Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump said Tuesday that he never said he would pay the legal fees for a man who allegedly sucker-punched a protester at one of Trump’s campaign rallies last week.
It was an abrupt turnaround from Trump saying he was considering paying the legal fees during a Sunday interview.
George Stephanopoulos asked Trump on ABC’s “Good Morning America” if he was condoning violence by saying that he was open to paying the legal fees.
“No, because I don’t condone violence. And I didn’t say I was going to pay for his fees,” Trump said. “No, I didn’t say that. I haven’t looked at it yet and nobody has asked me to pay for fees and somebody asked me the question and I haven’t even seen it so I never said I was going to pay for fees.”
Stephanopoulos again asked Trump to clarify whether he would be “rewarding violence” by paying the man’s legal fees.
“Well, maybe so and maybe that’s why I wouldn’t do it,” Trump said. “I don’t condone violence at all and, you know, 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.”
John McGraw, 78, was arrested and charged last week with assault and battery and disorderly conduct after allegedly punching a black protester in the face at a rally in North Carolina as the protester was being escorted out of the building.
Watch below:
.@realDonaldTrump tells @GMA he might not pay legal fees of man who slugged protester: “I don’t condone violence” https://t.co/UvZco7W1kR
— ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) March 15, 2016
