Trump Tries To Brush Off Controversies At Phoenix Rally, Other Key Highlights
President Donald Trump held a campaign-style “Make America Great Again” rally in Phoenix, Arizona, on Tuesday night, a day after he revealed his much-awaited Afghanistan plan. During the rally, he made several stinging comments attacking the media and held no reservations in speaking about the controversies surrounding his administration, including the recent Charlottesville violence and raging tensions with North Korea. He also urged the people of America to "come together." However, the speech ended up dividing Twitter.
POTUS took the criticism against the media to a whole new level as he said: “Truly dishonest people in the media and the fake media, they make up sources... they don't report the facts, just like they don't want to report that I spoke out against hatred and violence and strongly condemned the neo-Nazis, the white supremacists, and the KKK.”
In his 90-minute speech, however, Trump also took out time to defend Jeffrey Lord — former CNN contributor fired over tweeting a Nazi victory salute. While referring to Lord and condemning the violence triggered by a white supremacist rally in Virginia, Trump seemed to contradict himself.
The president also contradicted White House Spokeswoman Sarah Sanders, when he signaled a possible pardon for Joe Arpaio. The former Arizona sheriff was convicted by a federal court of disobeying court orders to stop his traffic patrols targeting immigrants. The White House spokeswoman on Tuesday told the journalists there would be no discussion about Arpaio at the rally.
But Trump hinted the sheriff “can feel good.” "I won't do it tonight because I don't want to cause any controversy, all right?" he said.
Assuring that his administration was working to reduce tensions with Pyongyang, he said, "And maybe - probably not, but maybe - something positive can come about.” Referring to the North Korean leader, Kim Jong Un, he said, “I respect the fact that he is starting to respect us.”
At a time when several parts of the United States are simmering with racial tensions, Trump asked the people of the country to “come together.” However, it seems, his speech divided social media users on Twitter.
#PhoenixRally was one of the top Twitter trends after the political event began. Some Twitter users posted videos as the protests held against Trump’s rally turned violent.
However, one Twitter user claimed the protests had not turned violent.
Ahead of the rally, thousands of protesters had gathered outside the Phoenix Convention Centre on Tuesday to demonstrate against Trump’s first political event since the Charlottesville violence. The demonstrations that began on a peaceful note turned unruly after the president began his address, according to some reports, when police officers used pepper spray to disperse the protesters.
Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton had earlier urged Trump to delay the rally. “I am disappointed that President Trump has chosen to hold a campaign rally as our nation is still healing from the tragic events in Charlottesville,” he said in a statement.
By the time the rally came to an end, the micro-blogging site was flooded with posts where users mocked the president over his comments.
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