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At the first 2020 presidential debate, Donald Trump was explicitly asked to denounce the white supremacists and rightwing militia groups that passionately support him. While an average person would expect this to be a straightforward answer, Trump, once again, failed to answer unambiguously. Instead he said: Proud Boys stand back and stand by. But Ill tell you what. Ill tell you what. Somebodys got to do something about antifa and the left because this is not a rightwing problem. Rather than harnessing an opportunity to ratchet down the rhetoric and talking points of white power groups, Trumps not-very-coded language has actually energized Proud Boys and similar alt-right groups.

The Proud Boys, for those unfamiliar, are a self-described western chauvinist mens club established in 2016 by Gavin McInnes. The group sometimes paints itself as a wacky fraternal organization; in practice, it is much closer to a street gang, and McInnes has publicly described the group as a gang. Their gatherings tend to involve large amounts of drinking and violence. Members partake in unusual rituals to gain status within the group. They have a uniform (Fred Perry shirts), gang colors (black and yellow) and a mascot/symbol (a cockerel). Traditionally, the Proud Boys would be considered nothing more than a modernized version of racist skinheads. They package themselves, however, in a hipster persona that uses humor and irony to spread far-right talking points opposing feminism, immigration, political correctness and establishment politics.

The blogger Ken White coined something called the goat rule: if you ironically kiss a goat, you are still a goat-kisser. (We are paraphrasing his original language, which was slightly stronger.) The Proud Boys like to give the impression that they simply enjoy using caustic or ironic humor to trigger liberals and social justice warriors. But theyre not ironic, transgressive humorists or provocateurs; theyre goat-kissers who are racist and sexist.

From the perspective of the criminal justice system, the elements that form the Proud Boys collective identity are the same as the criteria that law enforcement agencies often use to designate street gangs. As gang experts and the authors of Alt-Right Gangs: A Hazy Shade of White, we think its extremely clear that the Proud Boys membership criteria, aesthetics and penchant for violence identify the group as a street gang. Yet the Proud Boys and other white power groups are not considered a criminal street gang by many police agencies and are generally absent in gang databases. This is especially concerning given that a 2006 FBI report found that some American police officers sympathize or even actively collaborate with far-right militias or white power groups.

Trumps recent overture to the Proud Boys is also troubling because of a phenomenon called Big Gang Theory. The Proud Boys are numerically small but, like a lot of gangs and splinter ideological groups, benefit from the (exaggerated) perception that they are highly organized, control a lot of territory and have members in many municipalities. This is reminiscent of the Hammerskins, the largest racist skinhead gang in the United States, which at its peak has probably never had more than about 500 members despite there being about 5,000 racist skinheads in the US.

Like the Hammerskins, the Proud Boys give off the impression that they are bigger and more imposing than they actually are, as evidenced by the lack of attendees at their recent rally in Portland. Trumps call for Proud Boys to stand by further plays into this embellished facade.

Trump is pulling this far-right group more and more into the mainstream, providing the Proud Boys with the opportunity to gather support from a far bigger pool of potential recruits, which they will then slowly expose to their white supremacist rhetoric and affirmation of violence. Trumps remarks also increase the risk that other extremist groups that are not as well-known as the Proud Boys will escalate their violence in order to gain similar attention.

In our current period of political and social uncertainty, the Proud Boys, other white power gangs, and far-right militias will continue to draw more people into oppositional politics. Trumps callous and deliberately ambiguous language, which far-right groups interpret as praise and endorsement, will only nurture more extremism.

Shannon E Reid is an associate professor of criminal justice and criminology at the University of North Carolina, Charlotte. Matthew Valasik is an associate professor of sociology at Louisiana State University. They are the authors of Alt-Right Gangs: A Hazy Shade of White (University of California Press)

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The Proud Boys are a far-right gang. Trump boosted them on national TV - The Guardian

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Care and Feeding is Slates parenting advice column. Have a question for Care and Feeding? Submit it here or post it in the Slate Parenting Facebook group.

