President Donald Trump spouted numerous baseless conspiracy theories and attacked Black Lives Matter protesters while claiming his own supporters were peacefully demonstrating during a lengthy interview with Fox News host Laura Ingraham on Monday.
When asked if his supporters should confront Black Lives Matter protesters ― as they have been doing in various cities ― Trump said that should be left to law enforcement. Then, he proceeded to call his base “wonderful, hardworking, tremendous” people who were shocked by the violence and were simply engaging in “peaceful protest.”
In Portland, Oregon, which has been rocked by demonstrations since the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis in May, Trump supporters drove a convoy of more than 600 vehicles through the city over the weekend. Some were filmed shooting paintball guns and pepper spray at Black Lives Matter protesters. An apparent member of Patriot Prayer, a right-wing group whose supporters have frequently clashed with demonstrators in Portland, died in a shooting during the violence on Saturday.
“You know it’s amazing, they want to protest, and they get criticized,” Trump said. “The other people run through the streets, burn down storefronts, hurt people, beat people and kill people.”
50 PHOTOSProtests across the U.S. over Jacob Blake shooting in WisconsinSee GalleryProtests across the U.S. over Jacob Blake shooting in Wisconsin
Police try to secure businesses after protesters set fire to an office in the background late Monday, Aug. 24, 2020, in Kenosha, Wis. Protesters converged on the county courthouse during a second night of clashes after the police shooting of Jacob Blake a day earlier turned Kenosha into the nation’s latest flashpoint city in a summer of racial unrest. (AP Photo/David Goldman)
A protester attempts to continue standing through a cloud of tear gas fired by police outside the Kenosha County Courthouse, late Monday, Aug. 24, 2020, in Kenosha, Wis. Protesters converged on the county courthouse during a second night of clashes after the police shooting of Jacob Blake a day earlier turned Kenosha into the nation’s latest flashpoint city in a summer of racial unrest. (AP Photo/David Goldman)
Protesters take cover from tear gas fired by police outside the Kenosha County Courthouse, late Monday, Aug. 24, 2020, in Kenosha, Wis. Protesters converged on the county courthouse during a second night of clashes after the police shooting of Jacob Blake a day earlier turned Kenosha into the nation’s latest flashpoint city in a summer of racial unrest. (AP Photo/David Goldman)
Bystanders look on as cars burn after protesters set fire to a used auto lot late Monday, Aug. 24, 2020, in Kenosha, Wis. Protests have been sparked by the shooting of Jacob Blake by a Kenosha Police officer a day earlier. (AP Photo/David Goldman)
Police in riot gear stand in a line against protesters next to a message spay painted on the Kenosha County Courthouse, late Monday, Aug. 24, 2020, in Kenosha, Wis. Protesters converged on the county courthouse during a second night of clashes after the police shooting of Jacob Blake a day earlier turned Kenosha into the nation’s latest flashpoint city in a summer of racial unrest. (AP Photo/David Goldman)
Police attempt to push back protesters outside the Kenosha County Courthouse, late Monday, Aug. 24, 2020, in Kenosha, Wis. Protesters converged on the county courthouse during a second night of clashes after the police shooting of Jacob Blake a day earlier turned Kenosha into the nation’s latest flashpoint city in a summer of racial unrest. (AP Photo/David Goldman)
A protester attempts to stand through a cloud of tear gas fired by police outside the Kenosha County Courthouse, late Monday, Aug. 24, 2020, in Kenosha, Wis. Protesters converged on the county courthouse during a second night of clashes after the police shooting of Jacob Blake a day earlier turned Kenosha into the nation’s latest flashpoint city in a summer of racial unrest. (AP Photo/David Goldman)
Police stand near a building that was on fire during protests, Monday, Aug. 24, 2020, in Kenosha, Wis., sparked by the shooting of Jacob Blake by a Kenosha Police officer a day earlier. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
A protester walks past a building that was on fire during protests Monday, Aug. 24, 2020, in Kenosha, Wis., sparked by the shooting of Jacob Blake by a Kenosha Police officer on Sunday. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Police clash with protesters near the Kenosha County Courthouse, Monday, Aug. 24, 2020, in Kenosha, Wis. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
