Donald Trump,??? ?? speaking Wednesday to Christian conservatives, made a joke about kicking non-Christians out of a rally.
To a cheering crowd in Council Bluffs, Iowa, he asked Christian conservatives in the crowd to raise their hands. The room lit up with cheers and people proudly throwing up their arms, as seen in a video from The Washington Post. But then Trump followed that moment with something else.
"Raise your hand if you're not a Christian conservative, I want to see this, right. That's—oh, there's a couple, but that's all right. I think we'll keep them right? Should we keep them in the room, yes? I think so."
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The comment came after his endorsement from a new coalition called Iowa Christian Conservatives for Trump, CNNreported. Christians have made up a major voting bloc for the Republican presidential candidate. In July, 78 percent of white evangelicals said they would vote for Trump, Pew Research reported.
#iRegistered to vote
— Deplorable Singer (@MichelleKOrts10) September 27, 2016
Republican Constitutional Christian Conservative & I will be voting @realDonaldTrump inviting everyone to #MAGA #Trump
"In a Trump Administration,our Christian heritage will be cherished, protected & defended." ~ @realDonaldTrump #MAGA pic.twitter.com/R4bSpVVRNc
— Scottie Spencer (@Smoloko123) September 16, 2016
It wasn't the first time Trump has called out a group of people in an awkward — or even outright offensive — way. There was the time he called for a "total and complete" shutdown on Muslim immigration into the country or the time he called Mexicans rapists and drug dealers. His campaign has drawn droves of support from the increasingly visible alt-right movement, a group marked by nationalism and nativist fears.
The country's most popular neo-Nazi news site, the Daily Stormer, endorsed Trump when his campaign was still in its infancy, back in June 2015.
"Trump is willing to say what most Americans think: it’s time to deport these people,” a post reads, urging its followers to “vote for the first time in our lives for the one man who actually represents our interests.”
And the online movement, with its very own meme now considered a hate symbol by the Anti-Defamation League, doesn't look like it's going away anytime soon.
Natural born citizens are losing their country because of immigrants #FridayFeeling #TrumpPence16 if you want your country back! #MAGA 🇺🇸🔔🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/BDwp6ZtM5d
— Deplorable Al (@TrumpSupport13) September 23, 2016