In a Fox News interview on Monday night, President Donald Trump made a series of bizarre and conspiracy-tinged statements, including riffs on 'shadow people' and a comparison of police shootings to golf. The interview, conducted by Laura Ingraham, a long-time supporter, quickly dominated the news agenda.
Discussing Joe Biden, Trump claimed the Democratic nominee is controlled by unknown figures. 'People that you've never heard of,' he said. 'People that are in the dark shadows.' When Ingraham pressed him on this, Trump elaborated: 'They're people that are on the streets. They're people that are controlling the streets.' He also alleged that a plane full of 'thugs' was heading to the Republican National Convention, but said the matter was under investigation.
Turning to police shootings, Trump compared an officer's actions in the Jacob Blake shooting to a golfer missing a putt. 'They choke. Just like in a golf tournament, they miss a 3ft putt,' he said. Ingraham pushed back, noting the media would criticise the comparison, but Trump continued.
When asked about his appeal to female voters, Trump said he needs to be 'aggressive' because he is 'standing here in a sea of incompetent people, stupid people and violent people.' Ingraham suggested his language might be off-putting, but Trump insisted women support his law and order stance.
Trump also praised former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, saying 'You need a young version of Rudy Giuliani.' The interview, which aired in two parts, drew criticism from White House aides who reportedly believe such appearances hurt his re-election chances.
