Trump Turns Deaf to Question "What Are Protesters Fighting For?"

Before Campaigning, Asked the Same Question Three Times... Emphasized 'Law and Order' but Ignored All
"Didn't Hear the Slogan 'Let's Vote Them Out'"... Only Met Supporters as Usual

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] U.S. President Donald Trump evaded reporters' questions about protestors opposing his re-election, responding with non sequiturs emphasizing only "law and order." When the same question persisted, he completely ignored it. Regarding the slogan "Vote them out" chanted by opposing protestors during the memorial for the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, he denied hearing it clearly, saying it was "almost inaudible." U.S. media harshly criticized Trump, stating he is proving himself to be deaf to the voices of those opposing him and only meeting with his supporters.

According to the White House on the 24th (local time), President Trump held a press conference at the White House before boarding Marine One, his official helicopter, to visit campaign sites in Charlotte, North Carolina, and Jacksonville, Florida. When asked about the protestors opposing him, he consistently gave evasive answers. Regarding the "Vote them out" slogan chanted by opposing protestors during Justice Ginsburg's memorial the previous day, he said, "I think that is just a political slogan," adding, "We did hear some noise, but it was almost inaudible. The media was right next to them, and it was reported."

When asked what he thought peaceful protestors were fighting for, President Trump responded with a non sequitur, saying, "Protests should be peaceful, but we cannot accept protests that are not peaceful," and "Protests require law and order, and law enforcement is very important." When the reporter insisted his answer was incorrect and asked again, Trump completely avoided responding.

According to CNN, the day before, President Trump and First Lady Melania visited the U.S. Supreme Court building to pay respects in front of Justice Ginsburg’s casket. Upon hearing the opposing citizens chanting "Vote them out," Trump occasionally glanced toward the source of the chants but left immediately after the memorial. White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany explained during a briefing after the memorial, "Those slogans were terrible but expected," and "The President traveled across the country, including Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Nevada, and did not hear such slogans." CNN pointed out that President Trump mainly meets with supporters and does not listen to the voices of the opposition.

During the press conference, President Trump again expressed distrust of mail-in voting, suggesting the possibility of rejecting the election results, which sparked significant controversy. He said, "Ballots are a big fraud," and "If the ballot has the name Trump on it, it gets discarded." He added, "I want to verify whether elections conducted by mail-in ballots are accurate, but I’m not sure if that will be possible," implying potential refusal to accept the results.

Following President Trump’s remarks, criticism arose not only from the opposition but also within the Republican Party, prompting immediate clarifications from Republican leadership and the White House. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell tweeted, "The winner of the presidential election will be inaugurated on January 20th (as customary). Since 1792, orderly transitions have occurred every four years." House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, while suggesting Trump would win re-election, also mentioned that "a smooth transition will take place." White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany emphasized during a regular briefing that "the President will accept the results of a free and fair election" in response to reporters' persistent questions.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.