Dear Care and Feeding,

When I was in college, I became pregnant and put the baby up for adoption. I chose a couple who were educated, lived in a very nice area, and seemed like smart, kind, and good people. They emailed me photos and updates for about a year, until they divorced, and then we lost touch.

The child is 9 now. The mom recently found me on Facebook, and I was shocked to see that she has become a conservative alt-right conspiracy theorist gun nut, anti-vaccination, and anti-mask COVID denier. She posted about home-schooling (not virtual school) the child but also posted about working two jobs, which leads me to think the child is only learning xenophobia. As far as I can tell, the dad has nothing to do with either of them anymore. My question is: Is this a case of I signed away my parental rights and should let them be, or should I be concerned? And if so, what could I do? The child hasnt seen me since she was a baby and may not even know shes adopted.

Not the Mom

Dear NM,

You havent said why you are concerned, and I dont want to assume. Is it because its simply awful that a child, any child, is being raised this way? Or do you have feelings connected to your role as her birth mother? I think its important that you establish that for yourself, and if you find that youre having a hard time processing this emotionally, it may be worth it to speak to a professional who has experience with parents of children placed in adoptive care.

That said, you did sign away your parental rights, but you still have every right to be concernedI am too! I have no connection to this child, but I am concerned anytime I hear of a young person being trained in the ways of the worst among us. We all should feel a sense of responsibility for the children of the world, and it would not be unreasonable at all for you to feel particularly bothered by this set of circumstances.

What was the nature of the moms message to you? Did she want to stay in touch or merely say hello? There is a scenario in which she could introduce you into her daughters life, and perhaps over time, you could serve as a positive influence that is a counterpoint to her own behavior. In terms of taking more drastic action, if you are to become aware that this child is not actually being schooled at all, its possible that a call to local child protective services could be helpful, but please note the emphasis on the word possiblemany of those agencies are more capable of doing harm than good and I would not recommend this if you didnt think they could intervene positively.

Its likely that the best thing you can do for this girl is to pray (if youre the praying sort) and/or send positive energy, and to function in the world as a person who steadfastly opposes the values she is being taught in both word and deed. Also, it is important that you remember that you made a choice based on the information made available to you at the time and that you are not in any way, shape, or form responsible for what has happened here.

Help us keep giving the advice you crave every week. Sign up for Slate Plus now.

Dear Care and Feeding,

I am five months into a pregnancy conceived with donor sperm and I intended to be a single mother. However, I met someone wonderful two months ago who, at least so far, is a great match for me and very interested in what life might be like when the baby comes, including discussions about co-habitation sometime after the birth. The pregnancy, along with quarantine, has made the relationship move somewhat faster than usual, and that means that were both very committed already.

My question concerns meeting his kids, who are 4 and 8. At this point, he hasnt mentioned me to them, but things are getting to the point where we both want that to happen. His kids have a baby sibling, and they love having the baby around; that also means that they are very much aware of what another new baby means for their lives. Im wondering if I should meet his kids before my (our?) baby comes, so I can get to know them without the preoccupations of new motherhood and so they can be prepared for another new baby in their lives, or if it would be better to wait and be introduced along with the baby. Were both concerned about making sure that Im not meeting the kids before were pretty certain about each other, so its not likely to happen immediately, regardless. But it also a pretty big change thats coming, and giving them adjustment time seems wise, too. The timing of everything is just very tight. What do you recommend?

Brisk Blending

Dear BB,

Do you know another word for two months?

Recently. You recently started dating someone three months into your first pregnancy, and have begun pondering whether this child will belong to the both of you in three or four months. This could be the start of a fairy tale, or a cautionary one. But Im pretty sure its gonna be either/or.

You absolutely must meet these children before deciding to move in with their father, and you must see your partner parent before you decide to do what exactly is it that you are planning to do? Are you talking about living together, or entering some sort of formal agreement to long-term partnership and the shared raising of this child? Would your man be Mommys boyfriend? Dad? Stepdad? Uncle Jesse?

