Trump tones down rhetoric but protests spread

Thousands of Americans spilled into the streets Saturday for a new day of protests against Donald Trump, even as the president-elect appeared to back away from the fiery rhetoric that propelled him to the White House.
More demonstrators are expected to gather again in cities across the United States to protest at against president-elect and his policies, which they say will hurt their civil and human rights, a day after a protester was shot in Portland, Oregon.
“We must unite despite our differences to stop HATE from ruling the land,” New York organizers said on a Facebook event post announcing a rally and march that were to begin at noon local time at Union Square.
The Republican billionaire — huddled with his transition team at his Manhattan residence — has sought to strike a conciliatory tone since his election sent a shockwave around the world, announcing Friday he no longer intended to scrap Barack Obama’s signature health care law, Obamacare.
“This will prove to be a great time in the lives of ALL Americans. We will unite and we will win, win, win!” he tweeted Saturday, as up to 15,000 people prepared to march on Trump Tower under the rallying cry of “Trump is NOT my president.” In downtown Chicago, several thousand marched peacefully to chants of “No hate. No fear. Immigrants are welcome here.”
Four days after his shock election, the world is scrutinizing the maverick’s every move for clues to how he will govern.
President-elect Trump’s U-turn on Obamacare, which the candidate Trump had branded a “disaster,” was prompted by his White House meeting with the outgoing president a day earlier.
In his first post-election interview, Trump told The Wall Street Journal he may maintain a ban on insurance companies denying coverage because of so-called pre-existing conditions. He also said he may continue to ensure that children can remain on their parents’ policies until the age of 26, a key Obamacare tenet.
“I like those very much,” the 70-year-old real estate mogul and political novice said of both points.
It marked one of several moves by Trump and his advisers away from his more sweeping campaign positions.
Asked by the Wall Street Journal whether he would, as threatened, name a special prosecutor to investigate his opponent Hillary Clinton over her use of a private e-mail server as secretary of state, Trump deflected.
“It’s not something I’ve given a lot of thought, because I want to solve health care, jobs, border control, tax reform,” he said — a far cry from his stump rhetoric leading crowds in chants of “Lock her up!“
Top Trump surrogate Newt Gingrich also cast doubt on whether Trump would make Mexico fund his proposed border wall, another rallying cry for his supporters.
“He’ll spend a lot of time controlling the border. He may not spend very much time trying to get Mexico to pay for it, but it was a great campaign device,” Gingrich was reported as saying by The Washington Post.
Events were planned throughout the day in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago, where organizers said they hoped to continue the momentum they have gained over several nights across the nation after the real-estate mogul’s shock victory in the presidential election on Tuesday.
Hours before the demonstrations were set to begin, a protester in Portland was shot as he took part in a march across the Morrison Bridge. He is expected to live, but the suspect remains at large, police said.
Since Trump’s victory, demonstrators in several cities have decried the Republican’s campaign promises to restrict immigration and register Muslims, as well as allegations that the former reality-TV star sexually abused women.
“It is our time as a movement to unite and fight back against Donald Trump and what he wants to do to this country,” organizers said on Facebook in announcing a rally in MacArthur Park in Los Angeles on Saturday.
As of early on Saturday morning, some 100,000 people had indicated on Facebook that they were planning to attend or were interested in the anti-Trump rallies in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles, where organizers told protesters that violence and vandalism will not be tolerated.
The demonstrations so far have been largely peaceful, although in Portland protesters have smashed store front windows, sprayed graffiti and damaged cars as they clashed with police who used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse crowds.
Dozens of protesters were arrested and a handful of police were injured during the protests in Portland and other cities.
Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus said on Friday that anti-Trump protesters have to accept the election results.
Trump, who initially denounced the protesters saying they had been “incited” by the media, reversed course and praised them on Friday.

Source: Arab News