FRONT-RUNNER DONALD TRUMP.
MR. TRUMP, WELCOME BACK TO "MEET
THE PRESS," SIR.
>> GOOD MORNING. >> I GOT TO START WITH WHAT'S
BEEN HAPPENING OVER THE LAST 48
TO 72 HOURS.
DO YOU ACCEPT ANY RESPONSIBILITY
WHATSOEVER FOR THE ESCALATED
TENSION THAT TAKES PLACE AT YOUR
RALLIES?
>> WELL, I THINK IF ANYTHING A
LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE PRAISED ME
FOR CANCELING THE ONE RALLY.
WE HAD 25,000 PEOPLE COMING, WE
GOT A LOT OF THEM NOT TO COME
THROUGH NOTICE.
AND THE REST OF THEM WE CANCELED
BECAUSE WE HAD DISRUPTERS OUT
THERE. THEY WEREN'T REALLY PROTESTERS,
THEY WERE DISRUPTERS, LIKE
PROFESSIONALS.
THEY HAD BERNIE SANDERS SIGNS
ALL OVER THE PLACE AND MADE BY
BERNIE SANDERS PEOPLE.
THESE WERE PROFESSIONALLY MADE
SIGNS. AND RATHER THAN GOING, WHICH I
COULD HAVE DONE PRETTY EASILY, I
WOULD HAVE GONE, MADE A SPEECH,
YOU WOULD HAVE HAD AN AWFULLY
BIG RIOT AND A LOT OF PEOPLE
WOULD HAVE BEEN HURT.
AND I'VE BEEN GIVEN A LOT OF
CREDIT FOR NOT GOING.
AND EVERYBODY DISBURSED AND
NOBODY WAS INJURED OR HURT OR
BEYOND THAT.
>> OKAY. BUT EARLIER IN THE WEEK THERE
WAS AN INCIDENT BETWEEN A SUPPORTER OF YOURS AND A
PROTESTER.
AND I WANT TO PLAY A PIECE OF
SOUND FROM A COUPLE WEEKS AGO
FROM YOU AND ASK YOU ABOUT IT ON
THE OTHER SIDE.
>> THERE'S A GUY TOTALLY
DISRUPTIVE THROWING PUNCHES.
I LOVE THE OLD DAYS.
YOU KNOW WHAT THEY USED TO DO TO
GUYS LIKE THAT WHEN THEY WERE IN
A PLACE LIKE THIS?
THEY'D BE CARRIED OUT ON A
STRETCHER, FOLKS. LIKE TO PUNCH HIM IN THE FACE,
I'LL TELL YA.
>> MR. TRUMP, 17 DAYS LATER THAT
ACTUALLY HAPPENED.
ONE OF YOUR SUPPORTERS DECIDED
TO SUCKER PUNCH A PROTESTER.
DO YOU ACCEPT ANY RESPONSIBILITY
FOR CREATING THIS ATMOSPHERE?
>> I DON'T ACCEPT
RESPONSIBILITY. I DO NOT CONDONE VIOLENCE IN ANY
SHAPE. AND I WILL TELL YOU FROM WHAT I
SAW THE YOUNG MAN STUCK HIS
FINGER UP IN THE AIR AND THE
OTHER MAN SORT OF JUST HAD IT.
BUT I STILL I DON'T CONDONE
VIOLENCE.
AS FAR AS MY PREVIOUS STATEMENT,
WE HAD SOMEBODY THAT WAS
PUNCHING AND VICIOUS AND GONE
CRAZY, A DISRUPTER.
THEY'RE NOT PROTESTERS.
I'M TELLING YOU, THEY'RE
DISRUPTERS. THEY'RE PROFESSIONALS.
HE WENT ABSOLUTELY WILD
PUNCHING. AND FRANKLY, WHEN THEY PUNCH,
IT'S OKAY.
WHEN MY PEOPLE PUNCH BACK
BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO OUT OF
SELF-DEFENSE, EVERYBODY SAYS, OH, ISN'T THAT TERRIBLE.
THE FACT IS THAT WE HAVE VERY
PEACEFUL RALLIES.
I'VE HAD MANY, MANY RALLIES -- I
HAVE 25 -- 30,000 PEOPLE COMING
TO RALLIES.
AND OUT OF THAT WE HAVE VERY
LITTLE PROBLEM.
WE HAVEN'T HAD A REAL INJURY OR
ANYTHING. AND THEN CHICAGO I CANCELED AND
I DID A GREAT THING BY CANCELING
IT BECAUSE WHO NEEDS THE
PROBLEMS, WHO NEEDS PEOPLE
GETTING HURT? I DIDN'T WANT THAT.
