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October 16, 2020

President Trump Refuses to Disavow Far-Right Anti-Semitic QAnon Conspiracy Theory
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As Joe Biden spoke, President Trump appeared at a rival town hall event
in Miami, Florida, hosted by NBC. The network's decision to give Trump a
simultaneous platform drew protests from NBC News anchors and
journalists. Columbia Journalism Review editor Kyle Pope called it a
"craven ratings stunt."

During the one-hour broadcast, Trump falsely claimed that 85% of people
wearing masks catch the coronavirus, said he was unaware of whether he
took a coronavirus test ahead of his debate with Joe Biden in late
September, and did not deny that he's more than $400 million in debt -
just wouldn't say to whom. Pressed by NBC anchor Savannah Guthrie, Trump
refused to disavow the far-right, anti-Semitic QAnon conspiracy theory.

Savannah Guthrie: "Let me ask you about QAnon. It is this theory that
Democrats are a satanic pedophile ring and that you are the savior of
that. Now, can you just, once and for all, state that that is completely
not true" -

President Donald Trump: "So, I know you - yeah."

Savannah Guthrie: - "and disavow QAnon in its entirety?"

President Donald Trump: "I know nothing about QAnon."

Savannah Guthrie: "I just told you."

President Donald Trump: "I know very little - you told me, but what you
tell me doesn't necessarily make it fact. I hate to say that. I know
nothing about it. I do know they are very much against pedophilia. They
fight it very hard. But I know nothing about it."

Trump's own FBI Director Christopher Wray has identified QAnon as a
domestic terrorism threat. 


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