Donald Trump walks back suggestion of paying legal fees of man who allegedly punched protester
Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump denied on Tuesday that he said he was looking into paying the legal fees of a man who allegedly punched a protester at one of his rallies.
"I didn't say that. I haven't looked at it yet. And nobody's asked me to pay for fees," Trump said on ABC's "Good Morning America."
At a campaign rally last week, a man was filmed apparently sucker punching a demonstrator at a Trump rally in North Carolina. The man, identified as John McGraw, is now reportedly facing assault charges.
On Sunday's "Meet the Press," Trump said he "actually instructed my people to look into" paying McGraw's legal bills. Trump also said he wanted to see the "full tape" and noted that the protester was "very loud, very disruptive."
See images of Trump calling on arrests in Kansas City:
But Trump appeared to be far less inclined to get involved during his Tuesday "Good Morning America" interview.
"Somebody asked me the question. And I hadn't even seen it. So I never said I was going to pay for fees," he recalled.
"You said you were 'looking into it'. And I'm just saying, if you're open to that, wouldn't by paying those fees, wouldn't that be rewarding violence?" host George Stephanopoulos pressed.
Trump replied:
Well, maybe so. And maybe that's why I wouldn't do it. I don't condone violence at all. I looked and I watched and I'm going to make a decision, but I certainly don't condone violence. And maybe you're right. And maybe that's why I wouldn't do it.
Trump has been harshly criticized in recent days for his violent campaign-trail rhetoric. Trump has proclaimed his desire to punch protesters in the face, pined for the old days in which hecklers would be roughed up, and at one event said he would pay for the legal fees of people if they "knock the crap out" of protesters throwing tomatoes.
Watch his 'Good Morning America' interview on the topic below:
RAW Embed
More from Business Insider:
