The emboldening was caused not by Trump, but by the media itself. For example with Charlottesville, Trump's initial response was: > We condemn in the strongest

The emboldening was caused not by Trump, but by the media itself. For example with Charlottesville, Trump's initial response was: > We condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides. This addressed the extreme-right/neo-nazi violence, as well as the increasing violence perpetrated by extreme-left/antifa agitators (which you conveniently ignored). I would hope my president would condemn all political violence equally. The media took his statement and ran with it, arguing that it somehow supported extreme-right violence. Alt-right people believed them and became emboldened. If the media had focused on the actual political violence and emphasized that all such acts should be condemned, maybe the agitators would have crawled back to their basements.