>> BUT WHEN YOU SAY --
>> SO INSTEAD OF GETTING --
>> BUT MR. TRUMP, WHEN YOU SAY
YOU SEE SOMEBODY GETTING READY
TO THROW A TOMATO, KNOCKED CRAP
OUT OF THEM.
I PROMISE I'LL PAY FOR YOUR
LEGAL FEES. HOW IS THAT NOT CONDONING WHAT
THIS OLDER GENERAL M EER GENTLES
PROTESTER?
>> LET ME EXPLAIN WHAT HAPPENED.
I WAS TOLD BY THE SECRET
SERVICE, SIR, THERE'S A
PERSON -- OR TWO PEOPLE IN THE
AUDIENCE THAT HAVE TOMATOES.
THEY ARE GOING TO THROW THEM AT
YOU, WE THINK. IF THEY DO THROW THEM, YOU HAVE
TO BE PREPARED.
NOW, YOU GET HIT IN THE FACE
WITH A TOMATO, LET ME TELL YOU
SOMEBODY WITH A STRONG ARM AT
LEAST, LET ME TELL YOU IT CAN BE
VERY DAMAGING.
NOT GOOD.
SO I WAS TOLD PEOPLE WERE IN THE
AUDIENCE -- TWO PEOPLE WITH
TOMATOES THAT THEY'RE GOING TO
THROW THEM AT ME.
WHAT I DID IS SAY, BY THE WAY,
IF YOU SEE ANYBODY WITH TOMAT S
TOMATOES, RIGHT AT THE
BEGINNING. >> YEAH. >> YOU GOT TO STOP THEM.
DO WHATEVER YOU HAVE TO DO.
I HAVE NO OBJECTION TO WHAT I
SAID.
I WOULD SAY IT AGAIN.
PEOPLE ARE THERE DOING HARM, YOU
HAVE TO GO AND YOU HAVE TO USE
EQUAL FORCE.
>> DO YOU PLANT --
>> IT'S NOT FAIR. IT'S A ONE WAY STREET.
>> I'M CURIOUS, DO YOU PLAN ON
PAYING FOR THE LEGAL FEES OF
THIS OLDER GENTLEMAN WHO PUNCHED
THE PROTESTER?
>> I WANT TO SEE WHAT THAT YOUNG
MAN WAS DOING.
HE WAS VERY TAUNTING.
HE WAS VERY LOUD.
VERY DISRUPTIVE.
AND FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND HE
WAS STICKING A CERTAIN FINGER UP
IN THE AIR. AND THAT IS A TERRIBLE THING TO
DO IN FRONT OF SOMEBODY THAT,
FRANKLY, WANTS TO SEE AMERICA
MADE GREAT AGAIN. AND SO WE'LL SEE.
I'M GOING TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT.
>> AND THAT CONDONES -- AND THAT
CONDONES A SUCKER PUNCH THOUGH?
>> NO, AS I TOLD YOU BEFORE,
NOTHING CONDONES.
BUT I WANT TO SEE.
THE MAN GOT CARRIED AWAY.
HE WAS 78 YEARS OLD.
HE OBVIOUSLY LOVES THIS COUNTRY.
AND MAYBE HE DOESN'T LIKE SEEING
WHAT'S HAPPENING TO THE COUNTRY.
I WANT TO SEE THE FULL TAPE.
>> SO YOU MIGHT PAY FOR HIS
LEGAL FEES?
>> I -- WELL, I'M GOING TO LOOK
AT IT. I'M GOING TO SEE WHAT WAS BEHIND
THIS BECAUSE IT WAS A STRANGE
EVENT. BUT FROM WHAT I HEARD THERE WAS
A -- YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A LOT
OF TAUNTING AND A CERTAIN FINGER
WAS PLACED IN THE AIR.
NOT NICE.
AGAIN, I DON'T CONDONE THE
VIOLENCE.
I DON'T CONDONE WHAT HE DID, BUT
YOU KNOW WHAT --
>> SO IT'S POSSIBLE -- IT'S
POSSIBLE YOU COULD HELP HIM WITH
LEGAL FEES IF THIS MAN NEEDS IT?
>> I'VE ACTUALLY INSTRUCTED MY
PEOPLE TO LOOK INTO IT, YES.
>> OKAY.
I WANT TO ASK YOU ABOUT THE
MOMENT YESTERDAY IN DAYTON.
LOOKED LIKE A SCARY MOMENT BEING
RUSHED TO THE STAGE.
