WASHINGTON: White House hopeful Donald Trump, already deserted by some fellow Republicans, came under sharp scrutiny Wednesday over controversial comments that some people interpreted as a threat of violence against his rival Hillary Clinton.
\nTrump’s intended message was not immediately clear, but lawmakers, former national security officials and other critics expressed concern that he had advocated, possibly in jest, that Clinton or her Supreme Court nominees could be shot.
\n\u201cHillary wants to essentially abolish the Second Amendment,\u201d Trump told a rally in Wilmington, North Carolina, referring to the US Constitution’s clause that enshrines the right to bear arms. \u201cIf she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do, folks,\u201d Trump said.
\n\u201cAlthough the Second Amendment people \u2014 maybe there is, I don’t know.\u201d
\nTrump earlier appeared more focused on delivering his typical campaign stump speech about Clinton, telling supporters she would represent four more years of President Barack Obama, \u201cbut maybe worse\u201d, and sparring with her over policy.
\n\u201cI gave a massive tax decrease yesterday,\u201d Trump said, referring to economic plans he unveiled Wednesday. \u201cClinton, she’s going to double up your taxes.\u201d But then Trump drew attention away from his message with his \u201cSecond Amendment\u201d remarks.
\nIt was the latest in a long string of Trump trip-ups \u2014 including his clash with the parents of a Muslim American soldier killed in action \u2014 that have marred his campaign since he officially won the nomination last month, and prompted several Republicans to reject his candidacy.
\nClinton’s campaign decried Trump’s \u201cdangerous\u201d language and demanded in a statement that presidential hopefuls \u201cnot suggest violence in any way\u201d. Trump’s team fired back to say the 70-year-old Manhattan billionaire simply meant that gun rights advocates were a powerful voting force.
\n\u201cSecond Amendment people have amazing spirit and are tremendously unified, which gives them great political power,\u201d senior Trump communications advisor Jason Miller said.
\nThe National Rifle Association, America’s largest pro-gun lobby, put forth that Trump was correct in saying it would be hard to protect the Second Amendment if Clinton appoints new justices.
\n\u201cBut there IS something we will do on #ElectionDay: Show up and vote for the #2A!\u201d the group posted on Twitter.
\nTrump’s remarks were not Wednesday’s only campaign trail scandal.
\nClinton faced questions after the father of the gunman who killed 49 people at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida was spotted at her open rally Wednesday night in nearby Kissimmee.
\nSeddique Mateen, an immigrant from Afghanistan, was caught on camera seated in the audience behind Clinton during her campaign appearance.
\n\u201cThis individual wasn’t invited as a guest, and the campaign was unaware of his attendance until after the event,\u201d Clinton’s campaign said in an email to reporters.
\nTrump is struggling to transition from his strong grassroots primary performance to a more mature head-to-head battle with Clinton.
\nHe suffers from sinking poll numbers, including a Quinnipiac University survey released Wednesday that shows him trailing Clinton in crucial battleground states Ohio and Pennsylvania, and virtually tied in Florida.
\nDemocratic lawmakers expressed shock about Trump’s comments.
\n\u201cIn this clip, Trump’s either calling for an armed revolt or the assassination of his opponent. Despicable,\u201d Democratic congressman David Cicilline posted on Twitter along with footage of Trump’s remarks.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
WASHINGTON: White House hopeful Donald Trump, already deserted by some fellow Republicans, came under sharp scrutiny Wednesday over controversial comments that some people interpreted as a threat of violence against his rival Hillary Clinton. Trump’s intended message was not immediately clear, but lawmakers, former national security officials and other critics expressed concern that he had […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1073,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1067","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-world"],"yoast_head":"\n