Trump brands himself 'nationalist' and denies racial links to word
President denied term had any links to white nationalists
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.US President Donald Trump has called himself a “nationalist” but denies the racial connotation of the word.
“You know, they have a word,” Mr Trump said at a rally on Monday night in Texas.
“It sort of became old fashioned. It’s called a nationalist. And I say, 'Really, we’re not supposed to use that word?' You know what I am? I'm a nationalist, okay, I’m a nationalist.’”
Critics like CNN anchor Don Lemon have called the president out on his choice of words, questioning whether using the term was a “sloppy” mistake or a “dog whistle.”
A “dog whistle” is coded language that means one thing to the general population – like “love of our country” – and secretly means another thing to a certain group – such as “priority for whites” to racists.
There is nothing formally racial in the dictionary’s definition of “nationalism:” it simply means devotion to one’s own country. However, in both a historical and modern context, many have linked the word “nationalist” with controversial, far-right conservative, and sometimes white supremacist ideologies.
CNN reports that the term dates back to the 17th century, but today, American “nationalists” are often associated with white nationalists, specifically.
White nationalists want the US to remain a primarily white nation, with white people holding the most political, social, and economic power. White nationalists organised the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, in August 2017, when a woman was killed when a vehicle rammed into anti-fascist protesters.
On Tuesday, reporters asked the president if his use of the term means that he’s a white nationalist. "I’ve never even heard that. I cannot imagine that," Mr Trump said, according to The Hill. Instead, he insisted, he used the word to explain how he loves America and wants the country to be treated fairly and with respect.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments