Ben Carson responds to Donald Trump's attacks: 'Pray for him'


A rambling, nine-minute attack by Donald Trump aimed at his biggest threat in the polls, Ben Carson, caused members of the retired neurosurgeon's camp to respond not with anger but with pity. "To see [Trump] just imploding before our very eyes — it's just sad to watch," Armstrong Williams, a speaker for Carson, told CNN.
Williams said that after hearing about Trump's rampage, Carson responded, "Pray for him." Fellow Republican candidates have also jumped to defend Carson, with Carly Fiorina claiming that "all the money in the world won't make you as smart as Ben Carson" and Lindsey Graham suggesting Trump "melted down last night."
Donald Trump berated crowds on Thursday for accepting what he says is an unbelievable story Ben Carson has been telling about a time in his past when he tried to attack a friend with a knife. "How stupid are the people of Iowa? How stupid are the people of the country to believe this crap?" Trump said, likening Carson's "pathology" to that of a child molester.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.
-
Judge blocks Trump's asylum ban at US border
Speed Read The president violated federal law by shutting down the US-Mexico border to asylum seekers, said the ruling
-
Thai court suspends prime minister over leaked call
Speed Read Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has been suspended, pending an ethics investigation
-
Senate passes GOP megabill after Alaska side deal
The pivotal yes vote came from Sen. Lisa Murkowski, whose support was secured following negotiated side deals for her home state Alaska
-
Trump sues LA over immigration policies
Speed Read He is suing over the city's sanctuary law, claiming it prevents local law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration authorities
-
Obama, Bush and Bono eulogize USAID on final day
Speed Read The US Agency for International Development, a humanitarian organization, has been gutted by the Trump administration
-
The last words and final moments of 40 presidents
The Explainer Some are eloquent quotes worthy of the holders of the highest office in the nation, and others... aren't
-
Senate advances GOP bill that costs more, cuts more
Speed Read The bill would make giant cuts to Medicaid and food stamps, leaving 11.8 million fewer people with health coverage
-
Canadian man dies in ICE custody
Speed Read A Canadian citizen with permanent US residency died at a federal detention center in Miami