Trump: I Was Only Inspecting That Bunker

President says he was there for a 'tiny little short period'
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Jun 3, 2020 12:22 PM CDT
Trump Says He Only Went to Bunker for 'Inspection'
President Trump holds a Bible utside St. John's Church across Lafayette Park from the White House Monday, June 1, 2020, in Washington.   (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

President Trump is disputing reports that he was rushed to an underground bunker as protests raged outside the White House Friday. The president told Brian Kilmeade on Fox News Radio that he only visited the bunker for a brief "inspection" during the day. "I went down during the day and I was there for a tiny little short period of time and it was much more for an inspection," he said, adding: "They said it would be a good time to go down and take a look because maybe sometime you're going to need it." He said he had been there "two or three" times previously. Multiple sources told CNN and other outlets that Trump was actually rushed to the bunker along with Melania Trump and son Barron for almost an hour as protests intensified late Friday.

The president also pushed back against criticism of his visit to St. John's Church on Monday, which was called an "outrage" by religious leaders including DC's Episcopal bishop. "Most religious leaders loved it," Trump said. "It's only the other side that didn't like it, you know, the opposing—the opposition party, as the expression goes," he said "They burned down the church the day before, I heard how nice and wonderful the protesters were over there. Really? Then why did they burn down the church the day before?" He told Kilmeade he hadn't known that protesters had been forcibly cleared from the area ahead of the photo-op. "When I said go to the church, I didn't know, protesters or not, nobody tells me that," he said. (More President Trump stories.)

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