Donald Trump’s campaign manager accused a protester who was involved in a Secret Service scare Saturday night of being a Democratic “plant.”
“This guy was a Democrat, probably a plant,” Kellyanne Conway said Sunday during an interview on Fox News.
Trump was rushed offstage by Secret Service agents during a rally in Reno, Nevada, after someone shouted “gun” near a protester in the crowd. The Secret Service said no weapon was found at the scene.
The protester, Austyn Crites from Reno, identified himself as a registered Republican in an interview with The Guardian. He was holding a sign with the words “Republicans Against Trump” on it before being tackled to the ground, kicked and punched by others in the crowd. Authorities released him after conducting a search and a background check.
Several people associated with the campaign said a gun had been found at the scene, even though there was no evidence to support the claim. Trump’s son, Donald Trump Jr., retweeted a post calling the incident an “assassination attempt.” A speaker at a Trump rally in Denver later that evening also falsely claimed there was an attempted murder against Trump in Reno.
Asked on Sunday about Trump Jr.’s post, Conway said the incident had been “rattling” for the GOP nominee. “I’ll excuse him for that,” she added of his son.
Editor’s note: Donald Trump regularlyincitespolitical violence and is a
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