President Donald Trump’s failure to categorically and clearly condemn white supremacists at Tuesday night’s debate is part of a well-established pattern in which the president has shown reluctance to disavow radical and racist groups and ideologies.
Asked by Fox News’ Chris Wallace, the moderator at Tuesday’s debate, whether he was “willing to condemn white supremacists and militia groups and to say that they need to stand down and not add to the violence,” the president at first said, “Sure, I’m willing to do that.”
“Then do it, sir,” Wallace went on to say, prodding the president for a direct and specific denouncement of the groups blamed, in part, for recent violence in cities like Portland. Biden interjected, “Do it. Say it.”
But Trump didn’t, instead countering, “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.”