Donald Trump claims he doesn't even know what the 'alt-right' is

Donald Trump completely dismissed Hillary Clinton's arguments Thursday that he's part of the "alt-right" on the grounds that he doesn't even know what that term means. "Nobody even knows what it is, and she didn't know what it was. This is a term that was just given," Trump said during an interview with CNN's Anderson Cooper on Thursday night. "Frankly, there's no alt-right or alt-left. All I'm embracing is common sense."
Cooper then gently reminded Trump that Stephen Bannon, the Breitbart News executive he recently brought on as his campaign CEO, has called his publication the "platform for the alt-right." "I don't know what Steve said. All I can tell you — I can only speak for myself," Trump said.
But, Clinton argued Thursday, Trump has been amplifying more than just his own voice. During a damning campaign speech in Reno, Clinton accused Trump of giving a "national megaphone" to the "paranoid fringe in our politics."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Watch Trump's take on the alt-right below, starting at the 4:30 mark. Becca Stanek
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Libya's 'curious' football cup, played in Italy to empty stadiums
Under The Radar 'Curious collaboration' saw Al-Ahli Tripoli crowned league champions in Milan before a handful of spectators
-
What taxes do you pay on a home sale?
The Explainer Some people — though not many — will need to pay capital gains taxes upon selling their home
-
Schools: The return of a dreaded fitness test
Feature Donald Trump is bringing the Presidential Fitness Test back to classrooms nationwide
-
DC protests as Trump deployment ramps up
Speed Read Trump's 'crusade against crime' is targeting immigrants and the homeless
-
Ukraine, European leaders to meet Trump after Putin talks
Speed Read Trump meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy today following talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin last week
-
Border agents crash Newsom redistricting kickoff
Speed Read Armed federal Border Patrol agents amassed outside the venue where the California governor and other Democratic leaders were gathered
-
Man charged for hoagie attack as DC fights takeover
Speed Read The Trump administration filed felony charges against a man who threw a Subway sandwich at a federal agent
-
Trump BLS nominee floats ending key jobs report
Speed Read On Fox News, E.J. Antoni suggested scrapping the closely watched monthly jobs report
-
Trump picks conservative BLS critic to lead BLS
speed read He has nominated the Heritage Foundation's E.J. Antoni to lead the Bureau of Labor Statistics
-
Trump takes over DC police, deploys National Guard
Speed Read The president blames the takeover on rising crime, though official figures contradict this concern
-
Trump sends FBI to patrol DC, despite falling crime
Speed Read Washington, D.C., 'has become one of the most dangerous cities anywhere in the world,' Trump said