Latino protester confronts Trump
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump was heckled by a Latino audience member Saturday during a speech in Las Vegas.
Trump and the protester argued over the New York business mogul’s harsh criticism of illegal immigrants and Mexico.
“Did the government of Mexico get you to come up here and say this?” Trump asked after the man said in a Q-and-A session he is “insulted” by the billionaire’s immigration rhetoric.
{mosads}The audience member then asked Trump whether he plans on building a wall around every U.S. state to keep out potential illegal immigrants.
“I would build a wall between our border and Mexico’s,” Trump responded at FreedomFest in Las Vegas.
“Senor Trump, you’re fired,” the man replied as Trump moved the Q&A session to other participants.
Trump has weathered a month of international outrage over his repeated statements on Hispanic immigrants and Mexico.
He argued Saturday afternoon that he supports legal immigration but rejects the illegal variety due to its potential for violent crime.
“There’s something really bad out there, something really sick out there,” Trump said.
“I encourage legal immigration,” he added. “To make this country great and strong again we have to stop illegals from coming in. They have to come in legally.”
Trump also argued Saturday the political media is distorting his claims on border security and immigration policy.
“The political press, the media, is very, very dishonest,” he said. “We have to live with them.”
“I have millions of people on Facebook and Twitter,” Trump added of his strategy for countering negative press. “It’s like owning The New York Times without the losses.”
The 2016 GOP contender also charged that political correctness is weakening America’s prestige in the world.
“People are tired of incompetent leadership,” Trump said. “We’re done with the nice stuff.”
“I think Jeb Bush is nice,” he added of his rival for the Republican nomination next year. “But he’s not going to take us to the promised land.”
Trump slammed Bush and Democratic presidential frontrunner Hillary Clinton for relying on wealthy special interests.
“Every single person who has given Jeb Bush or Hillary Clinton money has something lined up in return,” he said of their campaign funding.
“It’s probably not to the benefit of this country or to you,” he told listeners.
Trump said he is an alternative to the insular and incompetent leadership of President Obama.
“Obama gets along with nobody,” he said. “The whole world hates us.”
“The American Dream is dead, but I am going to make it bigger and better and stronger.”