Cincinnati resident Andrew Pappas supported President Trump's decision to separate children from parents who crossed the border illegally because, he said, it got Congress talking about immigration reform.
President Donald Trump speaks during a roundtable discussion on protecting American workers in Duluth, Minn., Wednesday, June 20, 2018. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
Niurka Lopez of Michigan said Trump's "zero-tolerance" policy made sense because her family came to the U.S. legally from Cuba and everyone else should, too.
Die-hard Trump supporters remained steadfast even as heart-rending photos of children held in cages and audio of terrified children crying out for their parents stoked outrage among Democrats and Republicans alike. They said they believed Trump and Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen when they falsely claimed that they had no choice but to enforce an existing law.
When Trump signed an executive order on Wednesday to end forced separations on his own, they shrugged. The end, they suggested, justified the means. And it was the fault of Congress rather than Trump.
"The optics of what's happening here directly at the border isn't something that he wants to have on his watch, but at the end of the day, he still wants to focus the attention of Congress on the fundamental need for immigration reform in the United States and I think he's gonna hold firm on that," said Pappas, 53.
"His goal was not to rip families apart, I think his goal was to make Congress act on immigration reform," Pappas added. "And now ...everyone's talking about immigration reform and I think President Trump is getting exactly what he wants."
Sixty-five-year-old Richard Klabechek of Oak Grove, Minnesota, who attended the president's rally Wednesday evening in Duluth, Minnesota, said he was unmoved by the audio of crying children, saying it was "the media playing the heartstrings of the public." And he said Trump was simply being Trump.
"I think Trump takes issues on in his own direct way, but it doesn't fit the politically correct narrative of the media or the Democrats," said Klabecheck, who is retired.
Lopez, 54, said Trump "really cares for the United States of America and the people of the United States of America and to protect us from people that want to hurt us."
Others shared her assessment.
John Trandem, 42, who owns an automotive services company near Fargo, North Dakota, said he has supported all of Trump's decisions during the border controversy.
"He's certainly not a man without compassion. He's not a monster as he's being framed by the media and by the left," said Trandem, who was a delegate at the 2016 Republican convention where Trump clinched the nomination for president.
"He recognizes that it's a very challenging issue. ... Nobody wants to see parents and children separated, but ... the blame should be put squarely back on the shoulders of the people who broke the law in the first place."
Trump voter Terry Welch of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, said he blames Congress and its GOP leadership for not reforming immigration laws, though he admits he doesn't like Trump as a person.
"It's a terrible situation," Welch, 43, said of the distraught children. "I think everybody believes that."
Still, he said the president's dramatic reversal on separating children won't solve anything: "I see that as placating people."
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was his usual self and Luka Doncic wasn't.
Gilgeous-Alexander had 29 points, nine rebounds and nine assists to help the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Dallas Mavericks 117-95 on Tuesday night in Game 1 of their Western Conference semifinal series.
Gilgeous-Alexander made 8 of 19 field goals and 11 of 13 free throws before coming out of the game with 3:26 remaining and the Thunder leading 111-89.
Doncic, an MVP finalist like Gilgeous-Alexander, scored 19 points on 6-for-19 shooting and had five turnovers. He bristled when asked about his shooting.
“Who cares,” he said. “We lost. We just got to move onto the next one. We’ve got to be better.”
Lu Dort got most of the work guarding Doncic, with rookie Cason Wallace getting some of the action and 7-foot-1 center Holmgren pestering him near the rim.
Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said Dort, one of the league's best perimeter defenders did his job.
“He’s just a warrior,” Daigneault said. “Brings the juice every single night. Doncic is a really hard matchup and a great player that didn’t have his best pitch tonight. He’s going to play better than this. Lu made it hard on him. I thought our team made it hard on him.”
Holmgren added 19 points, seven rebounds and three blocks. Jalen Williams struggled with his shot for three quarters but scored 10 of his 18 points in the fourth to help Oklahoma City remain unbeaten in the playoffs.
Kyrie Irving scored 20 points and Daniel Gafford added 16 points, 11 rebounds and five blocks for the fifth-seeded Mavericks.
Game 2 will be Thursday night in Oklahoma City. Daigneault is aware that the Mavericks stole home court from the Los Angeles Clippers in Game 2 of their first-round series. Dallas went on to win that series 4-2.
“I think we can expect them to play better than they did tonight," Daigneault said. “The last thing we’re going to do is underestimate this opponent.”
The Thunder held the Mavericks to 39.3% shooting and won big, despite being outrebounded 52-39.
Gilgeous-Alexander rested briefly at the start of the second quarter before subbing in at the 8:20 mark. He scored 11 points in the period to help the Thunder take a 62-53 lead at the break. He scored 19 points in the first half, while reserve Aaron Wiggins scored 12 of his 16 points before the break.
Dallas opened the second half on a run, and a 3-pointer by Irving cut Oklahoma City's lead to 66-65 and forced the Thunder to call a timeout.
Isaiah Joe and Dort hit 3-pointers when play resumed, then Dort ripped Doncic, leading to a dunk by Williams that put the Thunder up 74-67. Gilgeous-Alexander's 3-pointer with Doncic in his face put Oklahoma City up 80-69. Irving hit a 3-pointer as the third quarter expired, but the Thunder still led 89-79.
Williams scored eight straight points for the Thunder in a run that put Oklahoma City ahead 102-87, and the Thunder controlled the game from there.
The Thunder set an Oklahoma City playoff record with 29 assists.
“I thought we got a good groove going after kind of a choppy start," Daigneault said. "Really intelligent attacks. We had a good blend of aggression and also taking what the defense gave us, keeping them on their heels, keeping the ball ahead of them. They’re really good when you slow down and you allow them to kind of scheme and calibrate.”
The Mavericks will need to regroup.
“They’re a great team,” Doncic said. “Great defensive team, great offensive team. So it’s not going to be easy at all. We’ve got to very good basketball and focused basketball for 48 minutes.”
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA
Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic, right, reacts as Oklahoma City Thunder guard Luguentz Dort looks on during the first half of Game 1 of an NBA basketball second-round playoff series, Tuesday, May 7, 2024, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)
Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic, right, drives against Oklahoma City Thunder guard Luguentz Dort during the first half of Game 1 of an NBA basketball second-round playoff series, Tuesday, May 7, 2024, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) and Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic look on while attempting a rebound during the first half of Game 1 of an NBA basketball second-round playoff series, Tuesday, May 7, 2024, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)
Dallas Mavericks center Daniel Gafford (21) collects a rebound in front of Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jaylin Williams, right, and guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, back, during the first half of Game 1 of an NBA basketball second-round playoff series, Tuesday, May 7, 2024, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) talks with official Tony Brothers during the second half of Game 1 of an NBA basketball second-round playoff series against the Dallas Mavericks, Tuesday, May 7, 2024, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, center, tries to pass the ball to a teammate as Dallas Mavericks center Daniel Gafford (21), guard Luka Doncic, second from left, and forward Derrick Jones Jr. defend during the first half of Game 1 of an NBA basketball second-round playoff series, Tuesday, May 7, 2024, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)
Dallas Mavericks center Daniel Gafford (21) dunks on Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2), forward Jaylin Williams (6) and guard Cason Wallace (22) during the first half of Game 1 of an NBA basketball second-round playoff series, Tuesday, May 7, 2024, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) works the floor against Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving during the first half of Game 1 of an NBA basketball second-round playoff series, Tuesday, May 7, 2024, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)
