Former President Donald Trump made a false claim about riots at the University of Pennsylvania, where pro-Palestinian protesters had set up an encampment that was peacefully disbanded by police.
Trump, a Wharton graduate, told supporters at a rally that there were riots at his alma mater, but in reality, there were no major incidents during the 16-day protest. Police arrested 33 protesters, including nine Penn students, and they received civil violations equivalent to tickets.
Trump blamed President Joe Biden for the protests, claiming he doesn’t stand up to enemies abroad or extremists in his own party. He accused Biden of receiving campaign donations from groups that support cease-fire activism on campuses.
However, there is little evidence directly connecting these donations to the protesters. Trump also criticized the protests, saying that “dissent must never lead to disorder,” despite Biden’s support for peaceful protests as essential for democracy.
Trump’s claims were exaggerated and misleading, as the protests were peaceful and did not result in any major incidents. The protesters were demonstrating against US support for Israel, and Biden has been a target of these protests due to his administration’s policies.
Trump’s accusations of “antisemites, American haters, and financiers of chaos” are unfounded and divisive, and his call for the DNC to return donations from these groups is baseless.