‘Man, I loved that’: Trump applauds South Carolina rally attendee who punched protester | Donald Trump

Several protesters were removed from Donald Trump’s rally at Clemson University in South Carolina on Wednesday, including one who was allegedly punched by a rally attendee – much to the delight of the US president.

“That was awesome, man. Wow. Man, I loved that. I watched that,” Trump said. “That was amazing. Wow. That was amazing. Is everyone okay?”

“Who’s the guy who threw that punch?” » he continued. “You know, you reminded me of Evander, the real deal, Holyfield,” referring to the former heavyweight champion, who was also at the gathering.

“You have to give them credit. It takes courage to do that at a Trump rally,” he said. “He got beat up.”

According to a pool report, the president was interrupted at least nine times by hecklers. The crowd chanted “USA” as security guards escorted demonstrators from the arena.

A protester who was removed by security was followed by a rally participant, who appeared to slap him on the head.

Trump was in South Carolina to support Darline Graham, the sister of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, who died suddenly in July of a heart condition. Graham, elected to her brother’s seat in a special election, faces Democratic challenger Annie Andrews in her bid for a full six-year term.

Protests have frequently erupted at Trump rallies in recent weeks, as the president has stepped up his campaign stops in the final weeks before the Nov. 3 midterm elections. The president often refers to the protests as “paid protesters.”

Trump’s 32-day campaign blitz took him largely into Republican-leaning areas that he had comfortably won in previous elections, underscoring the challenges Republicans face as they try to maintain control of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives.

The latest Reuters/Ipsos poll, released Monday, finds that 31% of Americans approve of Trump’s performance in office, a record level for the president.

Reuters contributed to this report