Trump tells Proud Boys to stand back and stand by at presidential debate

At the first 2020 presidential debate at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, moderator Chris Wallace asks President Trump to "condemn white supremacists and militia groups and to say that they need to stand down." Rather than condemning them, Trump says: "Proud Boys — stand back and stand by. But I'll tell you what, somebody's got to do something about Antifa and the left, because this is not a right-wing problem. This is a left-wing problem." Democratic nominee Joe Biden had called out the Proud Boys by name. Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio responds within minutes on Parler: "Standing by, sir" — and the Proud Boys quickly adopt "stand back and stand by" as a rallying slogan, printing it on T-shirts and merchandise within 24 hours. The Southern Poverty Law Center designates the Proud Boys as a hate group. Federal prosecutors later introduce Trump's "stand back and stand by" comment as evidence at the seditious conspiracy trial of Proud Boys leaders, with Judge Timothy Kelly ruling it admissible. Four Proud Boys leaders — including Enrique Tarrio — are convicted of seditious conspiracy in May 2023 for their role in the January 6 Capitol attack.