Trump attacks Blackburn opponent, ties him to Schumer and ‘MS-13 lover Nancy Pelosi’

President Trump went after former Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen (D) at a campaign rally Tuesday night, calling him a “total tool” of Democratic leaders while attempting to boost his Republican challenger Rep. Marsha Blackburn (Tenn.).

“So Marsha’s very liberal Democrat opponent, Phil Bredesen, I never heard of this guy, who is he?” Trump said at a rally in Nashville, Tenn. “He’s an absolute total tool of [Senate Minority Leader] Chuck Schumer [D-N.Y.] … and of course the MS-13 lover [House Minority Leader] Nancy Pelosi [D-Calif.].”

“She loves MS-13, can you imagine?” the president continued. “Remember, I said they’re ‘animals’ and she said, ‘how dare you say that.’ “

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“Have you seen what they’ve done? Have you seen what they’re doing to us?” he said.

Trump continued to defend his characterization of MS-13 gang members as “animals,” saying Tuesday, “They’re not human beings.”

Trump first used the term during a roundtable on so-called sanctuary cities earlier this month where he tried to paint Pelosi as being soft on the international gang, accusing her of “trying to defend” the group.

In an email to The Hill, a spokesperson for Pelosi noted a Politifact fact-check on Trump’s claims.

Politifact found Trump’s past statement that Pelosi “came out in favor of MS-13” was false. 

Trump argued Tuesday that if Bredesen wins the Tennessee Senate race, the Democrat would “do whatever Chuck and Nancy [want].”

Bredesen and Blackburn are locked in a tight race to replace retiring Sen. Bob Corker (R).