Why are you doing this? That is a sincere question, not a spicy one. You were prepared for single motherhood before. How long did you take to come to that decision? Would you, under not-pregnant circumstances, move in with a boyfriend this early in the relationship? How about one who had kids? Are you simply confident that this is the person you want long term, or are you perhaps feeling some anxiety about being a solo mom to an infant?

What about your boyfriend? Is he typically inclined to move at this pace? Is he on good terms with his ex? Also, if the kids have a baby sibling, Im assuming his former partner just had the child? Is it possible that he may be feeling a little emotional, having a bit of baby fever, or missing that sweet stage in parenting before yelling mean words and arguing with one another?

Maybe this is just perfect timing and you guys will be one big happy family.

Either way, I imagine that you have put a lot of thought and effort into becoming pregnant and preparing for motherhood. You should put that same amount of thought and effort into defining what the circumstances around your child would ideally look like to you, which means being absolutely certain that youve gotten to truly know the person you partner with and how you introduce them. Good luck to you.

If you missed Tuesdays Care and Feeding column, read it here.

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Dear Care and Feeding,

I have struggled with an eating disorder and body dysmorphia since I was 12. They were especially triggered by fat in my stomach and thighs, and I would have literal nightmares about immense weight gain in those areas. Eventually, I went to therapy as a teenager, and that helped immensely. In order to help pay tuition in college, I modeled for several years, but ended up relapsing and quitting.

Im now married, and my husband and I both want children soon. The thing is, I still struggle with body dysmorphia and the thought of being pregnant terrifies me. Im almost certain I would relapse severely into my eating disorder. My husband is understanding and has said many times that he would love for us to adopt or use a surrogate, but I cant shake the feeling that Im being selfish. I also know that our families would ask about our reasons, and I dont know how to respond to those questions. Am I being selfish or vain? How can I respond to the barrage of questions I know well get? And how would I talk to my future child about this?

Image Issues

Dear II,

You are not being selfish nor vain, and neither of those words should ever be used to refer to making the decision to adopt. Further, its not unusual or rare for someone under your circumstances to choose to use a surrogate. You have a health issue and you may choose to approach motherhood using any of those methods for that reason. The most important thing is that you have a partner who understands and respects your needs, and you dont need to worry about convincing anyone else. All you need to tell anyone is that you made the best choice for your family. Sending you all the best and many good wishes for a happy, healthy journey to motherhood, no matter what you decide.

Dear Care and Feeding,

My family (me, partner, 4-year-old) are really lucky to be relocating closer to the extended family soon. My wonderful mom just retired from teaching first grade and is excited to be a full-time grandma and teacher until its safe to send our kid to preschool. Wed appreciate advice on how to help this go well: particularly, helping our kid separate Playtime Grandma and Teacher Grandma, having parent-teacher conversations with someone whos also my mom, and probably many other things we havent thought about yet.

The Teachers Kid

Dear TTK,

Content Locked for Slate Plus members

It is wonderful that your mom is able to do this for your family! While shell never be able to entirely separate yourself from the beloved role of Grandmother, you all can create a division between how she interacts with your child inside and outside of the classroom.

There should be as many visual distinctions as possible. Hold class in a different space than where play usually takes place, even if its the same room. Teacher Grandma can wear a special hat, type of outfit, or an accessory that distinguishes her from Playtime Grandma. Be truly intentional about creating school habits, schedules, and routinesand sticking to them as a parent. Ensure that the two of them continue to get time together that isnt just about school. Good luck!

Jamilah

When I was young, my parents worked very hard to put their children through college. Now my husband works 70 hours a week as a physician, and I am a part-time nurse. We live in an affluent part of town so our kids can go to the best public schools. My 10-year-old daughter is very intelligent but lazy and unmotivated. She received several Fs on the last report card for not doing her assignments but is not embarrassed at all. When I ask her to do homework or read, she gets angry and stomps off. Her friends have phones and tablets, and my daughter has asked for these items, but I cannot reward laziness. Thus, she is angry. What should I do? Her attitude stinks. I am concerned about her indifference and the effect it will have on her future.

Slate Plus members get more parenting advice every week. They also help support Slates journalism.

