Donald Trump Rejects Calls to Quit Presidential Race Saying ‘I’d Never Withdraw’

Washington, 08 Muharram 1438/09 October 2016 (MINA) – Donald Trump said he will carry on as Republican candidate for president – despite numerous calls from Republicans for him to drop out – following the revelation of vulgar remarks he made about women in 2005.

“I’d never withdraw. I’ve never withdrawn in my life,” he told the Washington Post. “No, I’m not quitting this race. I have tremendous support.

“People are calling and saying: ‘Don’t even think about doing anything else but running’,” Mr Trump said when asked about Republican defection.

“You have to see what’s going on. The real story is that people have no idea the support. I don’t know how that’s going to boil down but people have no idea the support.”

“They’re not going to make me quit, and they can’t make me quit,” Mr Trump said, responding to calls for him to step down. “The Republicans, you’ve got to remember, have been running for a long time. The reason they don’t win is because they don’t stick together.”

He claimed that running against Hillary Clinton gives him enough default support from the Republican Party, all but suggesting he still has a strong footing in the race.

“It’s because she’s so bad. She’s so flawed as a candidate,” he said. “Running against her, I can’t say it be the same if I ran against someone else, but running against her makes it a lot easier, that’s for sure.”

In a later interview with the Wall Street Journal, Mr Trump said that his wife, Melania, and daughter, Ivanka, “understand” his situation and “they’re very loyal”.

Melania Trump issued a statement later Saturday afternoon, condemning the remarks, while also defending Mr Trump.

“The words my husband used are unacceptable and offensive to me,” she said.

“This does not represent the man that I know. He has the heart and mind of a leader. I hope people will accept his apology, as I have, and focus on the important issues facing our nation and the world.”

Mr Trump’s remarks came a day after a 2005 video emerged showing the Republican candidate bragging in lewd terms about sexually assaulting women with impunity. (T/R07/R01)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)