Donald Trump says that “God’s hand” was involved in saving him during an assassination attempt so that he could save America – and the world.
The Republican presidential candidate addressed the attempt on his life last month at a rally in Pennsylvania during a sit-down interview with Dr Phil in Las Vegas on Tuesday.
In the hour-long, free-wheeling interview, Trump said that being president was more dangerous than a racing driver; insisted that he isn’t a threat to democracy; pushed the “Big Lie” that he had won the 2020 election; and baselessly claimed mail-in voter ballots would result in “massive fraud.”
Ahead of the interview, Trump said that he had reached an agreement with Democratic rival Kamala Harris over the rules for their first presidential debate next month.
Also on Tuesday, Special Counsel Jack Smith unveiled a fresh indictment against Trump for his alleged illegal attempts to reverse his 2020 election loss.
Meanwhile, Arlington National Cemetery officials say that Donald Trump’s campaign staff verbally abused and pushed aside a cemetery official who objected to filming and photography at gravesites during a recent visit, NPR reports. The incident occurred on Monday as the former president participated in a wreath-laying ceremony, according to the outlet. The Trump campaign has denied that the incident took place.
RFK to follow Trump on Dr Phil – interview to broadcast on Wednesday
On Wednesday evening a pre-recorded Dr Phil interview, this time with Robert F Kennedy Jr will broadcast.
The former independent presidential candidate dropped out of the race on Friday, and threw his support behind Trump.
Speaking about RFK Jr’s endorsement during his own interview on Tuesday, Trump told Dr Phil: “I’m very honored. He’s a smart guy, a different kind of a guy, he loves our country. He has some very good views on a lot of things. I’ve known him for a long time, we’re somewhat friendly actually.
However, he remaiend cagey on whether Kennedy Jr would be given a job, adding: “I think he’s going to be a great asset. Will I have him in the administration? I don’t know. We haven’t discussed it. But he adds a lot to the election.”
Watch: Trump’s full interview with Dr Phil
See below for Donald Trump’s full, hour-long, prime-time interview with clincal psychologist-turned TV show host, Dr Phil.
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Tim Walz gets real — about gutters — on TikTok show
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Watch: ‘I’m not a threat to democracy’: Trump accuses democrats for recent assassination attempt
Trump cagey over whether RFK will have a role in hypothetical second administration
Trump’s interview with Dr Phil comes a day before former independent presidential candidate Robert F Kennedy Jr will sit down with the TV host.
Kennedy dropped out of the race on Friday, and threw his support behind Trump.
Speaking about RFK Jr’s endorsement, Trump told Dr Phil: “I’m very honored. He’s a smart guy, a different kind of a guy, he loves our country. He has some very good views on a lot of things. I’ve known him for a long time, we’re somewhat friendly actually.
“I think he’s going to be a great asset. Will I have him in the administration? I don’t know. We haven’t discussed it. But he adds a lot to the election.”
Trump clarifies remarks about ‘being a dictator on day one’
Trump attempted to clarify his previous remarks about wanting to be a “dictator for one day” and ensuring people would “not have to vote again” if he were president.
At a conservative event last month, Trump said: “You’ve got to get out and vote. In four years, you don’t have to vote again, we’ll have it fixed so good you’re not going to have to vote.”
But in his interview with Dr Phil, Trump hit back at suggestions that the remarks referred to the ending of democratic elections. “I said to the Christians, we’ve got to win this election,” he said. “We win this election, I’ll straighten everything out in less than four years by a lot.
“Then you don’t have to. It doesn’t matter. In other words, I’m saying you don’t have to vote doesn’t mean we’re not going to have elections. You’re going to have elections, but you have to vote this time because we have to win.”
He added: That’s what I meant, and I said it, and everybody knows I said it that way, and everybody agrees that I said it that way.”
Trump went on to clarify that his comments to Fox News’ host Sean Hannity in December about being “a dictator for one day” were in jest, and were really referring to his desire to get work quickly.
“It was said with a chuckle,” he said. “The audience laughed, I laughed, we all laughed, but they take it, and they cut it… and it says, ‘I want to be a dictator.’
Trump says he is ‘not a threat to democracy at all’
Donald Trump says that, despite the rhetoric of the Harris campaign, that his is “not a threat to democracy at all.”
Speaking to TV show host Dr Phil, the former president suggested that such rhetoric was also responsible for the attempt on his life at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania.
“They’re saying, I’m a threat to democracy. No, they’re a threat. They’ve weaponized government. They’re a threat. But that turned to be like one of their lines. ‘You know that Trump is a threat?’
“I’m not a threat to democracy at all. They are a threat to democracy. But they would say that that was standard line. Just keep saying it. And you know that can get assassins, or potential assassins going. That’s a terrible thing.”
“It was a standard line for them. Donald Trump, a threat to democracy. I’m just the opposite. I’m the one that fixed our military. I’m the one I did so much. I also took a bullet. But maybe that bullet is because of their rhetoric, you know, it’s really nasty rhetoric in the Democrat convention.
“My name was mentioned, hundreds of times.”
Trump campaign staff had altercation with official at Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery officials say that Donald Trump’s campaign staff verbally abused and pushed aside a cemetery official who objected to filming and photography at gravesites during a recent visit, NPR reports.
The incident occurred on Monday as the former president participated in a wreath-laying ceremony, according to the outlet.
A source with knowledge of the incident told NPR the cemetery official tried to prevent Trump staffers from filming and photographing in a section where recent US casualties are buried. The source said Arlington officials had made clear that only cemetery staff members are authorized to take photographs or film in the area, known as Section 60.
When the cemetery official tried to prevent Trump campaign staff from entering Section 60, campaign staff verbally abused and pushed the official aside, according to the source.
The Trump campaign has denied that the incident took place.
Trump says being president is ‘much more dangerous than a race car driver’
Donald Trump said that being president was “probably the most dangerous profession” – including a race car driver.
Asked by Dr Phil whether the attempt on his life had changed him, he replied: “A lot of people ask me, and a lot of people say, like, ‘have you developed any fear of, you know, doing this.’
“Look, being president is a dangerous job. It’s much more dangerous than a race car driver than anything, is probably the most dangerous profession. If you think about it, just go up and down the list.”
Source: independent.co.uk