sham operation. He has fascist aspirations and you don’t “debate” with that.
— Dave Zirin (@EdgeofSports) September 30, 2020
Asked to condemn white supremacy, President Trump responded: “Proud Boys — stand back and stand by.”
— Michelle Ye Hee Lee (@myhlee) September 30, 2020
Stand back and stand by????????? Woah Trunp cannot hide his hatred. He just can’t do it.
— Mika Brzezinski (@morningmika) September 30, 2020
The only thing people will remember tonight a year from now is when Trump, refusing to call White Supremecists out, instead told an armed militia to “stand by.” Just wow.
— Josh Gad (@joshgad) September 30, 2020
Asked to condemn white supremacists, all Trump can muster is:
“All right boys, stand back and stand by…”
— Judd Legum (@JuddLegum) September 30, 2020
“proud boys, stand back and stand by” is definitely what you say when you want to condemn white supremacists https://t.co/5kzNu2wDPP
— b-boy bouiebaisse (@jbouie) September 30, 2020
Stand back and stand by?
— nick kroll (@nickkroll) September 30, 2020
In general a shitshow but the news of the night is this comment from Trump: “The Proud Boys should stand down and stand by.” He refused to condemn armed racists & told them to “stand by” #Debates2020
— Jeet Heer (@HeerJeet) September 30, 2020
Trump was asked point-blank to condemn white supremacists and right-wing gangs on national television and told them to “stand by.”
— Matt Pearce ? (@mattdpearce) September 30, 2020
stand by?!!?????? pic.twitter.com/PAxybGvnRj
— ziwe (@ziwe) September 30, 2020
“Do it, say it.”
Biden just asked the president of the United States to condemn white supremacists and he did not.
— Mike Birbiglia (@birbigs) September 30, 2020
