CLEVELAND — Indiana's senators are responding to President Donald Trump's remarks at the debate Tuesday night when he told the far-right extremist group Proud Boys to “stand back and stand by.”
On Wednesday, Senators Mike Braun and Todd Young both replied to the remark.
"I think there, you do need to be clear that you do condemn that any extremism on either side of the spectrum...our country is not about that. I think the high decibel level might have confused some of his statement, but regardless there should be no uncertainty there. I think it's important for him...it's important to Joe Biden to do it the same way — that you denounce it wherever it comes from," said Sen. Braun.
"I condemn white supremacy, all extremist groups. I think that all of these groups are hateful and I condemn them in the strongest terms," Sen. Young said. Sen. Young would not respond to the president's remarks specifically.
Facing widespread criticism for his failure to condemn the group, President Trump on Wednesday said, “I don’t know who the Proud Boys are.” He added, “Whoever they are, they have to stand down. Let law enforcement do their work.”
What was said in the debate:
“I'm willing to do anything. I want to see peace," Trump said. “What do you want to call them? Give me a name."
“Proud Boys,” Democrat Joe Biden chimed in, referencing the far-right extremist group that has shown up at protests in the Pacific Northwest. The male-only group of neo-fascists describes themselves as “western chauvinists,” and they have been known to incite street violence.
“Proud Boys, stand back and stand by,” Trump said. “But I’ll tell you what, I’ll tell you what, somebody’s got to do something about Antifa and the left because this is not a right-wing problem.”
