Former President Donald Trump called the pro-Palestinian protests that have spread across major college campuses a “disgrace” and blamed President Biden for sending the “wrong signal.”
Trump made his comments inside Manhattan criminal court ahead of the second day of his trial on charges of falsifying financial records related to “hush” payments to porn star Stormy Daniels.
On Tuesday, instead of focusing on the case against him that he calls a “witch hunt,” Trump turned to the Pennsylvania primary and angry protests.
“What is happening at the university level and at universities (Columbia, NYU and others) is a disgrace,” Trump said. ‘And it really depends on Biden. He has the wrong signal. He has the wrong tone. He has the wrong words. He doesn’t know who he supports. And it’s a disaster.’
Biden commented on the protests on Monday, seeking to balance his remarks.
Former President Trump accused President Joe Biden of setting the “wrong tone” and said, “It’s all Biden’s fault.”
‘I condemn anti-Semitic protests. That’s why I created a program to address that,” Biden said. “I also condemn those who don’t understand what’s going on with the Palestinians,” he continued, before changing the subject when a reporter asked him another question.
‘If this were me, I would be chased a lot. But they are trying to give him a pass,” Trump complained in his comments. “What is happening is a shame for our country, it is all Biden’s fault and everyone knows it.”
Then Trump veered into political criticism. ‘It has no message. “He has no capacity,” he said, calling him “the worst president in the history of our country,” a day after calling New York Attorney General Letitia James the “worst attorney general in the country.”
Trump then described a massive police presence outside the courthouse, although his characterization was contradicted by reporters on the scene.
“Outside, for the great Americans, people want to get down and they want to protest in court, and they want to protest peacefully,” Trump said, apparently referring to pro-MAGA protesters.
“We have more police presence here than anyone has seen for several blocks, you can’t get anywhere near this courthouse,” Trump said. “And if you don’t have anyone at a university, where there are very radical people who want to tear down the faculties, the universities, that is a shame.”
Police intervene and arrest more than 100 New York University (NYU) students who continue their demonstration on campus in solidarity with Columbia University students and to oppose Israel’s attacks on Gaza.
Protesters at Columbia have created a pro-Palestinian encampment on campus, with more than 100 arrested during sit-ins last week.
President Joe Biden walked a fine line Monday when asked if he had a message for protesters and whether he condemned anti-Semitic protests on college campuses.
On Thursday, police in riot gear cleared a protest camp in Columbia, prompting more than 100 arrests.
One of the main Jewish groups on Columbia’s campus. he said in a social media post. Sunday that Jewish students are being attacked by protesters who tell them to “go back to Poland” and “stop killing children.”
Earlier Monday, embattled Columbia President Nemat ‘Minouche’ Shafik announced that classes would be held virtually and a campus rabbi encouraged Jewish students to return home for their safety.
There was outrage on campus Tuesday when classes were switched to remote learning until the end of the spring semester, April 29, for the school’s 37,000 students.
Asked if Shafik should resign, Biden responded: “I’ll have to find out more about that.”
On Monday, billionaire Robert Kraft announced that he would withdraw his financial support for the university over anti-Israel protests.
“The school that I love so much, the one that welcomed me and gave me so many opportunities, is no longer an institution that I recognize,” the New England Patriots owner said. “I am deeply saddened by the virulent hatred that continues to grow on campus and across our country.”
Last week, more than 100 students were arrested on Wednesday and Thursday for participating in sit-ins, but by Friday the students had returned to their “Gaza solidarity camp.”
One of the people arrested and later suspended was the daughter of Rep. Ilhan Omar, a member of the squad.
The president and the so-called Squad, which includes AOC, have not seen eye to eye on the issue of Israel after the Hamas terrorist attack on October 7.