Trump suggests ‘a lack of spirit between the white and the black’

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump said Thursday that the white and black communities could use more “spirit” between them.

“It just seems that there’s a lack of spirit between the white and the black. I mean it’s a terrible thing that we’re witnessing. You are seeing it. I’m seeing it,” Trump said.

He made this reflection during a “Fox & Friends” interview, in which he was asked about the ongoing turmoil in Charlotte, N.C.

A second night of protests hit the city in the aftermath following the fatal shooting of Keith Scott by a police officer on Tuesday. Multiple officers have been injured in the protests, and one person was left on life support after being shot during Wednesday’s demonstrations. Police said it was the result of a “civilian on civilian” confrontation.

Slideshow: Protests erupt after deadly police shooting in Charlotte, N.C. >>>

Some Charlotte residents feel Scott’s shooting fits a pattern of police violence against black men, although the officer who shot Scott is also black, the Charlotte Observer reported. Authorities say Scott had a gun, which was found at the scene; his family says he was unarmed.

“Well, it’s, ‘Wow, here we go again,” Trump said on Fox News when asked for his thoughts on the Charlotte situation. “It’s very sad. When you look at what’s going on, it’s very sad. It’s very divided, our country. And it’s getting worse, so I’m not overly surprised to see it. But it’s happening.”

The day before, Trump said he was more disturbed by another fatal police shooting of a black man, Terence Crutcher, whom authorities say was unarmed. The attorney of the Tulsa, Okla., officer who shot Crutcher said the officer believed he was reaching for a gun when she opened fire at the end of last week.

“That man was hands up. That man went to the car, hands up. To me, it looked like he did everything you’re supposed to do,” Trump said, describing a video of the Tulsa incident. “He looked like a really good man.”

Slideshow: Terence Crutcher fatally shot by Tulsa, Okla., police officer >>>

Since he secured the GOP nomination, Trump has been softening some of his strident rhetoric and positions on racial issues. For example, while his comments Thursday were sympathetic to protesters, during the primary, Trump said the Black Lives Matter movement was “looking for trouble.” And he has muddled his vow to deport all of the estimated 11 million people who illegally immigrated to the U.S.

During his “Fox & Friends” interview, Trump also called for bringing the NYPD’s controversial stop-and-frisk program — which was curtailed in New York City and ruled unconstitutional by a judge — to Chicago. Most of the people frisked by the NYPD during the program were black and Latino.

“Some people think that’s a great idea. And some people probably don’t like it. But when you have 3,000 people shot and so many people dying, I mean, it’s worse than some of the places we’re hearing about like Afghanistan,” he said. “I think Chicago needs stop-and-frisk,” he added.

For her part, Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton said the police-involved shootings in Tulsa and Charlotte highlighted an “intolerable” situation.