Students from Covington, who became viral super-villains when a clip of them appearing to surround and mock a Native American elder was widely shared, will meet with Trump "as early as tomorrow," Fox News host Laura Ingraham initially reported on Tuesday – only to qualify the statement a few hours later with a note that any such meeting would take place "after shutdown." White House press secretary Sarah Sanders confirmed the invitation had been issued.

Meanwhile, students and parents at Covington were warned just hours before the start of classes on Tuesday to stay off campus for the day. The last-minute missive followed a letter to parents informing them that "the incident that took place at the March for Life in Washington, DC" was being investigated by an independent third party and advising them to contact the authorities in case of any threats.

The threats haven't stopped coming, even after the real story has come out. Nick Sandmann, "star" of the video, and several of his peers and their parents have been doxxed, and many of those who initially called for the kids' heads on a plate have been working overtime to dig up other incidents that might justify their hate.

Trial lawyer Robert Barnes has volunteered his services to parents looking to sue the New York Times and other outlets that fanned the flames of hatred, telling PJ Media that "anyone who doesn't correct and retract" the fake stories could expect to hear from him. Sandmann and his family hired RunSwitch PR – ironically run by a CNN employee – to offer "professional counsel" and release their own version of the weekend's events – sparking another round of attacks.

Trump himself did not comment on the controversy until the clamor from his base became too much to ignore. 

If Trump doesn't end up inviting the kids to the White House, others have rolled out the red carpet – including Dominik Tarczynski, a member of the Polish Parliament.