Trump defends supporters accused in deadly clashes
US President Donald Trump has defended supporters of his because of their alleged roles in recent deadly street clashes.
He suggested a teenager accused of killing two in Wisconsin the other day and Trump fans involved with clashes in Oregon on Saturday were acting in self-defence.
Mr Trump pointed out his Democratic White House challenger, Joe Biden, hasn't particularly disavowed far-left activists accused of civil disorder.
Mr Biden is leading in opinion polls ahead of November's election.
At Monday's White House news conference, Mr Trump blamed Mr Biden and his allies for violence in cities run by Democratic mayors and governors.
A CNN reporter asked the Republican president whether he'd condemn supporters of his who fired paint pellets throughout a confrontation with counter-protesters at the weekend in Portland, Oregon.
In the ensuing street clashes, an associate of a right-wing group, Patriot Prayer, was killed by a suspect who has reportedly described himself as an associate of antifa, a loosely-affiliated network of mainly far-left activists.
On Monday, police named the person who was simply shot dead as Aaron Danielson.
"Well, I understand that they had large numbers of individuals which were supporters, but that was a peaceful protest," Mr Trump replied to the CNN reporter, within an apparent veiled dig at US media outlets whom he has previously accused of ignoring violence at Black Lives Matter demonstrations.
"Paint as a defensive mechanism, paint isn't bullets.
"Your supporters, and they are your supporters indeed, shot a gentleman who - and killed him, not with paint, but with a bullet. And I believe it's disgraceful."
Another reporter asked Mr Trump whether he would condemn a shooting in Kenosha, Wisconsin, allegedly by an adolescent once pictured at one of the president's rallies.
Kyle Rittenhouse, 17, is accused of shooting three people, two fatally, last week amid demonstrations in the location over the police shooting of Jacob Blake.
"We're looking at all of that," Mr Trump said, "that was a fascinating situation, you saw the same tape as I saw, and he was looking to get away from them, I assume, it appears like. And he fell, and they very violently attacked him.
"And it was a thing that we're looking at at this time, and it's under investigation.
"I guess he was in very big trouble, he probably would have already been killed."
Previously Monday, Mr Biden forcefully condemned the violence at recent protests while blaming President Trump to make the country unsafe.
It was the Democratic nominee's most determined effort yet to counter Republican criticism that he's weak on law and order.
"Do I appear to be a radical socialist with a soft spot for rioters?" said Mr Biden, speaking in Pittsburgh, in the critical US election state of Pennsylvania. "Really?"
The former US vice-president accused Mr Trump of experiencing fomented violence in america for years.
"You know," said Mr Biden, "he may believe mouthing what law and order makes him strong, but his failure to ask his own supporters to avoid acting as an armed militia in this country shows how weak he is."
"Does anyone believe there will be less violence in the us if Donald Trump is re-elected?" he asked.
Mr Biden's remarks represented a pivot from his main type of attack up to now - that the White House has mishandled its response to the coronavirus pandemic, which has killed more than 180,000 people in america.
