Mainstream media platforms have been focused on whether or not President Trump condemns white supremacy after the first presidential debate when moderator Chris Wallace asked him about it. This has been an already answered question for months now, but it hasn’t stopped fake news from crafting false narratives.
Fox News chief White House correspondent John Roberts asked press secretary Kayleigh McEnany at the briefing if she could clear the issue. She noted that President Trump has condemned white supremacy multiple times over the years, including on Wednesday and during Tuesday’s debate.
“Kayleigh, if I could start off, I’d like to ask you for a definitive and declarative statement, without ambiguity or deflection. As the person who speaks for the president, does the president denounce white supremacism, and groups that espouse it in all their forms?” Roberts asked.
McEnany then pointed out that the President said “sure” three times on the debate stage, and just a day later said that he has always denounced any form of that. She also cited other quotes from the President denouncing white supremacist groups, racism, and advocating for the death penalty for a white supremacist. She said the President’s record is unmistakable and it is shameful that the media refuses to cover it.
Roberts then asked her again to make a “declarative statement” that the President denounces white supremacy. “I just did,” she said several times while offering to email him a more extensive list of the quotes. Roberts continued to gaslight on the issue and insist that he is just trying to put the issue “to rest.”
Shortly after the briefing, McEnany took to Twitter and linked Roberts a report from his own wife, ABC News reporter Kyra Phillips, of President Trump denouncing white supremacy to her.
“@johnrobertsFox I would refer you to your wife’s reporting from 21 hours ago… accurate reporting I cited in the White House Press Briefing,” McEnany tweeted.
Roberts has not responded to the tweet but did receive a ton of backlash for asking the question at all. He then went on air, visibly angry, and reported a false narrative that the Press Secretary defended President Trump’s comments on far-right extremist groups at the debate.
The answer has been simple all along but it doesn’t fit the political narrative being pushed by the left. They need to keep dividing, otherwise their party loses.