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My Childs Adoptive Mother Is an Alt-Right, Anti-Vaccine Conspiracy Theorist - Slate

Last Friday, a lawsuit brought by Governor Steve Bullock (D-MT) yielded a ruling that President Trumps interim appointment of William Perry Pendleys to head the BLM was illegal, and that the decisions made while Pendley was in charge are illegal too.

William Perry Pendley has long been a fringe activist affiliated with the alt-right movement to end public lands, and federal governments management of them. He wrote opinion pieces in the conservative National Review siding with the Bundys when they organized a heavily-armed mob, complete with snipers, that interfered with the federal roundup of Bundys illegally trespassing cattle, and another article calling for the sale of all federal public lands. His Twitter handle was even @Sagebrush_Rebel.

Pendley isnt the first public lands extremist, even in the Trump administration. Wyoming attorney Karen Budd-Falen actually represented Cliven Bundy himself in the appeal challenging the original closure of Bundys grazing leases on what would eventually become Gold Butte National Monument. At the same time the Bundy crew was taking over Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, Budd-Falen was stirring up county governments in Oregon to adopt county plans that, ion a twisted legal theory, might be used to have counties dictate the contents of federal land-use plans, to the benefit of local extractive industries. Although Budd-Falen lobbied to be appointed BLM director, ultimately it became obvious that she would not survive Senate confirmation, and she was appointed instead to the lesser attorney post of Deputy Solicitor, which requires no Senate approval.

The history of alt-right attempts to stage takeovers of Americas public lands dates back to the 1940s, but cropped up more recently in the Reagan administration. Reagan himself famously proclaimed, I am a Sagebrush Rebel, and he appointed as his first Interior Secretary the notoriously anti-environmental James Watt, like Pendley a product of the Mountain States Legal Foundation. George W. Bush recapitulated Reagans alt-right lands agenda by appointing Gale Norton to helm Interior, herself a Mountain States protg of Watts. Thus, more often than not over the past four decades, Republican presidential administrations put a public lands extremist of the Bundy persuasion in charge of a major lands and wildlife agency.

During the first year of the Trump administration, long before Pendleys appointment , the alt-right agenda started gathering steam with a secret meeting that brought state and county proponents of extractive industries together with the BLM to plot a local government takeover of public lands. Several environmental groups were tipped off and listened in, and were able to bring to light efforts to put conservative counties and states in the drivers seat of public land decisionmaking, restrict environmental reviews, squelch Freedom of Information Act document availability, and otherwise dismantle federal public land protections. Trumps gutting of NEPA, the concept of outcomes-based grazing to put ranchers in charge of managing public-land grazing leases, and a dismantling of grazing regulations are the anti-environmental fruits of this poisonous tree.

William Perry Pendley was appointed to the Trumped-up BLM position of Deputy Director serving in the capacity of the Director, a dodge to avoid a Senate confirmation process likely to deny Pendley the leadership position and embarrass the Trump administration. Selecting an oil industry office complex in Grand Junction, Colorado as his new BLM headquarters, Pendley proceeded to threaten senior BLM staff with termination if they didnt relocate. It was a bald-faced scheme to put the agency firmly under the thumb of the minerals and livestock industries.

Things started to unravel for Pendley in the fall of 2019, when key Senators drafted a letter objecting to his leadership, and when Pendleys controversial remarks at a Colorado gathering of journalists scapegoated wild horses as an existential threat to public lands and the agencys top priority, even while horse impacts were dwarfed by the environmental destruction caused by federally-approved livestock, and myriad other BLM-permitted problems. Things got worse a month later, when Pendley directed BLM law-enforcement to defer to local sheriffs when enforcing the law on federal lands. Conservationists immediately exposed this as a sop to the Bundy-ally Constitutional Sheriffs, who seek to dismantle federal authority and environmental protections on public lands. As the year ended, 91 conservation groups demanded Pendleys ouster.

