Donald Trump on Sunday praised his campaign manager’s “spirit” when questioned about the newest apparent violent incident involving the aide and also argued that protesters deserve more blame for violence at his rallies.
Demonstrators “should suffer some blame also,” Trump said, in one of several uncompromising statements during a Sunday interview on ABC’s “This Week.”
The GOP presidential front-runner said the protesters are “not innocent lambs,” though attention has focused on his own backers’ attacks on demonstrators, including a man who punched and kicked a protester Saturday night in Tucson, Ariz., and a supporter whose legal bills Trump said he might pay after the man drew an assault charge for sucker-punching a protester.
Trump denied apparent video evidence of the newest violent incident involving his campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski.
ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos pointed out that video footage from a Saturday rally shows Lewandowski grabbing a protester by the collar. That seems to be the second violent incident Lewandowski had been involved with in recent weeks.
Trump, despite the video evidence, maintained that it was not Lewandowsi, but “somebody else,” who grabbed the protester.
But regardless, he praised his campaign manager.
“I give him credit for having spirit,” Trump said, arguing the crew cut campaign aide was trying to force removal of profane signs held by protesters.
Trump’s campaign has also denied allegations of Lewandowski yanking a female reporter’s arm. Trump suggested that she made up the story.
Trump on Sunday blamed protesters for blocking roads near a rally he held in outside Phoenix. He questioned why a protester wearing a Ku Klux Klan outfit would attend his rally Saturday in Tucson, Ariz. Video footage of the rally showed what seemed to be the protester’s partner getting punched and kicked by an African-American man.
“These are professional agitators,” Trump said.
When asked if he was much more upset by the protester than by the “violent response to those protesters,” Trump said there is a “very unfair double standard.”
“I wouldn’t use the word upset,” he said. “I think it’s very unfair that these really, in many cases, professional, in many cases, sick, protesters can put cars in a road blocking thousands of — of great Americans from coming to a speech and nobody says anything about that.”
Trump condemned protest signs possessing profane words that are being brought to his rallies that are then shown media broadcasts.
“You have television cameras all over the place and people see these signs — I think maybe those people have some blame and should suffer some blame, also,” Trump said.
Trump said the police at the event were “a bit lax.”
Trump said at his event earlier in the day near Phoenix, Sheriff Joe Arpaio, who was in charge of security at the rally, things went much more smoothly because he arrested protesters.
“As soon as he arrested those three people, everybody else immediately left,” Trump said.
