Trump blasts Michigan governor as his supporters chant 'lock her up'
MUSKEGON, MICHIGAN: US President Donald Trump criticised Michigan's Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer on Saturday for her policies to curb the outbreak, drawing shouts of "lock her up" from a rally crowd.
Mr Trump made the remarks during the first stop of a three-day trip through critical swing states.
He held large rallies in Wisconsin and Michigan despite rising coronavirus cases in both states. People who attended the rallies did not maintain social distance. Some wore masks, some did not.
At a rally in Muskegon, Michigan, Mr Trump targeted Ms Whitmer several times, criticising the state's rules to stop the spread of coronavirus, calling her "dishonest" and making light of a right-wing plot uncovered by the FBI to kidnap her.
"They said she was threatened," Mr Trump said. "And she blamed me... Hopefully you'll be sending her packing pretty soon," Mr Trump said.
Supporters chanted "Lock her up!" reprising what they often directed at former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who lost to Mr Trump in 2016.
Ms Whitmer responded on Twitter: "This is exactly the rhetoric that has put me, my family, and other government officials' lives in danger while we try to save the lives of our fellow Americans."
Meanwhile thousands took to the streets across the US for women's marches issuing fervent calls against Mr Trump and his conservative Supreme Court pick, judge Amy Coney Barrett.
More than 100,000 people took part in some 430 marches in locations from New York to Los Angeles and Chicago to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, organisers said. - REUTERS, AFP
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