Trump Tells Proud Boys to "Stand Back and Stand By" — Stochastic Terrorism at Presidential Debate (2020-09-29)

During the first presidential debate, Trump is asked whether he condemns white supremacists and militia groups. He responds: "Proud Boys, stand back and stand by." The phrase functions as a coded command with plausible deniability. The Proud Boys celebrate. This is a textbook example of stochastic terrorism: using a public platform to incite followers to violence without explicit instructions.