Donald Trump took his circus to the U.S.-Mexico border on Thursday in what NBC reporter Kasie Hunt described as a larger entourage than Mitt Romney took with him during the 2012 general election. In Texas, the top GOP presidential candidate continued on his crusade to build a giant wall along the Southern border.
Here are the latest developments in the Trump Show:
"I identify with some things as a Democrat"
Though Trump has riled up the right-wing base with his anti-immigrant rhetoric, he has a history of donating to Democrats and taking liberal positions on issues from universal health care to abortion rights. Appearing on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" on Friday, Trump addressed his Democratic-friendly history by saying, "I identify with some things as a Democrat."
"When the economy crashed so horribly under George Bush because of mistakes they made having to do with banking and lots of other things, I don't think the Democrats would have done that," he continued, later adding, "I have seen things done by Republicans that are not good and are not smart, and I would not do that."
Trump has also been a fierce critic of the Iraq war, opposing it from its inception.
Trump's entourage overwhelms Laredo
Trump caused a major commotion during his 4-hour whirlwind visit to the U.S.-Mexico border yesterday. Trump's jumbo jet landed in Laredo, Texas to met with the local border patrol union but they backed out at the last minute due. Trump blamed the change on pressure from the national office in Washington, D.C. In any case, Trump got a meeting with the town's mayor and city manager before touring the border. From the Washington Post:
At every stop, his visit seemed to draw more journalists than locals. More than 100 reporters, with multiple camera crews in tow, chased after the former “Apprentice” star as soon as his jet touched down in Laredo, packing two charter buses for the drive to the border.
Crowd erupts as Trump takes on the press
During a press conference at the U.S.-Mexico border, Trump supporters hooted and hollered when the former "Apprentice" host took a jab at media coverage of his campaign. When MSNBC and Telemundo host Jose Diaz-Balart asked Trump a question about his insulting rhetoric about Mexican immigrants, Trump pounced at the opportunity to attack the media as unfair it's coverage.
"Many feel that what you said, when you said that people that cross the border are rapists and murderers," Diaz-Balart began before Trump interjected. "No, no, we're talking about illegal immigration and everybody understands it," Trump said.
"And you know what? That's a typical case of the press with misinterpretation," Trump roared as his supporters cheered. "They take half a sentence, then they take a quarter of a sentence. They put it all together. It's a typical thing."
"You're with Telemundo and Telemundo should be ashamed," he barked.
House Republicans pass "Donald Trump Act"
Okay, it's technically called the "Enforce the Law for Sanctuary Cities Act" but with Trump at the forefront of advocating against the practice in the wake of the Kate Steinle shooting in San Francisco this month, Democrats affectionately named the bill after the leading Republican presidential candidate. The bill would block states and cities from receiving federal law enforcement funding if they have so-called “sanctuary city” practices in place. Six Democrats joined Republicans in voting for the bill. President Obama has already said he would veto the bill.
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