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Throughout his 2020 campaign, President Donald Trump has painted all protestors as rioters, and falsely claimed that Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden has refused to condemn instances of violence among the left.
On Friday, dozens of vehicles with Trump flags attached surrounded Biden's campaign bus in an apparent attempt to run it off the road. A Biden staffer's vehicle was hit by one of the cars as well.
Watch below.
These tactics have no place in Texas, my home state, and no place in America.
Please vote. Please volunteer this weekend. The future of our democracy is at stake. pic.twitter.com/G0O4yg2vnJ
— Dr. Eric Cervini (@ericcervini) October 31, 2020
Despite the display of intimidation and eagerness to incite violence, Trump has yet to condemn the drivers' actions. In fact, he's supporting them.
Watch below.
President Trump on Biden bus incident in Texas: "You see the way our people -- they were protecting his bus yesterday because they're nice."
RELATED: Biden campaign cancels event in Texas after pro-Trump trucks surrounded its bus https://t.co/8wFMintmbapic.twitter.com/mnftXi8Tun
— The Hill (@thehill) November 1, 2020
Trump said:
"Did you see the way our people, they were protecting his bus yesterday?"
The President reiterated his endorsement of their actions multiple times on Twitter later
This story is FALSE. They did nothing wrong. But the ANTIFA Anarchists, Rioters and Looters, who have caused so much harm and destruction in Democrat run cities, are being seriously looked at! https://t.co/3pmbMllPWS
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 2, 2020
In my opinion, these patriots did nothing wrong. Instead, the FBI & Justice should be investigating the terrorists, anarchists, and agitators of ANTIFA, who run around burning down our Democrat run cities and hurting our people! https://t.co/of6Lna3HMU
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 2, 2020
I LOVE TEXAS! pic.twitter.com/EP7P3AvE8L
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 1, 2020
He decried the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) for investigating the incident, claiming they should instead be looking into anti-fascist—or antifa—protesters.
The pattern is nothing new for Trump. When intelligence officials uncovered a far-right plot to kidnap the Democratic governor of Michigan, Trump took up for them as well, saying:
"I mean, we'll have to see if it's a problem. Right? People are entitled to say maybe it was a problem, maybe it wasn't."
People excoriated Trump for his mercy toward those who commit violence on his behalf.
The FBI is investigating the harassment of a Biden-Harris campaign bus by Trump supporters, a law enforcement source tells me.
Trump claimed today his supporters were merely “protecting" the bus — an absurd claim that simply does not square with the eyewitness video evidence. pic.twitter.com/tTLlCMk0Fa
— Josh Campbell (@joshscampbell) November 1, 2020
Videos posted on Twitter show a Joe Biden campaign bus traveling on a highway, surrounded by trucks and other vehicles flying Trump flags. Trump said they were protecting the bus. https://t.co/ulvma3E1eQ
— PolitiFact (@PolitiFact) November 2, 2020
Nope. Lies. https://t.co/aGaMQTqrwS
— Andrew Feinberg (@AndrewFeinberg) November 2, 2020
Do not believe your own eyes. Do not believe anyone but me. Everyone else is lying but me. Your own eyes are lying.
Such a cult. https://t.co/FoYaC6yfzk
— steven pasquale (@StevePasquale) November 2, 2020
Trump's closing argument is to double-down on explicitly backing vigilante thugs who used dangerous intimidation of a political rival - with potentially deadly consequences. They are being investigated by the FBI. This doesn't happen in functioning democracies. Vote him out. https://t.co/utYMUEXYVQ
— Brian Klaas (@brianklaas) November 2, 2020
Trump's claim that the story was "FALSE" faced immediate pushback.
The FBI is investigating, as the story says, and they put out a statement confirming that they're investigating which you retweeted onto your own timeline. That makes the story true. Also terrorizing campaign staffers/volunteers and trying to run them off the interstate is wrong. https://t.co/zN3SsRuNpC
— southpaw (@nycsouthpaw) November 2, 2020
.@joshscampbell's story is not false (or FALSE). The FBI literally confirmed that they are investigating the incident. https://t.co/x1Wzm0U6PP
— Scott Bixby (@scottbix) November 2, 2020
Fact check this one, @Twitter.
The story is true. The “parade" was reckless driving, the bus was rammed several times according to the driver who rammed it. That's illegal under any circumstance.
And the violence he's touting keeps being exposed as right wing provocateurs. https://t.co/VVUzYPtkiZ
— David J. Loehr (@dloehr) November 2, 2020
The election to decide whether or not Trump will be a one-term President is on November 3rd.