As President Donald Trump took the oath of office and delivered his inaugural address, prominent white nationalist media figures cheered online.  

White nationalists’ inaugural praise is the natural culmination of Trump’s presidential campaign, which engaged in a disturbing relationship with leading figures in the racist movement. Beginning with Trump’s announcement that he would run for president, white nationalist and neo-Nazi media figures and outlets have identified with his rhetoric and openly celebrated his policy ideas and attacks on marginalized groups.

At every step of the way, members of the white nationalist hate movement -- white supremacists, virulent anti-Semites, and figures of the misogynist “alt-right” -- have been vocally supporting Trump. When Trump spoke at the Republican National Convention, former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke said he “couldn’t have said it better.” When Trump appointed former Breitbart.com executive Stephen Bannon to a senior White House position, white nationalist radio host James Edwards exclaimed that, “With Trump, every day is Christmas.” When Trump picked Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL) to serve as his attorney general, the neo-Nazi website The Daily Stormer enthusiastically endorsed the “aggressive anti-Black racist.”

Trump and his campaign have returned the favor by frequently dog-whistling to white nationalist groups, and rubbing elbows online and at events. Trump and his advisers have repeatedly shared tweets from white supremacist users and accepted donations from white nationalist leaders. Prominent white nationalist groups have even celebrated what they view as Trump’s role in reinvigorating support for their racist cause.

Today as Trump “presented a dark vision of a nation afflicted by division and dislocation, exploited and forgotten by a group of Washington elites and diminished around the world,” they celebrated again.

David Duke: “Hail Prez Trump!”; “We Did It!” White supremacist radio host and former grand wizard of the Ku Klux Klan David Duke tweeted, “Hail Prez Trump!” and proclaimed, “We did it!”:

We did it! Congratulation Donald J. Trump President of the United States of America!

— David Duke (@DrDavidDuke) January 20, 2017

Hail Prez Trump! America First! Save USA borders not foreign. Make nations (((Israel)))? pay own defense! NO to (((Neocon))) warmongers!

— David Duke (@DrDavidDuke) January 20, 2017

Neo-Nazi Site Daily Stormer: “It’s Victory Day.” The neo-Nazi website The Daily Stormer, which frequently defends Adolf Hitler, attacks “kikes,” and has a section documenting the purported “Jewish Problem,” documented Trump’s inauguration in a post titled “It’s Victory Day.” The site’s founder and editor, Andrew Anglin, announced, “So, today is the day that all of our work comes to fruition. … It is still almost unbelievable that we pulled this off.”

Hate Group Leader Richard Spencer: Trump’s Speech “Was Great” And “Really Special.” Richard Spencer, leader of the white nationalist hate group National Policy Institute, praised Trump’s inaugural remarks in a brief video posted to his Twitter account. Spencer concluded that the speech “was great” and “really special.”

White Nationalist Video Blogger Paul Ray Ramsey: Trump Was “Kicking Ass.” Video blogger Paul Ray Ramsey (aka Ramzpaul), a white nationalist who the Southern Poverty Law Center says “has emerged as the hottest right-wing video blogger this side of former Klansman David Duke,” tweeted that Trump was “kicking ass” in his ”wonderful" inauguration speech.

President Trump is not exactly acting shy. He is kicking ass. #InaugurationDay

— RAMZPAUL (@ramzpaul) January 20, 2017

President Trump basically called all those politicians rats. It was wonderful! #inaugurationday

— RAMZPAUL (@ramzpaul) January 20, 2017

Anti-Semitic Writer Hunter Wallace: Trump’s Inauguration Was “Awesome” And “Great.” Hunter Wallace, whose real name is reportedly Brad Griffin, is an anti-Semitic writer who is also a board member for the white supremacist hate group Council of Conservative Citizens. Wallace wrote on Twitter that he thought the inauguration was “awesome” and that Trump was “doing great.”

That was awesome. Worth the drive. #TrumpInauguration

— Hunter Wallace (@occdissent) January 20, 2017

Wow, he's doing great #TrumpInauguration

— Hunter Wallace (@occdissent) January 20, 2017