A protester lights a cigarette on a garbage truck that was set on fire during protests late Monday, Aug. 24, 2020, in Kenosha, Wis., sparked by the shooting of Jacob Blake by a Kenosha Police officer a day earlier. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Police clash with protesters near the Kenosha County Courthouse, Monday, Aug. 24, 2020, in Kenosha, Wis. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Police clash with protesters near the Kenosha County Courthouse, Monday, Aug. 24, 2020, in Kenosha, Wis. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Police try to secure businesses after protesters set fire to an office in the background late Monday, Aug. 24, 2020, in Kenosha, Wis. Protests have erupted following the police shooting of Jacob Blake a day earlier. (AP Photo/David Goldman)
A protester shouts toward police after getting injured during clashes between the two sides late Monday, Aug. 24, 2020, in Kenosha, Wis. Protesters converged on the county courthouse during a second night of clashes after the police shooting of Jacob Blake a day earlier turned Kenosha into the nation’s latest flashpoint city in a summer of racial unrest. (AP Photo/David Goldman)
An American flag flies above the department of corrections building, late Monday, Aug. 24, 2020, in Kenosha, Wis. Protests have erupted following the police shooting of Jacob Blake a day earlier. (AP Photo/David Goldman)
LOUISVILLE, KY- AUGUST 23: Black Lives Matter protestors demonstrate at the corner of 6th and Broadway in Louisville, Kentucky after the police shooting of Jacob Blake on August 23, 2020 in Kenosha, Wisconsin . Credit: Chris Tuite/ImageSPACE/MediaPunch /IPX
LOUISVILLE, KY- AUGUST 23: Black Lives Matter protestors demonstrate at the corner of 6th and Broadway in Louisville, Kentucky after the police shooting of Jacob Blake on August 23, 2020 in Kenosha, Wisconsin . Credit: Chris Tuite/ImageSPACE/MediaPunch /IPX
LOUISVILLE, KY- AUGUST 23: Black Lives Matter protestors demonstrate at the corner of 6th and Broadway in Louisville, Kentucky after the police shooting of Jacob Blake on August 23, 2020 in Kenosha, Wisconsin . Credit: Chris Tuite/ImageSPACE/MediaPunch /IPX
LOUISVILLE, KY- AUGUST 23: A Black Lives Matter protestor demonstrates at the corner of 6th and Broadway in Louisville, Kentucky after the police shooting of Jacob Blake on August 23, 2020 in Kenosha, Wisconsin . Credit: Chris Tuite/ImageSPACE/MediaPunch /IPX
LOUISVILLE, KY- AUGUST 23: Black Lives Matter protestors demonstrate at the corner of 6th and Broadway in Louisville, Kentucky after the police shooting of Jacob Blake on August 23, 2020 in Kenosha, Wisconsin . Credit: Chris Tuite/ImageSPACE/MediaPunch /IPX
LOUISVILLE, KY- AUGUST 23: A Black Lives Matter protestor demonstrates at the corner of 6th and Broadway in Louisville, Kentucky after the police shooting of Jacob Blake on August 23, 2020 in Kenosha, Wisconsin . Credit: Chris Tuite/ImageSPACE/MediaPunch /IPX
A protester stands in a cloud of tear gas near a burning garbage truck outside the Kenosha County Courthouse, late Monday, Aug. 24, 2020, in Kenosha, Wis. Protesters converged on the county courthouse during a second night of clashes after the police shooting of Jacob Blake a day earlier turned Kenosha into the nation’s latest flashpoint city in a summer of racial unrest. (AP Photo/David Goldman)
A protester stands on a car as they stop traffic Monday, Aug. 24, 2020, in Kenosha, Wis. Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers has summoned the National Guard to head off another round of violent protests after the police shooting of a Black man turned Kenosha into the nation’s latest flashpoint city in a summer of racial unrest. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Burned out vehicles are seen Monday, Aug. 24, 2020, in Kenosha, Wis. Many of the cars were set on fire during protests Sunday night after a police shooting in the city. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Protesters walk past police with their arms up, late Monday, Aug. 24, 2020, in Kenosha, Wis., as a building burns in the background. Protests have erupted following the police shooting of Jacob Blake a day earlier. (AP Photo/David Goldman)
A protester stands off with police in riot gear outside the Kenosha County Courthouse, late Monday, Aug. 24, 2020, in Kenosha, Wis. Protesters converged on the county courthouse during a second night of clashes after the police shooting of Jacob Blake a day earlier turned Kenosha into the nation’s latest flashpoint city in a summer of racial unrest. (AP Photo/David Goldman)
