Matt Gaetz invokes Trump’s infamous call to Proud Boys at trial: ‘Stand back and stand by’

MAGA Republican Matt Gaetz invoked Donald Trump’s notorious – and widely condemned – call to the far-right group the Proud Boys as he showed up in court in Manhattan to support the former president at his hush-money trial.

“Standing back and standing by, Mr. President,” Mr Gaetz wrote on X, along withan image of himself at the courthouse.

The phrase echoed Mr Trump’s infamous comments on stage at one of the 2020 presidential debates against now-President Joe Biden.

During the debate, Mr Trump had been pressed by moderator Chris Wallace whether he was“willing to condemn white supremacists and militia groups and they need to stand down”.

“I’m willing to do that,” Mr Trump responded. “Almost everything I see is from the left wing, not from the right-wing … I want to see peace.”

When pushed by Mr Wallace to condemn white nationalism, but Mr Trump asked for a name of a specific group, prompting Mr Wallace to mention the Proud Boys.

Mr Trump replied: “Proud Boys, stand back and stand by. But I’ll tell you what… somebody’s gotta do something about Antifa and the left because this is not a right-wing problem, this is a left-wing problem.”

The former president was widely condemned for his comments, which were seen as a call for violence and unrest.

His comments were even brought up during the federal criminal trial against the Proud Boys leaders for their parts in the January 6 Capitol riot.

Several members of the far-right group were convicted in 2023 of seditious conspiracy over their efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election in Mr Trump’s favour.

The leader of the group, Enrique Tarrio, was sentenced to 22 years – the longest sentence to date over the Capitol riot.

Another former leader of the group, Zachary Rehl,