Ultimately, two conservation groups sued to remove Pendley, and later Governor Bullock launched a similar lawsuit of his own. Hoping to dodge the litigation, Trump finally nominated Pendley to head the BLM, but just as quickly withdrew the nomination when it became obvious that he wouldnt survive the confirmation process. This August, every Democratic Senator (plus the two Independents) demanded that he go. The Bullock lawsuit yielded a ruling finding Pendleys appointment illegal, and decisions made under his leadership illegal as well. We might well be witnessing the beginning of the end of the alt-rights last best chance to hijack Americas public lands. Not a moment too soon.

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With Pendley Toppled, the Alt-Right's Public Land Agenda Starts to Crumble - CounterPunch

When British tennis champion Fred Perry became the first player to win a career grand slam in 1935, he might have hoped his legacy would be defined by the stunning bit of history he made, still just 26 years old. Its unlikely he could have predicted his name would be used in 2020 to uniform a far-right male militia jacked up on violence and misogyny. And yet, Proud Boys, an organisation allegedly founded as a joke by Gavin McInnes in the run-up the 2016 US election, has become instantly recognisable by its allegiance to Fred Perrys black and yellow trim polo, forcing the brand to publicly distance itself and announce last week that it had withdrawn sales of the shirt in the US and Canada a year ago.

McInnes, 50, is the Scottish-Canadian co-founder of Vice Media, and lives in Brooklyn. He believes western culture is under siege and that feminism is a cancer. His group, much like an enraged Reddit sub-forum given vein-popping physical form, has been described as an alt-right fight club and hate group by Southern Poverty Law Centre (SPLC), as white supremacists by Joe Biden,and classified as an extremist group by the FBI even though McInnes rejects the notion that Proud Boys are racists . It is not, by a long stretch, a good look for Fred Perry.

It is incredibly frustrating that this group has appropriated our black and yellow twin-tipped shirt and subverted our laurel wreath to their own ends, the company said on its website last week.

The statement added: We are proud of its lineage and what the laurel wreath has represented for over 65 years: inclusivity, diversity and independence. Fred Perry is unequivocal that it has absolutely nothing to do with Proud Boys and that that association is something we must do our best to end.

That embroidered circular flick, modelled on the original Wimbledon logo, has been adopted by many subcultures since the first polo was launched in 1952.

It is easy for the piece to be taken up as uniform because it is designed to look like one. It is stern and sensible and needs a distinctive kind of look to pull it off. That look is not a very large and very aggressive and very pink man, said fashion writer Tony Glenville.

In May, Fred Perry launched a new line with a publicity shoot featuring only models of colour. In pure Twitter bait, fury and counter-fury spewed online as some white customers claimed they would boycott the brand for spreading diversity bollocks. In a statement to Dazed and Confused magazine, Fred Perry replied: We believe actions speak louder than words Our real fans know what we stand for, and their response to this speaks volumes.

It is not the first time the brand has been fashionable for groups on the fringes of society; part of the appeal of a neat, utilitarian Fred Perry polo is that it is subversively nonconformist. There is an ironic fashion joke at play: the aesthetic might look objectively square, but its spirit is rebellious.

Few brands have been tussled over as hard by competing subcultures. From tennis nuts to Jamaican rudeboys, skinheads, mods, ska-punks, indie kids and Camden popstars, all have done the Perry polo before Proud Boys came along. The brand has been worn by racist skinheads before McInness lot and, despite its current wobble, is certain to be worn by music fans for some time still.

Amy Winehouse sported hers all over London and ended up collaborating with the brand in 2011 on a collection of Perry classics with Winehouse twists (collars turned up, sleeves capped in semi-sheer fabric). The line still sells well, particularly in the Far East. Damon Albarn, Britpops poster boy for the knitted cotton Perry pique shirt, was able to request a specific style of eight shirts which he wore for Blurs reunion gigs in 2009.

Musicians have been essential to the brands credibility, be it the Specials and the Jam or Arctic Monkeys and Skepta. In a project for the brands 60th anniversary in 2012, Don Letts made a series of films tracing the line of cultural scenes and musical hierarchies that emerged in Britain since the teddy boys of the 1950s. Fashion was key, but its intriguing to see how little the look has shifted for Perryheads, whether theyre on scooters revving around Southend in the 60s or dancing at the 100 Club in the 90s.

