Notice how Trump calls this a “problem.” Trump makes clear he is being asked to “condemn” someone. “Who do you want me to condemn?” Trump asks. Trump says, “I want to see peace.”
Thus, the oft-repeated allegation is knowingly false. There is no indication that Trump was ever thinking about the Proud Boys. When Joe Biden suggested that Donald Trump should condemn the Proud Boys and tell them to stand down, Donald Trump agreed… but only after Joe Biden chose the target.
In the video, Trump visibly hesitates before asking “What do you want to call them? Give me a name. …” indicating that he doesn’t know specifically who Chris Wallace is talking about.
The following day, Trump explained to the news media:
Some guy named Tariq tweeted, “Standing by, sir.” Big whoop.
President Trump’s response was amazing considering the malicious trap little Chrissy Wallace was trying to spring on him. If he made one error, it was saying “stand by”, when obviously, he meant to say “stand down”.
But trying to make an issue out of one rare gaffe by President Trump is just silly, given Joe Biden’s deeply disturbing propensity for gaffe-making.