I WANT TO ASK YOU, YOU SAID IT
WAS -- YOU PRAISED THE SECRET
SERVICE, BUT THEN YOU SAID THE
MAN HAD TIES TO ISIS.
TURNED OUT TO BE A HOAX.
DID YOU GO OVER THE TOP THERE ON
THAT? WHERE DID YOU --
>> NO, NO.
HE WAS -- IF YOU LOOK ON THE
INTERNET, IF YOU LOOK INTO
CLIPS --
>> TURNED OUT TO BE A HOAX.
SOMEBODY MADE THAT UP, SIR.
>> HE HAD TALK -- WELL, I DON'T
KNOW WHAT THEY MADE UP.
ALL I CAN DO IS PLAY WHAT'S
THERE.
HE WAS WALKING DRAGGING THE
AMERICAN FLAG ON THE GROUND.
IS THAT A CORRECT STATEMENT?
WAS THAT A HOAX TOO?
>> WELL, THAT --
>> WAS HE JUST DRAGGING IT
ALONG? >> I'M TALKING ABOUT THE ISIS
TWEET. >> YOU DIDN'T SEE THE CLIP.
>> WE'RE PLAYING THE CLIP RIGHT
NOW. >> YOU DIDN'T SEE THE CLIP.
HE WAS PLAYING ARABIC MUSIC.
HE WAS DRAGGING THE FLAG ALONG
THE GROUND AND HE HAD INTERNET
CHATTER WITH ISIS AND ABOUT
ISIS. SO I DON'T KNOW IF HE WAS OR
NOT, BUT ALL WE DID WAS PUT OUT
WHAT HE HAD ON HIS INTERNET.
HE'S DRAGGING THE FLAG, THE
AMERICAN FLAG, WHICH I RESPECT
OBVIOUSLY MORE THAN YOU.
HE WAS DRAGGING THE AMERICAN
FLAG ON THE GROUND LIKE IT WAS A
PIECE OF GARBAGE.
OKAY. I DON'T LIKE THAT.
AND A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T LIKE
THAT.
AND HE ALSO HAD CHATTER ABOUT
ISIS OR WITH ISIS.
AND YOU TAKE A LOOK AT IT.
I MEAN, PEOPLE ARE LOOKING AT IT
VERY SERIOUSLY NOW, BUT YOU HAVE
TO CHECK IT BEFORE YOU ASK THE
QUESTION.
>> WE HAVE CHECKED IT, THAT'S MY
POINT, SIR. THERE'S NO TIES TO ISIS FOR THIS
MAN.
NO LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIAL.
AND THIS VIDEO THAT YOU LINK TO
APPEARS TO BE A HOAX.
>> OKAY.
WELL, WAS IT A HOAX THAT HE'S
DRAGGING THE FLAG?
WAS THAT HIM?
IT LOOKED LIKE THE SAME MAN TO
ME.
HE WAS DRAGGING A FLAG ALONG THE
GROUND.
AND HE WAS PLAYING A CERTAIN
TYPE OF MUSIC.
AND SUPPOSEDLY THERE WAS CHATTER
ABOUT ISIS.
NOW, I DON'T KNOW.
WHAT DO I KNOW ABOUT IT?
ALL I KNOW IS WHAT'S ON THE
INTERNET. AND I DON'T LIKE TO SEE A MAN
DRAGGING THE AMERICAN FLAG ALONG
THE GROUND IN A MOCKING FASHION.
>> ALL RIGHT.
I WANT TO -- MARCO RUBIO SAID
SOME PRETTY TOUGH THINGS ABOUT
YOU YESTERDAY.
I WANT TO PLAY IT AND GET YOU TO
REACT TO IT ON THE OTHER SIDE.
>> HE DOESN'T WANT TO SAY
ANYTHING TO HIS SUPPORTERS
BECAUSE HE DOESN'T WANT TO TURN
THEM OFF. BECAUSE HE UNDERSTANDS THE
REASON WHY THEY ARE VOTING FOR
HIM IS BECAUSE HE'S TAPPED INTO
THIS ANGER.
WHEN THE PERSON YOU'RE
SUPPORTING FOR PRESIDENT IS
GOING AROUND SAYING THINGS LIKE
GO AHEAD AND SLAP HIM AROUND,
I'LL PAY YOUR LEGAL FEES, WHAT
DO YOU THINK'S GOING TO HAPPEN
NEXT? SOMEONE'S GOING TO ACTUALLY
LITERALLY BELIEVE IT AND TAKE IT
UPON THEMSELVES. >> MARCO RUBIO RIGHT?
ARE YOU AFRAID TO TELL YOUR
SUPPORTERS TO BACK OFF?
