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| Trump forced to defend Tiananmen Square comments from 1990 interview | Trump forced to defend Tiananmen Square comments from 1990 interview |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Forced on to the defensive in the Republican debate in Miami on Thursday, Donald Trump said he had never endorsed the Chinese government’s infamous crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in Tiananmen Square in 1989. | Forced on to the defensive in the Republican debate in Miami on Thursday, Donald Trump said he had never endorsed the Chinese government’s infamous crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in Tiananmen Square in 1989. |
| Related: Republican debate: policy trumps bickering as Rubio shines in home state | |
| A year later, Trump told Playboy magazine: “The Chinese government almost blew it. Then they were vicious, they were horrible, but they put it down with strength. That shows you the power of strength. Our country is right now perceived as weak.” | A year later, Trump told Playboy magazine: “The Chinese government almost blew it. Then they were vicious, they were horrible, but they put it down with strength. That shows you the power of strength. Our country is right now perceived as weak.” |
| The interview recently resurfaced on the campaign trail, in which Trump’s controversial statements, past and present, have not prevented him holding a lead in the race for the Republican presidential nomination. | The interview recently resurfaced on the campaign trail, in which Trump’s controversial statements, past and present, have not prevented him holding a lead in the race for the Republican presidential nomination. |
| On Thursday night, asked about his view of the Chinese government, Trump said: “That doesn’t mean I was endorsing that. I said that was a strong, powerful government. They kept down the riot, it was a horrible thing.” | On Thursday night, asked about his view of the Chinese government, Trump said: “That doesn’t mean I was endorsing that. I said that was a strong, powerful government. They kept down the riot, it was a horrible thing.” |
| Trump has made China a repeated target of his campaign rhetoric, mostly over what he alleges to be its unfair trade practices. | Trump has made China a repeated target of his campaign rhetoric, mostly over what he alleges to be its unfair trade practices. |
| “Strong doesn’t mean good,” he added. “I say it as the fact.” | “Strong doesn’t mean good,” he added. “I say it as the fact.” |
| Trump was also questioned about his admiring statements about Vladimir Putin, the Russian president. He has also expressed belief in the benefits to the US of having Middle Eastern “strong men” in power, such as Bashar al-Assad, Muammar Gaddafi and Saddam Hussein. | |
| On the subject of China and Tiananmen Square, Ohio governor John Kasich gave a more morally clear response. | On the subject of China and Tiananmen Square, Ohio governor John Kasich gave a more morally clear response. |
| “I think that the Chinese government butchered those kids,” he said, “and when that young man stood in front of that tank, we ought to build a statue of him over here.” |