‘There’s something going on’: Trump questions Obama’s ‘body language’ during response to Baton Rouge

Donald Trump continued to criticize President Obama’s response to the deadly shootings of police officers in Baton Rouge, La., saying America needs a “cheerleader” for law enforcement as commander in chief.

“I think we need strength,” Trump said in a phone interview with “Fox & Friends” on Monday, a day after three officers were killed and three others wounded by a lone gunman in what Louisiana officials say was an ambush. “I think we also need somebody who could be a cheerleader. He’s been a great divider in this country. I think race relations now are as bad as they’ve ever been.”

On Sunday afternoon, Obama condemned the killings in a statement from the White House.

“The death of these three brave officers underscores the danger that police across the country confront every single day,” Obama said. “And we as a nation have to be loud and clear that nothing justifies violence against law enforcement. Attacks on police are an attack on all of us and the rule of law that makes society possible.”

But Trump said the president’s “body language” told a different story.

“I watched the president. Sometimes the words are OK. But you just look at the body language — there’s something going on,” Trump said. “There’s something going on. There’s just bad feeling.”

The presumptive Republican nominee admitted that his experience with police is different than it is for African-Americans. He said “there’s something going on” within that situation as well.

“It’s probably something that we really don’t know and maybe we can’t feel it unless we’re black,” Trump said. “There’s something going on there also. And that has to do with training and that has to do with something, but there is something going on that maybe we can’t recognize it and we can’t see it unless you’re black. But it’s an experience, there’s no question about that. And perhaps it’s a difference experience.”

“Fox & Friends” host Brian Kilmeade framed his follow-up question in simpler terms.

“How do you address the issues of African-Americans in America if you’re a white guy?” Kilmeade asked.

“You have to see and you have to put yourself in their position and you have to see what’s going on,” Trump replied. “But we’re at a point now where it’s so out of control.”

It’s not the first time Trump has said “there’s something going on” with Obama’s response to a shooting. Following last month’s deadly attack on a gay nightclub in Orlando, Fla., Trump questioned the president’s commitment to fighting radical Islamic terrorism.

“We’re led by a man that either is not tough, not smart or he’s got something else in mind,” Trump said on “Fox & Friends” on June 13. “There’s something going on — it’s inconceivable. There’s something going on.”

Trump added, “He doesn’t get it, or he gets it better than anybody understands.”