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Trump defends response to rally chant: I did not 'lead people on'

By Jesse Byrnes - 07/20/19 07:19 AM EDT
 
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Trump defends response to rally chant: I did not 'lead people on'
© Getty Images

President TrumpDonald TrumpRomney: 'Pretty sure' Trump would win 2024 GOP nomination if he ran for president Pence huddles with senior members of Republican Study Committee Trump says 'no doubt' Tiger Woods will be back after accident MORE on Saturday doubled down on his defense of his handling of a rally crowd this week that chanted "send her back" when he took aim at progressive Rep. Ilhan OmarIlhan OmarJamaal Bowman's mother dies of COVID-19: 'I share her legacy with all of you' To address global fragility, we must start locally Omar calls for released Saudi women's rights activist to be allowed to leave country MORE (D-Minn.), maintaining that he didn't "lead people on" and was not "particularly happy" with the chant.

Trump in a tweet also reiterated his praise for the crowd, calling it "very big and patriotic." The president on Friday afternoon similarly praised those who took part in the chant at his rally in North Carolina, calling them "patriots" after earlier distancing himself from the chant.

"As you can see, I did nothing to lead people on, nor was I particularly happy with their chant. Just a very big and patriotic crowd. They love the USA!" Trump tweeted early Saturday, sharing a tweet that included video of the chanting crowd from his rally Wednesday night. 

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Trump first distanced himself from the chant Thursday as a number of GOP lawmakers spoke out against it, with Republicans saying they did not want it to become a narrative for the party heading into the 2020 elections. Trump said he disagreed with the audience reaction but has since spoken out in defense of the crowd while blasting what he called "crazed" media coverage of the controversy.
 
The rally chant punctuated days of political uproar over tweets Trump sent last weekend in which he called on four minority congresswomen to "go back" to where they came from, comments widely denounced by Democrats and a number of Republicans as racist.
 
All four Democrats targeted by Trump — Omar and fellow Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-CortezAlexandria Ocasio-CortezOcasio-Cortez criticizes opening of migrant facility for children under Biden Udalls: Haaland criticism motivated 'by something other than her record' Ocasio-Cortez targets Manchin over Haaland confirmation MORE (N.Y.), Rashida TlaibRashida Harbi TlaibJamaal Bowman's mother dies of COVID-19: 'I share her legacy with all of you' Democrats urge Biden FDA to drop in-person rule for abortion pill LIVE COVERAGE: Senate opens Trump's second impeachment trial MORE (Mich.) and Ayanna PressleyAyanna PressleyEconomist makes the case for federal jobs guarantee Clintons, Tyler Perry among mourners at Cicely Tyson memorial Democrats warn of 'whataboutism' ahead of Trump defense MORE (Mass.) — are U.S. citizens, and each was born in the U.S. with the exception of Omar, who was born in Somalia before immigrating to the United States as a refugee.
 
Omar was greeted by a crowd chanting "welcome home" when she arrived at a Minnesota airport this week.
 
On Friday, Trump ratcheted up his attacks on the four Democratic congresswomen, who are all outspoken critics of his administration, telling reporters at the White House before departing to New Jersey for the weekend, "I don’t know if it’s good or bad politically. I don’t care."
 
"Many people say it's good. I don't know if it's good or bad," he continued. "I can tell you this: You can't talk that way about our country. Not when I'm the president."
Tags Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Ayanna Pressley Rashida Tlaib Donald Trump Ilhan Omar