A major talking point of President Joe Biden’s campaign has come under fire as Snopes.com debunked the claim that former President Donald Trump called neo-Nazis “very fine people” during the 2017 Charlottesville incident. This development arrives just days before Biden and Trump are scheduled to debate in the lead-up to the 2024 election.
The controversial statement has been a cornerstone of Biden’s narrative against Trump, dating back to his campaign launch in April 2019. Biden repeatedly stated that Trump’s alleged praise for neo-Nazis was a primary reason for his decision to run for office.
However, Trump’s actual remarks included a clear condemnation of neo-Nazis and white supremacists, with the phrase “very fine people” referring specifically to non-violent protesters on both sides of the Confederate statue debate.
Snopes.com, in a June 20, 2024, post, rated the claim that Trump referred to neo-Nazis as “very fine people” as “false.” Their investigation confirmed that while Trump did mention “very fine people on both sides,” he also distinctly condemned neo-Nazis and white nationalists.
“Trump did say that there were ‘very fine people on both sides,’ but he also specifically noted that he was not talking about neo-Nazis and white supremacists and said they should be ‘condemned totally,’” Snopes stated.
This revelation challenges a significant narrative used by Biden throughout his presidency. During the 2020 vice-presidential debate and Trump’s second impeachment trial, the “very fine people” hoax was debunked, yet it continued to be utilized by Biden and his supporters.
In response to Snopes’ findings, some of Biden’s critics argue that the persistence of this false narrative reflects a broader issue of misinformation. Steve Cortes, a conservative commentator, and Scott Adams, a cartoonist turned political pundit, were among the early voices debunking the hoax. Breitbart News also confronted Biden directly about the misquote in August 2019, but Biden maintained his stance.
The newly confirmed debunking by Snopes puts pressure on the Biden campaign just as the President is facing increasing scrutiny over his administration’s handling of various issues, including inflation and border security. It also raises questions about the role of media and political rhetoric in shaping public perception.
Biden’s team has yet to issue a formal response to the Snopes report. However, the timing of this fact-check could influence the upcoming debate dynamics, as Trump is likely to leverage the correction to counter Biden’s criticisms.
As the 2024 election season intensifies, this development underscores the critical need for accurate representation of facts in political discourse. Voters will be watching closely to see how both campaigns address this issue and how it might impact their strategies moving forward.