Perry was the son of a textile factory worker born in Stockport. He first became a world table tennis champion at 19 before going on to win three consecutive Wimbledon titles. Despite his record-breaking success, he was treated with contempt by the elite who ran the sport in Britain. To Andrew Groves, professor of fashion design at Westminster University, it is this contrast between Perrys underdog status and unquestionable personal glamour that has helped define the brand.

The working-class authenticity of both Fred Perry the man and Fred Perry the brand allows it to resonate with each new generation, he said. Its no-nonsense design has enabled it to be reinterpreted by each emerging subculture in a way that gives it additional layered, and sometimes contradictory, meanings. Fred Perry was worn on the terraces at Chelsea but also in the gay bars on Old Compton Street; by skinheads at NF rallies but also by Jamaican rudeboys.

Perry was a heartthrob: he dated Hollywood actresses, including Marlene Dietrich, and married four times. He moved to the US and took up citizenship there before launching his sportswear line with Australian footballer Tibby Wegner in the late 1940s. The company was kept in the family until Perry died in 1995, when it was bought by Japanese company Hit Union.

Groves believes the brand has been able to transcend each decade because of the way it has been reinterpreted by new fashion tribes. Its ironic therefore to see this particular shirt adopted by the Proud Boys, he said, given that within gay culture, a black polo shirt with yellow tipping on the collar usually signifies that the wearer is into watersports.

What Fred Perry would think about all the symbolism at play on his bestselling shirts is another matter.

New BalanceIn the early 00s, the athletics brand was adopted by neo-Nazi groups in Germany. The company clawed back credibility by sponsoring anti-racist music events.

BurberryThe Burberry check, whether real or counterfeit, became so synonymous with football hooligans and thugs that in 2004, two Leicester pubs banned any customer from wearing the pattern. It was a long crawl back to its contemporary reinvention as a super luxury British brand.

Stone IslandIn the mid-1980s, the then obscure Italian sailing label became huge on the terraces with football casuals, who matched designer clothes with lairiness. The look went weekend suburban dad after some time, but the brand was given a surprising new twist when the rapper Drake began wearing it.

See more here:
Fashion or fascist? The long tussle over that Fred Perry logo - The Guardian

When hundreds of far-right activists gathered in Berlin earlier this month, banners and T-shirts bearing US President Donald Trumps face could be clearly seen among the crowd. Many waved the American flag. The demonstrators, who later tried to storm the German parliament, had assembled to protest against the German governments COVID-19 restrictions.

Related:Is there a Nazi emergency in the German city of Dresden?

The US president is a popular figure among far-right groups in Europe.

Patrik Hermansson, a researcher with Hope Not Hate, a British advocacy group that campaigns against racism and fascism, says far-right activists see Trump as an anti-establishment figure, someone who rallies against the elites. Swedish-born Hermansson spent a year undercover in 2017 as a member of alt-right movements in Europe and the US.

Trumps time in office put the wind in the sails of far-right groups and populist parties in Europe, he said.

Just hours after TV networks announced that Trump had won the 2016 US election, French far-right leader Marine Le Pen took to the stage of her party headquarters in Paris and celebrated the result.

Americans have voted,theyve rejected the status quo. What happened last night was not the end of the world, it was the end of a world, Le Pen said.

She wasnt alone in her jubilation. In neighboring Germany, the then-leader of the far-right Alternative forDeutschland (AfD) party, Frauke Petry,tweeted "this night changes the USA, Europe and the world!"

And in Britain, Nigel Farage, former leader of the populist UK Independence Party, compared Trumps win to the passing of Brexit a few months earlier, saying 2016 was a year of political revolutions.

Supporting an American president is highly unusual for far-right politicians in Europe.

Related:Artists in Germany fear backlash after far-right party wins big

Sylvia Taschka, who teaches history at Wayne State University in Detroit, says US presidents usually represent everything European far-right parties oppose: Unrestrained capitalism. In other words, you know, a globalized free-market economy and an interventionist, some would say imperialist foreign policy," she said.

