Donald Trump has backed off from his pledge to pay the legal fees of supporters who attack protesters at his rallies—a reversal that has come after a Trump supporter sucker-punched a protester in the face at a rally in North Carolina last week.
"I don't condone violence," Trump told Good Morning America's George Stephanopoulos on Tuesday. "I didn't say I would pay for his fees."
"So you're not going to?" Stephanopoulos asked, pressing the Republican front-runner on how he could reconcile paying for such legal fees with his own claim of being a peaceful person.
"Nobody has asked for fees and I haven't even seen it so I never said I was going to pay for fees," Trump said.
These statements come amid intense condemnation over the escalating violence at several chaotic Trump rallies last week.
But the real estate magnate seems to have forgotten the times he has publicly vowed to cover the legal fees his supporters might incur when roughing up protesters.
"So if you see somebody getting ready to throw a tomato, knock the crap out of him, would you?" he told a crowd in Iowa in February. "Seriously, okay, just knock the hell. I promise you, I will pay for the legal fees; I promise, I promise."
As recently as this past Sunday, Trump appeared to stand by his previous statements, telling Meet the Press he had directed his staff to see about covering the legal expenses for the man who attacked a protester at the rally in North Carolina. That, however, no longer appears to be the case.
"I'm going to make a decision," he said on Tuesday. "But I certainly don't condone violence and maybe you're right and maybe that's why I wouldn't do it."
Donald Trump has backed off from his pledge to pay the legal fees of supporters who attack protesters at his rallies—a reversal that has come after a Trump supporter sucker-punched a protester in the face at a rally in North Carolina last week.
"I don't condone violence," Trump told Good Morning America's George Stephanopoulos on Tuesday. "I didn't say I would pay for his fees."
"So you're not going to?" Stephanopoulos asked, pressing the Republican front-runner on how he could reconcile paying for such legal fees with his own claim of being a peaceful person.
"Nobody has asked for fees and I haven't even seen it so I never said I was going to pay for fees," Trump said.
These statements come amid intense condemnation over the escalating violence at several chaotic Trump rallies last week.
But the real estate magnate seems to have forgotten the times he has publicly vowed to cover the legal fees his supporters might incur when roughing up protesters.
"So if you see somebody getting ready to throw a tomato, knock the crap out of him, would you?" he told a crowd in Iowa in February. "Seriously, okay, just knock the hell. I promise you, I will pay for the legal fees; I promise, I promise."
As recently as this past Sunday, Trump appeared to stand by his previous statements, telling Meet the Press he had directed his staff to see about covering the legal expenses for the man who attacked a protester at the rally in North Carolina. That, however, no longer appears to be the case.
"I'm going to make a decision," he said on Tuesday. "But I certainly don't condone violence and maybe you're right and maybe that's why I wouldn't do it."
Donald Trump has broken all kinds of norms during his presidential campaign, but today he just went to a whole new level when he announced on Fox News that he will pay any legal fees occurred by his supporters who get into altercations with protesters.
“I know there has been talk of me paying the legal fees of those accused of assaulting protesters at my events and after thinking long and hard about this matter, I’ve decided I want to go ahead and do that,” Trump said. “My followers are passionate about making this country great again and I need to support them in any way that I can. If my followers are arrested, just for being patriotic, loyal, God-fearing Americans, then I will pay their legal fees,” Trump continued. “I know it could get costly, but it’s time to take a stand against those who cannot conform to a basic set of rules, a system. And these protesters, who still live at home with their mommy and daddy, they hate America, and they hate freedom and they deserve what they get.”
Today is the first time Trump has made it official that he will indeed pay the legal fees incurred by his followers in the event of an arrest, but not the first time he has talked about the subject. In February, Trump told a crowd to ‘knock the crap out’ of protesters and that ‘I will pay for the legal fees’. Then just days after canceling a rally in Chicago due to violence, Trump said he might pay the legal fees of John McGraw, 78, who sucker-punched a protester at a rally in North Carolina.
Donald Trump has broken all kinds of norms during his presidential campaign, but today he just went to a whole new level when he announced on Fox News that he will pay any legal fees occurred by his supporters who get into altercations with protesters.
“I know there has been talk of me paying the legal fees of those accused of assaulting protesters at my events and after thinking long and hard about this matter, I’ve decided I want to go ahead and do that,” Trump said. “My followers are passionate about making this country great again and I need to support them in any way that I can. If my followers are arrested, just for being patriotic, loyal, God-fearing Americans, then I will pay their legal fees,” Trump continued. “I know it could get costly, but it’s time to take a stand against those who cannot conform to a basic set of rules, a system. And these protesters, who still live at home with their mommy and daddy, they hate America, and they hate freedom and they deserve what they get.”
Today is the first time Trump has made it official that he will indeed pay the legal fees incurred by his followers in the event of an arrest, but not the first time he has talked about the subject. In February, Trump told a crowd to ‘knock the crap out’ of protesters and that ‘I will pay for the legal fees’. Then just days after canceling a rally in Chicago due to violence, Trump said he might pay the legal fees of John McGraw, 78, who sucker-punched a protester at a rally in North Carolina.
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