Fox News’ John Roberts Rips Trump Defenders: ‘Stop Deflecting’ On White Supremacy Remarks
Fox News reporter John Roberts on Thursday tore into Twitter users berating him for asking White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany during a press briefing whether President Donald Trump denounces white supremacy.
“For all of you on Twitter who are hammering me for ... asking that question: I don’t care,” Roberts told Fox News’ Melissa Francis on-air after the briefing. “Because it’s a question that needs to be asked. And clearly, the president’s Republican colleagues ... are looking for an answer, too.”
“So stop deflecting,” he added, visibly frustrated. “Stop blaming the media. I’m tired of it.”
Some pretty striking comments from John Roberts on Fox pic.twitter.com/zqftfKoluF
— Dave Brown (@dave_brown24) October 1, 2020
Trump has faced bipartisan backlash for refusing to forcefully condemn white supremacy during the first 2020 presidential debate Tuesday.
Debate moderator Chris Wallace of Fox News asked Trump if he was willing to denounce “white supremacists and militia groups” and tell them to “stand down” in places like Kenosha, Wisconsin, and Portland, Oregon — cities where heavily armed far-right extremists have shown up to anti-racism demonstrations as counterprotesters.
“Sure, I’m willing to do that,” Trump responded, “but I would say almost everything I see is from the left wing, not from the right wing.”
Moments later, Trump instructed Proud Boys, a violent neo-fascist street gang, to “stand back and stand by” before pivoting back to the dangers posed by “antifa and the left.” Proud Boys leadership reportedly viewed the statement as both an endorsement and a call to violence.
On Wednesday, Trump attempted to walk back his comments by claiming he isn’t familiar with the Proud Boys.
“I don’t know who Proud Boys are,” Trump told reporters. “But whoever they are, they have to stand down and let law enforcement do their work.”
Roberts on Thursday called Trump’s claim of...
