Donald Trump’s August 31 immigration speech was an angry, hateful rant that sought to fearmonger over the purported dangers immigrants pose to the United States. Trump’s white nationalist media supporters loved it.
Trump’s disturbing courtship with and widespread support from white nationalists is unprecedented for a major party nominee in recent history. Stephen Bannon, the chief executive of the “alt-right” publication Breitbart News, recently became chief executive of Trump's campaign.
During and after Trump’s speech, white nationalists weighed in with glowing testimonials.
Jared Taylor, publisher of the white nationalist publication American Renaissance:
#TrumpAZ Hell of a speech. Almost perfect. Logical, deeply felt, and powerfully delivered. Now watch how the media twists it.
— Jared Taylor (@jartaylor) September 1, 2016
#TrumpAZ Donald Trump has tied our foolish immigration policies to every problem we have. This is a epochal, historic, unprecedented.
— Jared Taylor (@jartaylor) September 1, 2016
David Duke, radio host and former Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan:
Excellent speech by Donald Trump tonight. Deport criminal aliens, end catch and release, enforce immigration laws & America First.
— David Duke (@DrDavidDuke) September 1, 2016
Richard Spencer, white nationalist writer and founder of the “alt-right”:
Trump is returning to the ideas of the 1924 Immigration Act.
Immigrants will reflect the racial makeup of the country.#AmericaFirst— Richard B. Spencer (@RichardBSpencer) September 1, 2016
1965 will be repealed.
1924 will be revived. #TrumpAZ— Richard B. Spencer (@RichardBSpencer) September 1, 2016
(((EXTREME VETTING))) will echo—in a good way!—through the ages. #TrumpAZ
— Richard B. Spencer (@RichardBSpencer) September 1, 2016
Creative Commons image via Gage Skidmore