>> LOOK, FIRST OF ALL, MARCO
RUBIO HAS THE WORST VOTING
RECORD IN THE UNITED STATES
SENATE IN MANY, MANY YEARS.
HE DOESN'T EVEN SHOW UP TO VOTE.
HE'S DEFRAUDED THE PEOPLE OF
FLORIDA.
HE WON'T EVEN SHOW UP TO VOTE.
AND I WANT TO TELL YOU, FOR HIM
TO BE TALKING LIKE THAT IS
ABSOLUTELY A SHAME.
I HAVE GREAT SUPPORT.
I HAVE GREAT SUPPORTERS FAR
GREATER THAN YOU UNDERSTAND.
THE FACT IS IF YOU LOOK AT
THE -- IF YOU LOOK AT THE POLLS
GOING IN FOR THE PRIMARIES.
>> YEAH.
>> IF YOU LOOK -- AND THE
CAUCUSES. WE'RE UP 65% AND 70%.
SOME ARE UP 102%.
MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF PEOPLE
ARE ENERGIZED.
THEY'RE GOING AND VOTING.
BY THE WAY, THAT'S NOT FOR MARCO
RUBIO AND NOT FOR LYING TED
CRUZ, THAT'S FOR TRUMP.
THEY'RE THERE VOTING FOR TRUMP.
>> OKAY. >> BECAUSE THEY WANT TO SEE
AMERICA BE MADE GREAT AGAIN.
>> I UNDERSTAND THAT.
BUT I WANT TO BUTTON THIS UP A
LITTLE BIT. THIS VIOLENCE ON THE CAMPAIGN
TRAIL, IT'S GOT A LOT OF PEOPLE
CONCERNED.
AND I GUESS, WHY WON'T YOU GO UP
ON STAGE AND RATCHET IT BACK?
YOU'VE USED RHETORIC ABOUT ISLAM
HATES US, SURVEILLANCE OF
CERTAIN MOSQUES, CALLING MEXICAN
IMMIGRANTS RAPISTS.
WHAT DID YOU EXPECT?
A LOT OF PEOPLE SAY YOU'RE
REAPING WHAT YOU SOW HERE, THAT
THE REASON YOU HAVE SO MUCH VIOLENCE AT RALLIES IS YOU USE
THE RHETORIC.
>> THE REASON THERE'S TENSION AT
MY RALLIES IS THAT THESE PEOPLE
ARE SICK AND TIRED OF THIS
COUNTRY BEING RUN BY INCOMPETENT
PEOPLE THAT DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING ON TRADE DEALS
WHERE OUR JOBS ARE BEING RIPPED
OUT OF OUR COUNTRY, CHUCK.
THEY'RE BEING RIPPED OUT.
ON ISIS WHERE WE CAN'T EVEN BEAT
ISIS WITH OUR MILITARY.
OUR MILITARY'S NOT BEING TAKEN
CARE OF.
WE CAN'T EVEN BEAT ISIS.
ON OUR VETS WHO ARE BEING
TREATED HORRIBLY, FRANKLY
THEY'RE BEING TREATED WORSE THAN
ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS.
THE PEOPLE ARE ANGRY AT THAT.
THEY'RE NOT ANGRY ABOUT
SOMETHING I'M SAYING.
I'M JUST A MESSENGER.
THE PEOPLE ARE ANGRY ABOUT THE
FACT THAT FOR 12 YEARS THE
WORKERS IN THIS COUNTRY HAVEN'T
HAD A PAY INCREASE, CHUCK, IN 12
YEARS THEY HAVEN'T HAD AN
EFFECTIVE PAY INCREASE.
>> SO YOU WILL NOT CALL FOR
RATCHETING BACK THE RHETORIC?
YOU WILL NOT CALL FOR IT?
>> WELL, I HAVEN'T SAID ANYTHING
THAT I'M JUST EXPRESSING MY
OPINION. WHAT HAVE I SAID THAT'S WRONG?
I MEAN, I TALK ABOUT ILLEGAL
IMMIGRATION, I TALK ABOUT
BUILDING A WALL, I SAY MEXICO'S
GOING TO PAY FOR THE WALL, WHICH
THEY WILL. AND ALL OF THESE THINGS.
I MEAN, WHAT HAVE I SAID THAT'S
WRONG?
YOU TELL ME. THE FACT IS THEY'RE REALLY UPSET
WITH THE WAY OUR COUNTRY IS
BEING RUN. IT'S A DISGRACE.
>> I WILL LEAVE IT THERE.
MR. TRUMP, STAY SAFE ON