Trump challenged both of those stereotypes, Taschka says, and upended their long-held tradition of anti-Americanism. Taschka, who was born in Nuremberg, Germany, has witnessed the rise of the far-right in Germany with dismay. As a young child growing up in a cityfamed for its enormous Nazi party rallies in the 1920s and '30s and later the Nazi war trials, she was well aware that support for far-right views still existed. But those views were never openly celebrated.

"I was not blind when I lived in Germany. Germany always had a far-right element even when I grew up but they were kept more under the lid.

In the last decade, Taschka says that has changed dramatically. But she doesnt attribute the growing strength of the far-right AfD party to Trump. A changing political landscape and the refugee crisis in 2015 were key driving factors, she says.

Related:With far-right topping Dutch polls, EU elections could see Eurosceptics take the lead

Dutch political scientist Cas Mudde agrees. Mudde, whos a professor in the School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Georgia, says far-right parties like the National Front in France or the Freedom Party of Austria dont need to look to Trump for ideological motivation.

They have a much more developed ideological frame than Trump will ever have, he said.

Mudde says President Trump takes little notice of Europes populist politicians but thats not the case for some of his diplomats. The US ambassadors to Germany and the Netherlands have both been guilty of normalizing Europes far-right parties, he says.

One can think of Richard Grenell, in Germany, who was criticized for normalizing the AFD and in the Netherlands, it's even stronger with US Ambassador Pete Hoekstra," Mudde said.

Its alleged that far-right Dutch party leaders met with Hoekstra at the US Embassy to discuss their plans for the future, Mudde says.

Former Trump strategist Steve Bannon has also been holding court with far-right parties in Europe over the last couple of years. Bannon plans to convert a monastery outside of Rome into a political academy for ultraconservatives and future populist leaders, a move that has met fierce resistance from Italys Culture Ministry. The former White House aide also helped establish a foundation in Brussels aimed at supporting Europes far-right parties. But so far, it has received little attention from the parties themselves.

French political analyst Jean-Yves Camus,a specialist on the French and European radical right, says parties like the National Front in France have little interest in taking advice from an American. They were doing just fine before Bannon came on the scene, he says.

When Steve Bannon tried to present himself as the man who could unite the extreme right in Europe, he forgot a very important thing: The National Front was a very strong party well before Steve Bannon became known in Washington, DC. So, basically, they did not need him.

The policy of "America first" that Trump promotes has been a mantra of the far-right movement in France since the 1970s. Slogans like France for the French or French first have been around for some decades, Camus says.

While the rise of populist parties in Europe might seem like an anti-establishment vote, Hermanssonsays its important to recognize that many grassroots supporters believe violence is the only way to achieve their goals. In his first few months undercover with far-right groups, Hermansson was shocked at how openly they condoned the use of violence.

I think in the beginning, I was quite surprised over how openly supportive of violence they were, or at least how implicitly they gave credence to even mass shootings," Hermansson said.

Hermansson was in Charlottesville the day of the Unite the Right white supremacist rally in August 2017. He was standing just yards away from Heather Heyer when she was killed by James Alex Fields Jr., an alt-right supporter who plowed his car into a crowd of counterprotesters,injuring19 people and killing Heyer.

Hermansson saysthe incident was hugely traumatic and although he never expected someone would get killed that day, he had become increasingly concerned that things would turn violent. After Hermansson revealed his cover, he received threats from far-right groups for months afterward. Today, he says he feels relatively safe.

The alt-right supporters Hermansson met in Europe would most definitely support a second Trump term, he says. In the last year, populist politicians in Europe have also been tweeting their support for another Trump win in November. Political scientist Mudde says their support hinges on the fact that they share a number of common enemies with the US president. They dont believe a Trump victory will boost their standing in the polls, he says, but its better than seeing Biden get into office.

Biden is no friend of the far-right, Mudde says.

See the rest here:
Europes far-right stands behind Trump in US 2020 election - The World