After a two-week hiatus from the network, Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump returned to Fox News Tuesday evening with a blistering critique of the Black Lives Matter movement and the support it’s received from Democratic candidates.
The outspoken billionaire has previously said he would fight protesters affiliated with the movement if they tried to disrupt a campaign event of his. But on Tuesday, Trump took his disapproval even further and accused the movement of deliberately causing mayhem.
“I think they’re trouble, I think they’re looking for trouble,” he told Fox News’ Bill O’Reilly.
Last week, hundreds of Black Lives Matter activists descended on the Minnesota State Fair where they accused organizers of distributing significantly less vendor permits to minority business owners. Footage of the demonstration also showed protesters chanting “pigs in a blanket, fry ’em like bacon” to police.
“I looked at a couple of the people that were interviewed from the group, I saw them with hate coming down the street last week talking about cops and police and what should be done to them,” Trump said on Fox News.
“That was not good [and] I think it’s a disgrace they’re getting away with it,” he added.
The New York businessman went on to criticize Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders for holding meetings with activists involved in the movement, and slammed former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley for retracting his statement that “all lives matter” earlier this summer.
“I think it’s disgraceful the way they’re being catered to by the Democrats,” Trump said while claiming that his rivals’ pandering will “end up kicking them you know where.”
“We have Democrats that are afraid to even say that [all lives matter] … and these people are unfit to run for office in my opinion,” he added.
Trump’s repeated declaration that “all lives matter” eventually prompted O’Reilly to ask about his attitude toward abortion and the several GOP candidate’s efforts to defund Planned Parenthood.
“Alright, if all lives matter, then why do you support Planned Parenthood and not cutting off the funding since they’re the top abortion provider?” O’Reilly asked.
“I’m not supporting Planned Parenthood,” Trump retorted.
O’Reilly interjected, saying reports have indicated that Trump would not end federal funding for the controversial organization as president. But the GOP candidate was quick to dismiss that accusation too.
“I don’t know where you got this information, I never said that,” Trump responded in a sharp tone. “You read a wrong report, Bill. You have bad researchers, what can I tell you.”
“A lot of people say it’s an abortion clinic [and] I’m opposed to that. I wouldn’t do any funding as long as they are performing abortions,” he continued. “And they are performing abortions. So I would be opposed to funding — I would be totally opposed to funding.”
Trump will visit Washington, D.C., Wednesday to co-host a rally with fellow Republican hopeful and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz in opposition to the Obama administration’s nuclear deal with Iran. The event is scheduled less than 24 hours ahead of an anti-Planned Parenthood rally featuring Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul at the same Capitol Hill location Thursday. Trump is not scheduled to attend the latter.
