...
By Harriet Sinclair
Associate Editor
0
Share
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
President Donald Trump appeared to have changed the way he responds to protesters and hecklers, telling the crowd "don't hurt 'em" when demonstrators interrupted an event on Wednesday.
Even so, Trump got in a few digs of his own—suggesting the protesters should "go home to mom" and warning them to "be careful."
The president later shared footage of the incident posted online by The Hill, writing "Don't hurt them" in a message posted on Twitter.
Read More
Trump’s ‘Mental Impairment Means He Cannot Think Strategically or in Abstract Terms,’ Claims Professor of Psychiatry4 min read
Seth Meyers Mocks Republicans Over Impeachment Inquiry Hearing Stunt: ‘It Looks Like a Protest at a Pharmacy That Ran Out of Viagra’4 min read
Former Neo-Nazi Says White Supremacists Plan to ‘Overthrow the Government’3 min read
Trump had been speaking at a Shale Insight Conference in Pittsburgh when he was interrupted by a group of protesters. He responded by telling security not to harm the people being removed from the event—but suggested the protesters didn't know who they were dealing with.
"Don't hurt 'em, don't hurt 'em please," Trump said shaking his head. "They don't know they're dealing with very tough people in this room.
"Ah they don't know who they're dealing with," the president continued raising his voice. "They don't know who they're dealing with. They just don't understand.
"Alright, go home to mom. Explain to mom that you tried to take on very powerful people, and many of them physically as well as mentally—that's not a good thing to do, not in this room, be careful. Make sure you don't hurt them, please. Thank you."
At previous rallies that have been interrupted by individuals or groups heckling the president, he has not been so calm—facing criticism after telling a crowd in Las Vegas during his 2016 campaign: "I'd like to punch [a protestor] in the face."
"Oh, I love the old days, you know? You know what I hate? There's a guy, totally disruptive, throwing punches, we're not allowed to punch back anymore. I love the old days. You know what they used to do to guys like that when they were in a place like this? They'd be carried out on a stretcher, folks," he added.
And despite being accused of inciting violence against anti-Trump demonstrators, the then-presidential hopeful in May 2016 said he was looking into paying the legal fees of one of his supporters who had been arrested for attacking a protester, Time reported.
More recently, in August, the president told an apparent protester at one of his rallies to "go home and start exercising."
"That guy has a serious weight problem. Go home and start exercising. That guy is worse than I am. He'll go back to his home and his mom will say, 'What did you just do,'" Trump said.
View 0 Comments
Submit Correction
View Editorial & AI Guidelines