With the ongoing confusion over Donald Trump and any ties to the Ku Klux Klan, here’s a timeline of incidents relating Trump to the KKK.
May 31, 1927
Fred Trump, Donald’s father, is arrested at a Memorial Day parade in New York City during a brawl between police and KKK members. Trump was released without being charged. A newspaper account accused the “Roman Catholic police force” of causing the violence against “native born Protestant Americans.”
February 14, 2000
Trump declines to seek the presidential nomination of the Reform Party, specifically citing their ties with David Duke. “The Reform Party now includes a Klansman, Mr. Duke, a neo-Nazi, Mr. Buchanan, and a communist, Ms. Fulani,” Trump said. “This is not company I wish to keep.”
June 16, 2015
Trump launches his presidential campaign. His launch speech is immediately denounced by many for his comments about Mexicans. “They’re bringing drugs, they’re bringing crime, they’re rapists, and some, I assume, are good people,” Trump said, sparking accusations he’s racist.
Aug. 31
The New Yorker publishes a long-form piece on white supremacist groups backing Trump. The editor of American Renaissance, a white-nationalist magazine, tells them, “I’m sure [Trump] would repudiate any association with people like me, but his support comes from people who are more like me than he might like to admit.”
Nov. 7
Trump’s racist accusations hit the comedy world. During his monologue while hosting “Saturday Night Live,” comedian Larry David interrupts Trump to yell, “You’re a racist!” The joke was a reference to an offer from Deport Racism, an advocacy group who said it would give $5,000 to any audience member who shouted “Trump’s a racist” during the broadcast.
Feb. 25, 2016
David Duke, a white nationalist and formerly a high-ranking official in the KKK, all but formally endorses Trump. “Voting for these people, voting against Donald Trump at this point, is really treason to your heritage,” Duke said on his radio program. “I’m not saying I endorse everything about Trump. In fact, I haven’t formally endorsed him. But I do support his candidacy, and I support voting for him as a strategic action. I hope he does everything we hope he will do.” He tells his listeners to volunteer for Trump.
February 26
Gov. Chris Christie, R-N.J, endorses Trump in a joint press conference. After a question about possibly releasing his tax returns, a reporter informs Trump of the David Duke endorsement. “I didn’t even know he endorsed me,” Trump said. “David Duke endorsed me? Okay. I disavow, okay?”
February 28
CNN’s Jake Tapper brings up the David Duke endorsement on CNN’s “State of the Union.” Despite having disavowed Duke on Friday, Trump doesn’t reiterate the disavowal. Instead, he claims he’s never heard of David Duke. “I don’t know anything about David Duke. I don’t know anything about what you’re even talking about with white supremacy or white supremacists.”
Tapper then asked a follow-up question about whether he would condemn endorsements from white supremacist groups like the KKK. “I have to look at the group,” Trump says. “I don’t know what group you’re talking about … If you would send me a list of the groups I would do research on them and I would disavow.”
February 29
Trump claims a “lousy earpiece” was responsible for a mix up during the CNN interview. “What I heard was ‘various groups.'” Despite the claim, Trump repeated David Duke’s name back to his interviewer three times during the CNN interview, a clear sign that his earpiece was just fine. Trump does again disavow the Duke endorsement, but maintains that he won’t disavow other groups without knowing what they are.
Jason Russell is a commentary writer for the Washington Examiner.
