Fox & Friends host Brian Kilmeade urged President Trump to issue an immediate clarification to his debate comments about white supremacists groups.
“Donald Trump ruined the biggest layup in the history of debates by saying not condemning white supremacists. I don’t know if he didn’t hear it, but he’s gotta clarify that right away,” Kilmeade said on Wednesday morning, a day after the first presidential debate between the president and former Vice President Joe Biden.
“That’s like, are you against evil? Why the president didn’t just knock that out of the park, I’m not sure,” he added.
Kilmeade’s advice to the president came after Trump told the Proud Boys, a right-wing group, to “stand back and stand by.” The president also said, “Sure, I’d be willing to do that,” when moderator Chris Wallace asked him if he’d be willing to condemn white supremacists and militias, but insisted that antifa and left-wing groups are a more pressing problem.
The president’s remarks about the Proud Boys appear to have been embraced by the group, which has been tied to violent protests and hateful ideologies. They debuted a new logo, “Stand Back, Stand By,” and began selling shirts that read, “Proud Boys Standing By.”
The Trump campaign has attempted to downplay the president’s remarks at the debate, with spokesman Hogan Gidley saying Trump has condemned white supremacists in the past.
