Donald Trump was supposed to deliver a press conference on his infrastructure executive order — but as soon as questions came in from reporters, things devolved into an astonishing shouting match over the Charlottesville terror attack and the president’s equivocal statement in response.
At one point during the frenetic exchange, a reporter asked Trump about Sen. John McCain’s comments that the alt-right was behind the violence in Charlottesville.
In response, Trump challenged the reporter to “define the alt-right” for him. “You define it, go ahead. No define it for me, come on, let’s go.”
As the reporter attempted to answer, Trump interjected: “Ok, what about the alt-left that came charging at them? Excuse me, what about the alt-left that came charging at the — as you say — the alt-right? Do they have any semblance of guilt?”
As a number of astonished reporters shouted questions, Trump continued “what about the fact they came charging, that they came charging with clubs in their hands swinging clubs? Do they have any problem? I think they do.”
As another reporter shouted a question, Trump pointed at him and said “wait a minute, I’m not finished, I’m not finished fake news.”
Trump continued to argue that he watched the protests very closely, and again reiterated that there was violence on both sides, accusing the anti-Nazi protestors of “charging in without a permit.”
“And they were very, very violent,” he added.
Trump was next asked if he thought the “alt-left is the same as neo-Nazis.” The president responded that “many of those people were there to protest the taking down of the statue of Robert E. Lee.”
“I wonder, is it George Washington next week, and is it Thomas Jefferson the week after? You really do have to ask yourself, where does it stop?” Trump opined.
Following the press conference, Trump noted that he owns a winery in Charlottesville, which he declared as “one of the largest wineries in the United States.”
https://www.mediaite.com/tv/trump-a...rging-in-without-a-permit-in-charlottesville/
At one point during the frenetic exchange, a reporter asked Trump about Sen. John McCain’s comments that the alt-right was behind the violence in Charlottesville.
In response, Trump challenged the reporter to “define the alt-right” for him. “You define it, go ahead. No define it for me, come on, let’s go.”
As the reporter attempted to answer, Trump interjected: “Ok, what about the alt-left that came charging at them? Excuse me, what about the alt-left that came charging at the — as you say — the alt-right? Do they have any semblance of guilt?”
As a number of astonished reporters shouted questions, Trump continued “what about the fact they came charging, that they came charging with clubs in their hands swinging clubs? Do they have any problem? I think they do.”
As another reporter shouted a question, Trump pointed at him and said “wait a minute, I’m not finished, I’m not finished fake news.”
Trump continued to argue that he watched the protests very closely, and again reiterated that there was violence on both sides, accusing the anti-Nazi protestors of “charging in without a permit.”
“And they were very, very violent,” he added.
Trump was next asked if he thought the “alt-left is the same as neo-Nazis.” The president responded that “many of those people were there to protest the taking down of the statue of Robert E. Lee.”
“I wonder, is it George Washington next week, and is it Thomas Jefferson the week after? You really do have to ask yourself, where does it stop?” Trump opined.
Following the press conference, Trump noted that he owns a winery in Charlottesville, which he declared as “one of the largest wineries in the United States.”
https://www.mediaite.com/tv/trump-a...rging-in-without-a-permit-in-charlottesville/
