(CHARLOTTE, N.C.) — President Donald Trump lectured the media at length on Friday evening, accusing reporters of trying “to use the sinister actions of one individual to score political points” against him hours after police apprehended a staunch supporter of his in connection with the mail-bomb scare targeting Democrats and CNN.
Trump was campaigning in Charlotte, North Carolina, to support two GOP candidates facing close races in the state.
Trump has been on a rally blitz, hoping to help vulnerable Republicans ahead of the Nov. 6 elections that will determine which party controls Congress. He’s planning at least 10 rallies over the five-day stretch before Election Day.
Trump, who held back some of his usual name-calling at a rally in Wisconsin earlier this week, was back to his usual attack lines Friday evening even as he called for an end to the “politics of personal destruction.”
Not long after, he referred to his 2016 opponent as “Crooked Hillary Clinton,” prompting a round of “Lock her up!” chants.
Clinton was among the frequent Trump targets sent pipe bombs this week.
“Oh boy, they’re going to be reporting about you tonight,” Trump joked in response. The crowd also broke into frequent chants of “CNN sucks!”
Also earning a mention: California Rep. Maxine Waters, another frequent Trump target who was sent a package.
Trump had told reporters as he left Washington that he had no plans to tone down his rhetoric, adding: “I could really tone it up. Because, as you know, the media has been extremely unfair to me and to the Republican Party.”
