After downplaying ascend of white nationalism, US President Donald Trump calls out 'fake news media' for 'blaming' him for the Mosque massacre in New Zealand

ghastly terror attack on worshippers in two mosques in New Zealand's Christchurch has set conversations of tightening gun laws and critical ascend of white supremacy stirring in mainstream media. 

However, President of United States seems to appear oblivious to threat of white nationalism in Western world. 

President of US has yet again taken a swing at 'Fake News Media' who he says are accusing him of attack in New Zealand. 

But data — including from his own Justice Department — point to rising hate group activity while he’s been in office.

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Trump, when questioned if he views white nationalism as a soaring threat around globe, he refused.

He said, "I don’t really. I think it’s a small group of people that have very, very serious problems. I guess if you look at what happened in New Zealand, perhaps that’s case. I don’t kw eugh about it yet. y’re just learning about person and people involved. But it’s certainly a terrible thing."

However, facts tell a different story. 

Both data and many experts who track violent extremists point to white nationalism as a rising threat in U.S. and abro.

According to data released this month by New York-based Anti-Defamation League, for instance, white supremacist propaganda efforts nearly tripled last year from 2017. Reports of propaganda — which can include fliers, stickers, banners, and posters that promote hateful ideology — rose 182 percent to 1,187 cases. That’s up from 421 reported in 2017.

number of racist rallies and demonstrations also rose last year, according to group. At least 91 white supremacist rallies or or public events attended by white supremacists were held in 2018, up from 76 previous year.

Anti-Defamation League in January said domestic extremists killed at least 50 people in U.S. in 2018, up from 37 in 2017, and ted that "white supremacists were responsible for great majority of killings, which is typically case."

Separately, Sourn Poverty Law Center reported U.S. h more hate groups last year than at any point in at least past two deces. organization, which tracks white supremacists and or far-right extremists, said 1,020 groups it counted in 2018 amounted to highest number since center broened its survey of such groups in 1990s.

center said it was fourth straight year of hate group growth, representing a 30 percent increase roughly coinciding with Trump’s campaign and presidency. That came following three straight years of decline near end of Obama ministration.

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And Justice Department reported in vember that hate crimes across U.S. spiked 17 percent in 2017 — marking a rise for third straight year. re were 7,175 reported hate crimes that year, up from 6,121 in 2016, according to FBI report. More than half of crimes were motivated by bias against a person’s race or ethnicity. Anti-Semitic hate crimes increased by 37 percent.

Among episodes in last few years: a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017 after which Trump blamed “both sides” for violence and last October’s shooting at Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh in which gunman accused of killing 11 people allegedly drew inspiration from white nationalism. Authorities last month arrested a Coast Guard lieutenant, an alleged white supremacist who appeared interested in attacking top Democrats and network TV journalists.

(With AP inputs)