Donald Trump in a new interview defended the speech he gave at the Republican National Convention as “very optimistic” amid criticism that the GOP presidential nominee’s message was too “dark.”
Trump told NBC’s Chuck Todd in an interview that aired Sunday on Meet The Press that his speech Thursday night — which painted a picture of an America plagued by crime, murders and “lurking” terrorists — was optimistic because “we’re going to stop the problems.”
“To me, it was an optimistic speech,” Trump said. “I think the only negativity, and, you know, the hate, I call them the haters, and that’s fine. But the only negative reviews were, ‘A little dark.’ And the following day, they had another attack, and then today you see what happened in Afghanistan with many, many people killed.”
The real estate mogul’s speech on Friday drew remarks from President Barack Obama, who cautioned against Trump’s assessment of the nation and said the fears conveyed by speakers at the Republican National Convention “just don’t jibe with the facts.”
“Our convention occurs at a moment of crisis for our nation,” Trump said in his speech in Cleveland. “The attacks on our police, and the terrorism in our cities, threaten our very way of life. Any politician who does not grasp this danger is not fit to lead our country.”
More Must-Reads From TIME
- Why We're Spending So Much Money Now
- The Fight to Free Evan Gershkovich
- Meet the 2024 Women of the Year
- John Kerry's Next Move
- The Quiet Work Trees Do for the Planet
- Breaker Sunny Choi Is Heading to Paris
- Column: The Internet Made Romantic Betrayal Even More Devastating
- Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time
Contact us at letters@time.com