A more tempered Donald Trump promised Thursday to be the voice of “forgotten Americans” and even said he regrets some past statements.
The Republican presidential nominee didn’t back off strident attacks on his Democratic rival, saying Hillary Clinton and President Barack Obama “unleashed” ISIS.
At his first rally since shaking up his top campaign staff, Trump gave a wide-ranging evening speech at the Charlotte Convention Center. Trump, reading from a teleprompter, offered a vision for “a new American future.”
Seeking to reach beyond the Republican base, he appealed particularly to African-Americans and other minorities.
Talking about immigration for example, the man who one threatened to ban Muslims from America said, “Those who believe in oppressing women, gays, Hispanics, African-Americans and people of different faiths are not welcome to join our country.”
Trump called for “law and order,” “extreme vetting” of immigrants and refugees, an end to drug cartels, restructuring or pulling out of trade deals and putting “the American people first again.”
“We need law and order, and without it, we have nothing,” said the New York billionaire, referring to recent unrest following police shootings. “If I’m elected president, this chaos and violence will end, and it will end very, very quickly.”
Trump referred obliquely to recent controversial statements he has made that have drawn unfavorable attention to his campaign.
“Sometimes, in the heat of debate and speaking on a multitude of issues, you don’t choose the right words, or you say the wrong thing,” Trump said. “I have done that. And believe it or not, I regret it. And I do regret it, particularly where it may have caused personal pain.”
He called for “law and order,” “extreme vetting” of immigrants and refugees, an end to drug cartels, restructuring or pulling out of trade deals and putting “the American people first again.”
“We need law and order, and without it, we have nothing,” said the New York billionaire, referring to recent unrest following police shootings. “If I’m elected president, this chaos and violence will end, and it will end very, very quickly.”
Trump referred obliquely to recent controversial statements he has made that have drawn unfavorable attention to his campaign.
“Sometimes, in the heat of debate and speaking on a multitude of issues, you don’t choose the right words, or you say the wrong thing,” Trump said. “I have done that. And believe it or not, I regret it. And I do regret it, particularly where it may have caused personal pain.”
Since the Republican National Convention last month, Trump has come under criticism for his attacks on Khizr and Ghazala Khan, whose son was killed in Iraq in 2004. The Khans spoke out against him at the Democratic convention.
She (Hillary Clinton) and Barack Obama unleashed ISIS, whether you like it or don’t like it, whether you want to hear it or don’t, that’s what happened.
Trump speaking Thursday in Charlotte.
And last week, he faced a backlash for comments in Wilmington that some saw as an incitement to violence against Clinton. “If she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do, folks,” Trump said. “Although the Second Amendment people – maybe there is, I don’t know.”
Clinton campaign spokeswoman Christina Reynolds called the apology “simply a well-written phrase.”
“Donald Trump literally started his campaign by insulting people,” she said. “He has continued to do so through each of the 428 days from then until now, without shame or regret. We learned tonight that his speechwriter and teleprompter knows he has much for which he should apologize.”
There were many familiar features from previous Trump rallies, from multiple “Lock her up!” chants to “Hillary for Prison” shirts. The crowd chanted “Build that wall!” when Trump mentioned the Mexican-American border.
“We will build the wall, believe me, we will build it,” responded Trump.
And Trump didn’t soften his criticism of Clinton and President Barack Obama, who he’d previously said founded the terrorist group Islamic State. Trump later said he was being sarcastic with those comments – but Thursday he returned to the topic.
“She and Barack Obama unleashed ISIS, whether you like it or don’t like it, whether you want to hear it or don’t, that’s what happened,” Trump said in Charlotte, drawing boos from the crowd.
45.3 percentHillary Clinton’s support among N.C. voter’s
43.3 percentDonald Trump’s support
The rally was Trump’s latest appearance in North Carolina, a key battleground state, in an election that’s seen both Trump and Clinton, as well as their running mates, rally supporters from one end of the state to the other.
Supporters began lining up early outside the Convention Center Thursday as Trump returned to Charlotte for a pair of fundraisers and the evening campaign rally. Tables of merchandise vendors were set up along College Street, displaying “Hillary For Prison” T-shirts and “Bomb the S--- Out of ISIS” buttons, as well as water bottles with Trump’s face on them.
Trump headlined a 6 p.m. fundraising dinner at uptown’s Westin Hotel, where Gov. Pat McCrory and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani also spoke. He had a midday fundraiser at Trump National Golf Club in Mooresville, and visited a Fraternal Order of Police lodge in Iredell County, where, according to reports, he shot an M4 assault rifle.
“I just met with our many amazing employees right up the road at my property,” Trump told the crowd, referring to Trump National. He quipped: “They like me very much. I guess I pay them too much.”