Police stand near a garbage truck ablaze during protests, Monday, Aug. 24, 2020, in Kenosha, Wis., sparked by the shooting of Jacob Blake by a Kenosha Police officer a day earlier. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Police stand near a department of corrections building ablaze during protests, Monday, Aug. 24, 2020, in Kenosha, Wis., sparked by the shooting of Jacob Blake by a Kenosha Police officer a day earlier. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
A protester walks past a building with broken windows as others burn during protests, Monday, Aug. 24, 2020, in Kenosha, Wis., sparked by the shooting of Jacob Blake by a Kenosha Police officer a day earlier. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
A man walks near an office on fire, late Monday, Aug. 24, 2020, in Kenosha, Wis. Protests have erupted following the police shooting of Jacob Blake a day earlier. (AP Photo/David Goldman)
A protester stands near a burning garbage truck outside the Kenosha County Courthouse, late Monday, Aug. 24, 2020, in Kenosha, Wis. Protesters converged on the county courthouse during a second night of clashes after the police shooting of Jacob Blake a day earlier turned Kenosha into the nation’s latest flashpoint city in a summer of racial unrest. (AP Photo/David Goldman)
Police clash with protesters near the Kenosha County Courthouse, Monday, Aug. 24, 2020, in Kenosha, Wis. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Protesters link arms in front of a police line outside the Kenosha County courthouse Monday, Aug. 24, 2020, in Kenosha, Wis. Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers has summoned the National Guard to head off another round of violent protests after the police shooting of a Black man turned Kenosha into the nation’s latest flashpoint city in a summer of racial unrest. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Protesters chant outside the Kenosha County courthouse Monday, Aug. 24, 2020, in Kenosha, Wis. Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers has summoned the National Guard to head off another round of violent protests after the police shooting of a Black man turned Kenosha into the nation’s latest flashpoint city in a summer of racial unrest. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Protesters link arms in front of a police line outside the Kenosha County courthouse Monday, Aug. 24, 2020, in Kenosha, Wis. Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers has summoned the National Guard to head off another round of violent protests after the police shooting of a Black man turned Kenosha into the nation’s latest flashpoint city in a summer of racial unrest. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Police try to secure the public safety building from protesters Monday, Aug. 24, 2020, in Kenosha, Wis.Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers has summoned the National Guard to head off another round of violent protests after the police shooting of a Black man under murky circumstances turned Kenosha into the nation’s latest flashpoint city in a summer of racial unrest.(AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Police try to secure the public safety building from protesters Monday, Aug. 24, 2020, in Kenosha, Wis.Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers has summoned the National Guard to head off another round of violent protests after the police shooting of a Black man under murky circumstances turned Kenosha into the nation’s latest flashpoint city in a summer of racial unrest.(AP Photo/Morry Gash)
A small group of Black Lives Matter protesters hold a rally on the steps of the Kenosha County courthouse Monday, Aug. 24, 2020, in Kenosha, Wis. Kenosha police shot a man Sunday evening, setting off unrest in the city after a video appeared to show the officer firing several shots at close range into the man’s back. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
A small group of Black Lives Matter protesters hold a rally on the steps of the Kenosha County courthouse Monday, Aug. 24, 2020, in Kenosha, Wis. Kenosha police shot a man Sunday evening, setting off unrest in the city after a video appeared to show the officer firing several shots at close range into the man’s back. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
