Donald Trump encouraged his supporters to engage in violence against peaceful protesters at his rallies by saying on Sunday that he is considering paying the legal fees of a North Carolina man who punched a protester in the face. Time reports:
Donald Trump on Sunday said he was "looking into" paying the legal fees for the man who sucker-punched a protester during a campaign rally in North Carolina. The Republican presidential front-runner addressed a violent incident that took place Wednesday at a rally in Fayetteville, N.C. during his appearance Sunday on Meet the Press. John McGraw, a 78-year-old Trump supporter, was charged with assault and disorderly conduct after multiple videos surfaced showing him punching a protester in the face, authorities said. Trump said the man "got carried away" with his actions before saying he doesn't condone violence. "He obviously loves his country, and maybe he doesn't like seeing what's happening to the country," Trump told the show's host, Chuck Todd. When asked if the billionaire businessman would pay the man's legal fees if he could, Trump said: "I've actually instructed my people to look into it, yes." McGraw defended his actions, telling Inside Edition that he enjoyed punching 26-year-old Rakeem Jones and that the protester "deserved it." "You bet I liked it. Knocking the hell out of that big mouth," McGraw said. "The next time we see him, we might have to kill him. We don't know who he is. He might be with a terrorist organization."
Trump has said that his supporters have only resorted to violence in response to violent protesters, but the video clealry shows that the protester punched in the face was not a threat to anyone as he was being escorted out of the rally.