Trump says he doesn’t know who Proud Boys are, calls on group to ‘stand down’

President Trump on Wednesday said he doesn’t know who the Proud Boys are and called on them to “stand down” after he said during the first presidential debate that the racist group should “stand by” during political unrest.

“I don’t know who the Proud Boys are,” Trump told reporters on the White House lawn as he departed for a campaign trip to Minnesota, after his Tuesday night remark earned widespread condemnation.

“I really don’t know what they are. I can only say they have to stand down, let law enforcement do their work,” Trump said.

“But again, I don’t know who ‘Proud Boys’ are but whoever they are, they have to stand down, let law enforcement do their work.”

The Proud Boys group was founded in 2016 by Vice magazine co-founder Gavin McInnes and is known for physically confronting leftist protesters, including last year during a July 4 flag-burning outside the White House.