A woman is seen through a broken window at the Harborside Academy Monday, Aug. 24, 2020, in Kenosha, Wis. The windows were broken after protests broke out late Sunday night following a police shooting. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
A small group of Black Lives Matter protesters march near the sight of a police shooting Monday, Aug. 24, 2020, in Kenosha, Wis. Kenosha police shot a man Sunday evening, setting off unrest in the city after a video appeared to show the officer firing several shots at close range into the man’s back. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Burned out vehicles are seen Monday, Aug. 24, 2020, in Kenosha, Wis. Many of the cars were set on fire during protests Sunday night after a police shooting in the city. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
A protester walks past a building ablaze during protests Monday, Aug. 24, 2020, in Kenosha, Wis., sparked by the shooting of Jacob Blake by a Kenosha Police officer on Sunday. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Police clash with protesters near the Kenosha County Courthouse, Monday, Aug. 24, 2020, in Kenosha, Wis. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Police take cover behind armored vehicles during clashes with protesters late Monday, Aug. 24, 2020, in Kenosha, Wis. Protesters converged on the county courthouse during a second night of clashes after the police shooting of Jacob Blake a day earlier turned Kenosha into the nation’s latest flashpoint city in a summer of racial unrest. (AP Photo/David Goldman)
LOUISVILLE, KY- AUGUST 23: Black Lives Matter protestors demonstrate at the corner of 6th and Broadway in Louisville, Kentucky after the police shooting of Jacob Blake on August 23, 2020 in Kenosha, Wisconsin . Credit: Chris Tuite/ImageSPACE/MediaPunch /IPX
LOUISVILLE, KY- AUGUST 23: Black Lives Matter protestors demonstrate at the corner of 6th and Broadway in Louisville, Kentucky after the police shooting of Jacob Blake on August 23, 2020 in Kenosha, Wisconsin . Credit: Chris Tuite/ImageSPACE/MediaPunch /IPX
Protesters walk past police with their arms up, late Monday, Aug. 24, 2020, in Kenosha, Wis., as a building burns in the background. Protests have erupted following the police shooting of Jacob Blake a day earlier. (AP Photo/David Goldman)
Police stand near a building that was on fire during protests, Monday, Aug. 24, 2020, in Kenosha, Wis., sparked by the shooting of Jacob Blake by a Kenosha Police officer on Sunday. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)Up Next
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In Kenosha, Wisconsin, protests erupted after the Aug. 23 shooting of Jacob Blake, a Black man who was shot seven times in the back by police. Blake was left paralyzed in the incident, which was caught on video and shared widely on social media. To date, the cop has not been charged.
Three days later, two people died and another was wounded when Kyle Rittenhouse, a white 17-year-old vigilante and apparent supporter of the president, allegedly fired on people protesting the Blake attack. He was charged as an adult with two counts of first-degree homicide and one count of attempted homicide.
At a press conference on Monday, Trump defended Rittenhouse and repeatedly refused to condemn his other supporters in Portland, claiming the paintball guns were for “defense.”
Later in the Fox News interview, Trump claimed unnamed people in “dark shadows” were pulling the strings behind his Democratic opponent, former Vice President Joe Biden, a claim which even Ingraham said, “sounds like a conspiracy theory.”
“There are people that are on the streets,” Trump continued. “There are people that are controlling the streets.”
He claimed there was an apparent secret plot to damage a plane over the weekend, but refused to provide any clarifying details.
“We had somebody get on a plane from a certain city this weekend. And in the plane, it was almost completely loaded with thugs, wearing these dark uniforms, black uniforms, with gear and this and that,” he said.
Trump compared the Wisconsin police officer who shot Blake to a golfer who chokes by missing an easy putt, and said the police were “under siege.” He baselessly declared that Portland had been burning for decades and asserted that protesters there wanted to kill Mayor Ted Wheeler (D). Trump also repeatedly blamed the civil unrest in Portland, Kenosha and other cities across the country on Biden and Democratic leaders.
- This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
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