The upcoming midterm elections in November 2026 are bound to be among the most polarizing in the US, and one group appears to be taking advantage of the political upheaval. Arkansas Ku Klux Klan (KKK) leader Thomas Robb has claimed that support for the notorious white supremacist organization is growing ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, even attributing the current political climate to the group’s growth.
Robb, 79, the national director of the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, made the comments during an interview with Al Jazeera correspondent Phil Lavelle, published on Sunday. Robb, who took over the organization from former KKK leader David Duke in 1989, attributed the alleged increase in support to Americans becoming increasingly angry about the direction of the country. “People are beginning to be stirred and be angered… we’re kind of the voice for that… Support for us is growing,” Robb stated.
When Lavelle asked Robb how many people support the Klan, however, he couldn’t give a number. “Maybe we’re wrong. Maybe everybody hates us. I don’t know,” Robb said. Asked how powerful the organization actually is, he conceded: “Not strong at all. Not strong.”
The interview took place at the Klan’s headquarters near Harrison, Arkansas, where the organization has tried to present itself through themes of family and faith. Robb acknowledged that the group still uses its traditional robes and openly said Black people would not be welcome at the church on the property because it is a white nationalist church.
It Still Boils Down to Race
Robb also made headlines when discussing Democratic politicians Zohran Mamdani and Abdul El-Sayed. Asked about the New York City mayor and Michigan Senate nominee, Robb declared, “Well, first of all, they’re not Americans.” Lavelle noted that El-Sayed was born in Michigan and that Mamdani is a naturalized U.S. citizen. Robb acknowledged that race was the distinction he was making.
The interview sparked a heated debate online, with some users condemning the Klan while others questioned whether its current activities constitute crimes. “I don’t get the KKK. Imagine making your whole life about hating people. Weird,” one commenter wrote. Another said, “The fact that there is still such a thing as ‘the head of the KKK’ in America is despicable.”
The discussion touched upon how the hate group appears to be insulated from federal investigation, where one commenter took a free-speech approach, stating, “Being racist isn’t illegal. Nor should it be, as long as they do not commit crimes against you.”
Another commenter similarly wrote, “You actually need to commit a crime to be arrested for one. KKK has been irrelevant for decades.” Robb’s interview comes as voters prepare for the November midterm elections, with the cost of living reportedly ranking among the biggest concerns for Americans and one of the reasons the KKK has cited supposedly growing numbers.
