Trump praises 'small groups of protesters' for their 'passion'
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As rashes of anti-Donald Trump protests break out across the country — some of which have even grown violent — the new president-elect has clearly struggled to react. Trump lashed out at his perceived enemies Thursday night, claiming that "professional protesters, incited by the media, are protesting." He added the exclamation "very unfair!"
Trump apparently felt better about things after some sleep. By Friday morning, Trump had tweeted:
The pivot is encouraging for those waiting for a more "presidential" Trump; a patience for, and celebration of, protesters is a go-to response for President Obama when he gets heckled.
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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.
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