Donald Trump responds to Flint pastor who interrupted his anti-Clinton comments

On Thursday, Donald Trump reacted to the Flint, Mich., pastor who stopped him from attacking Hillary Clinton during his Wednesday visit to the city. In a phone interview with Fox and Friends, Trump said he "figured something was up from the start" because the pastor, Faith Green-Timmons, "was like a nervous mess" when she was introducing him. Trump was slated to discuss the city's lead-contaminated water crisis during his visit to Bethel United Methodist Church, but he veered off topic and began slamming Clinton, prompting the pastor to ask him to stop.
"I mean, everyone plays their games. It doesn't bother me," Trump said, suggesting the pastor had that interruption in mind from the start. Politico reported that the pastor wrote on Facebook before Trump's appearance that "he will not use us, we will educate him." When she interrupted Trump's speech, Green-Timmons reminded him they'd invited him to "thank us for the work we've done in Flint, not give a political speech."
Overall, Trump said he got "unbelievably good treatment from the people" during his "interesting experience." "I'll tell you what made me feel good, the audience was saying let him speak, let him speak, and the audience was so great and these are mostly African-American people, phenomenal people and they want to see change," he said, noting that "what they did with the water is horrible, but the crime rate" in Flint is "ridiculous."
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.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Toast to great drinks and gorgeous views at these 7 rooftop bars
The Week Recommends Elevate your typical night out
By Catherine Garcia, The Week US Published
-
Sudoku hard: February 24, 2025
The Week's daily hard sudoku puzzle
By The Week Staff Published
-
Sudoku medium: February 24, 2025
The Week's daily medium sudoku puzzle
By The Week Staff Published
-
Mitch McConnell won't seek reelection
Speed Read The longest-serving Senate party leader is retiring
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Trump reportedly wants to take over US Postal Service
Speed Read President Trump is making plans to disband the leadership of USPS and absorb the agency into his administration
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump seeks to end New York's congestion pricing
Speed Read The MTA quickly filed a lawsuit to stop the move
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump officials try to reverse DOGE-led firings
Speed Read Mass firings by Elon Musk's team have included employees working on the H5N1 bird flu epidemic and US nuclear weapons programs
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump blames Ukraine for war after US-Russia talks
Speed Read The US and Russia have agreed to work together on ending the Ukraine war — but President Trump has flipped America's approach
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Musk's DOGE seeks access to IRS, Social Security files
Speed Read If cleared, the Department of Government Efficiency would have access to tax returns, bank records and other highly personal information about most Americans
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Senate confirms RFK Jr. as health secretary
Speed Read The noted vaccine skeptic is now in charge of America's massive public health system
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump lays out plans for broad 'reciprocal' tariffs
Speed Read Tariffs imposed on countries that are deemed to be treating the US unfairly could ignite a global trade war and worsen American inflation
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published