Trump defends rhetoric after critics point finger over mass shooting

President Trump on Wednesday defended himself against accusations that his immigration rhetoric inspired the suspected El Paso, Texas, shooter, who shot and killed 22 people after allegedly posting a manifesto warning of a “Hispanic invasion.”

Speaking before departing for El Paso and Dayton, Ohio, the site of another weekend mass shooting, Trump accused his opponents of “looking for political gain” by tying his comments to the shooting in Texas and insisted he would like to “stay out of the political fray” even as he sought to link the Dayton shooter to prominent Democrats.

“I don’t think my rhetoric does at all. I think my rhetoric brings people together. Our country is doing really well,” Trump said at the White House when asked by reporters if his comments contribute to violence.

View the complete August 7 article by Jordan Fabian on The Hill website here.