CNN's Jake Tapper To Trump: “I Would Just Ask As A Fellow American” To Consider Toning Down The Rhetoric

From the March 13 edition of CNN's State of the Union:

Video file

DONALD TRUMP: We have rallies of 25 -- 30,000 people and you haven't even said anything about danger in our rallies until Friday, and the danger was ended by a very good managerial decision not to have that particular rally, to postpone it.

JAKE TAPPER (HOST): I said something about it at the debate on Thursday night because people are worried about it.

TRUMP: How many people were -- hey Jake you made a statement, Jake could I ask you a question? You made a statement that at my rallies, people are -- it's dangerous. Other than forthe other day with Chicago and the one man that rushed the stage and Secret Service did a very good job, but other than that, with thousands of people, 21,000, 25,000, 35,000 people a few weeks ago in Alabama. How many people have been injured at my rallies? Zero, zero.

TAPPER: I don't think that it's zero.

TRUMP: There's been nobody injured, but you make it like everybody's being broken down and injured. Because CNN reports very, very unfairly about me. I'll tell you what, so out of all of these rallies with thousands of thousands of people, and nobody is even close. By the way Bernie gets peanuts compared to what we get. And I say we because it's me and I'm just a messenger because there is a lot of anger in this country and it's anger at incompetence, it's anger at the border, it's anger at trade deals that are so bad for us that all our jobs are being taken out of the country, there is a lot of anger. I didn't need to do this, I have a wonderful life, I have a great, great company. I didn't need to do this, I wanted to do it because somebody has to do it.

TAPPER: I would just ask --

TRUMP: Our country is in trouble.

TAPPER: I hear you, sir. I hear you, sir, about the causes of the anger. I would just ask as a fellow American if you could consider whether or not dialing down the temperature, trying to bring down the temperature might be a healthier thing both for your campaign and for the nation at large. But that's all the time we have, thank you so much for joining us Donald Trump.

TRUMP: Well if you would report it right. Well you should report it right. Because we've had no injuries at my events with thousands of people, you just don't report it that way. So do what you have to do.

Previously:

Media Highlight Trump's Role In Inspiring Violence At His Events

Rachel Maddow: “It Is Impossible” To Call Violence At Trump's Events “An Accident”