President Donald Trump expressed clear approval during a campaign rally at South Carolina’s Clemson University on Wednesday after an attendee apparently punched a protester who was being escorted from the arena by security.
The confrontation unfolded as the president spoke to a crowd gathered ahead of the upcoming November 3 midterm elections. Multiple demonstrators interrupted the proceedings, with a pool report noting at least nine interruptions from hecklers. As security guards removed the individuals, the crowd chanted “USA” while tensions flared in the stands.
One protester who was being led away by security was followed by a rally attendee who appeared to strike the demonstrator. Spotting the incident, Trump interrupted his remarks to praise the physical altercation.
“That was great, man. Wow. Man, I loved that. I watched that,” Trump told the crowd. “That was incredible. Wow. That was unbelievable. Is everybody OK? Who’s the guy that threw that punch?”
Comparing the individual to former heavyweight boxing champion Evander Holyfield, who was in attendance at the rally, Trump added, “You know, you reminded me of Evander, the real deal, Holyfield. You gotta give them credit. It takes courage to do that at a Trump rally. He got whacked.”
Trump’s appearance in South Carolina was held to support Darline Graham, the sister of the late senator Lindsey Graham, who passed away suddenly in July from a heart condition. Graham won election to her brother’s seat in a special election and is currently facing Democratic challenger Annie Andrews in her campaign for a full six-year term.
Demonstrations have frequently broken out at campaign stops in recent weeks as Trump accelerates his schedule leading up to the midterms. The president routinely dismisses these disruptions by claiming the demonstrations are organized by paid protesters.
The 32-day campaign blitz has concentrated primarily on Republican-leaning regions that Trump won comfortably in prior elections, highlighting the mounting political headwinds facing Republicans as they fight to maintain control of both the United States Senate and the House of Representatives.
Meanwhile, national polling indicates a challenging political climate for the administration. A /Ipsos poll published on Monday registered Trump’s approval rating at 31 percent, marking a record low for his presidency.
