Rejecting the allegations against him written in manifesto of White House press dinner shooting’s accused, US President Donald Trump said on Sunday that he is not a “rapist” or a “paedophile”, and that the accused was “radicalised”. Trump’s remarks came to query about the accused’s manifesto in which he slammed the US president’s policies.
In an interview with CBS News, the Republican leader – who looked visibly frustrated when asked about the manifesto – also distanced himself from sex offender Jeffery Epstein, while labelling the accused as a “sick person”. Trump even told the interviewer that he should “ashamed” for the “reading” the manifesto as he was not “any of those things” that were mentioned in it.ย
“I don’t know. It sounded– to me. I read a manifesto, which is– he’s radicalized,” Trump said. “He was a Christian– believer, and then he became an anti-Christian, and he had a lotta change. He’s been goin’ through a lot, based on what he wrote.”
“His brother complained about him and I think reported him to the police. And his sister, likewise, complained about him. His family– was very concerned. He was– probably a pretty sick guy,” he added.
‘I wasn’t worried’
When asked by CBS News whether he heard gunshots or if he were worried, the US president replied that he wasn’t worried and he understands life, adding that “we live in a crazy” world. He also narrated the sequences of events of Saturday night and said he was surrounded by his security personnel by the time he realised there was a “bad problem” at the venue.
He said the shooter, identified as 31-year-old Cole Allen from California’s Torrance, had an “incredible” speed but he once again lauded the security personnel for subduing the shooter and bringing the situation under control quickly. He said the security personnel were “so professional” and took down the shooter immediately with their guns aimed at him.
“I will say– I– I say it because I’m a big fan of the people, of law enforcement. And, you know, some of these people, they may be crazy, but they’re not stupid and they figure things out,” the US president said.ย
“You know, he ran 45 yards they say, and he just went to it, and then boom, he popped through it. I mean, he ran like– I think the NFL should sign him up. He was fast. When you look at it on tape, it’s almost like a blur,” he added.ย
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