Trump: My Charlottesville response was 'perfect'

Donald Trump has said his much-criticised response
to riots in Charlottesville was "perfect" - and claimed
North Korea was starting to respect America.
Mr Trump made his comments during a rally in
Phoenix, Arizona, a day after his primetime speech
outlining his strategy for Afghanistan .
The rally drew many protesters who were angry for
his failing to denounce white supremacists who had
clashed with anti-fascist protesters earlier this
month.
The Charlottesville protests resulted in the death of a
woman and injury to dozens of other people.
Outside the rally in Arizona, police deployed smoke
grenades to disperse protesters who chanted slogans
and waved placards.
"People in the crowd have begun throwing rocks and
bottles at police. They also dispersed some gas in
the area," Phoenix Police Department spokesman
Sergeant Jonathan Howard said.
"Police have responded with pepper balls and OC
(oleoresin capsicum) spray in an attempt to disperse
the crowd and stop the assaults," he said.
Riot police outside the rally in Arizona
During his speech, Mr Trump said his response to the
Charlottesville situation had been "perfect".
Instead he blamed the "very dishonest media" for
misrepresenting his response to the riots, saying he
had "openly called for healing unity and love".
He also spoke about North Korea's leader Kim Jong
Un, following their war of words on the threat of
nuclear war, saying: "I respect the fact that he is
starting to respect us.
"Maybe something positive can come about."
Earlier, Mr Trump met marines during a stop at
Station Yuma in Arizona
Mr Trump also vowed to "close down government if
that is what it takes" to build his wall along the
Mexico border.
He told cheering supporters at the "Make America
Great Again" rally that the opposition Democrats
were being "obstructionist".
With thousands of supporters cheering him on, Mr
Trump also weighed in on another racially charged
issue, hinting he would soon pardon former Maricopa
County Sheriff Joe Arpaio.
Arpaio, 85, who battled illegal immigration in the
Phoenix area, was found guilty last month of criminal
contempt for violating the terms of a 2011 court
order in a racial profiling case.
Before Mr Trump's appearance, various groups had
used Facebook to gather the support of thousands of
people wiling to protest in the Arizona city.
Trump supporters face off with peace activists
during the protests
Anti-Trump protesters yelled: "Shame, shame,
shame" and "No Trump, no KKK, no fascist USA" as
the president's supporters began filing into the
Phoenix Convention Center, where the rally is being
held.
Trump supporters responded with chants of: "Build
the wall", a reference to his promise to build a wall
between the US and Mexico.
Phoenix mayor Greg Stanton said it is time to 'let
cooler heads prevail'
Phoenix's mayor Greg Stanton had written in the
Washington Post on Monday urging Mr Trump to
delay his trip.
The Democrat wrote: "America is hurting and it is
hurting largely because Trump has doused racial
tensions with gasoline. With his planned visit to
Phoenix on Tuesday, I fear the president may be
looking to light a match.
"It's time to let cooler heads prevail and begin the
healing process," he wrote before adding that he was
"not optimistic (that) the White House will heed that
call".
Donald Trump has been urged not to visit
Phoenix but he went anyway
Arizona's Governor Doug Ducey, a Republican,
greeted Mr Trump but was not at the rally.
The state's two Republican senators John McCain
and Jeff Flake, both of whom have been criticised by
Mr Trump, were also absent from the rally.
Mr Trump won Arizona in last year's election but it
was a narrow victory: 48.1% compared with 44.6%
won by Hillary Clinton.

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