Trump says he prefers rally crowd not chant ‘send them back’ | TheHill – The Hill

President TrumpDonald John TrumpComedy Central shoots down Trump Jr. after he joked network should host Democratic debates Booker: If Obama was running for a third term, ‘I wouldn’t be running’ De Blasio releases plan to substantially raise taxes on the rich, corporations MORE said he does not know if his supporters will chant “send them back” about four minority lawmakers at a Thursday night rally, but said he prefers they do not.

“I prefer that they don’t,” Trump told reporters at the White House before departing for the rally in Cincinnati.

The president initially repudiated the chants after a rally crowd chanted last month in North Carolina, but later backed away from his condemnation. He was noncommittal about whether he would try to quiet the crowd if they made the chant.

“If they do the chant, we’ll see what happens,” the president said. “I don’t know that you can stop people … If they do it, we’ll have to make a decision then.”  

Trump added the rally venue is a “very large one,” suggesting he may not hear the chant if it breaks out. The rally is taking place at the 17,500-seat U.S. Bank Arena.

The previous chant erupted when the president targeted Rep. Ilhan OmarIlhan OmarCambodia cites Trump, saying US embassy officials ‘should pack up an leave’ if they don’t like it there Republican congressman hopes Trump crowd will avoid ‘send her back’ chants at Ohio rally Pressley calls on Meadows to ‘do the right thing’ over ‘4 Horsemen’ gun shop billboard MORE (D-Minn.) at his rally last month.

The congresswoman was among four minority freshman lawmakers attacked by Trump on Twitter, along with Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-CortezAlexandria Ocasio-CortezWill Hurd, only black Republican congressman, retiring After ‘send her back’ chants, Pelosi and Omar visit Africa together Trump says he prefers rally crowd not chant ‘send them back’ MORE (N.Y.), Ayanna PressleyAyanna PressleyBooker, Durbin and Leahy introduce bill to ban death penalty Pressley calls on Meadows to ‘do the right thing’ over ‘4 Horsemen’ gun shop billboard Ocasio-Cortez blasts NYT editor for suggesting Tlaib, Omar aren’t representative of Midwest MORE (Mass.) and Rashida TlaibRashida Harbi TlaibPressley calls on Meadows to ‘do the right thing’ over ‘4 Horsemen’ gun shop billboard Ocasio-Cortez blasts NYT editor for suggesting Tlaib, Omar aren’t representative of Midwest Democrats warn of Trump trap MORE (Mich).

Trump called for the lawmakers to “go back” where they came from, despite all four being U.S. citizens and three of them being born in the country. The fourth, Omar, was born in Somalia and immigrated to the United States as a refugee.

Updated 4:29 p.m.