U.S. President Donald Trump dismissed a would-be attacker as “incompetent” during a CBS interview, sparking a heated exchange with the interviewer over the attacker’s claims.
Trump on the Failed Attacker and Security
President Trump assessed the attacker who attempted to harm him as “incompetent,” stating that security personnel performed their job well. He also expressed frustration over the CBS journalist citing the attacker’s accusations.
During an interview on CBS’s “60 Minutes” regarding the thwarted Saturday attack, Trump addressed concerns about insufficient security at the Washington Hilton gala. The failed assailant, Cole Allen, also criticized the “blatant incompetence” of the Secret Service in his manifesto.
“He’s Incompetent Because He Got Caught”
“Well, he’s also incompetent because he got caught. And he got caught pretty easily. So I would say that he’s pretty incompetent,” Trump stated. He added that despite finding flaws in any security event, the security personnel “did a great job yesterday.”
Call for a Re-Staging of the Event
Trump urged the CBS interviewer, Nora O’Donnell, to request that organizers reschedule the event within a month. “Then they’ll have even better security, and more perimeter security, and it will be good. But tell them to do it again. We can’t allow… I think it’s very important that they do it again,” he emphasized.
Outrage Over Attacker’s Accusations
Trump reacted with visible anger when O’Donnell asked him to comment on the attacker’s manifesto, where he labeled Trump a “rapist, pedophile, and traitor” responsible for his crimes. “Well, I was waiting for you to read that, because I knew you would. Because you’re, you’re terrible people. Terrible people. Yes, he did write that. I am not a rapist. I have not raped anybody,” Trump responded.
When asked if Allen was referring to him with the accusation of being a rapist, the president added that he is not a pedophile. “You read the garbage of some sick person… I was associated with something that has nothing to do with me. I was totally exonerated from charges. Your friends on the other side are the ones who were involved, let’s say, in the Epstein affair or other things,” Trump said. “You should be ashamed of reading that, because I am none of those things. I apologize, you shouldn’t be reading that on ‘60 Minutes.’ You’re disgraceful.”
Incident During Evacuation
Regarding the moment Trump stumbled during his evacuation by security, Trump insisted he was slowing down the action to observe what was happening. He also stated that the escorting officers advised him and his wife, Melania, to lie on the ground.
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