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Article snippet: President Trump on Tuesday night fiercely defended his response to violence in Charlottesville, Va., at his first public rally since his remarks ignited a national debate about whether he had emboldened racists. Speaking at a campaign rally in Phoenix, Trump made passing remarks from a teleprompter about the need for unity and inclusion before veering off-script to attack the news media, Democrats and even Republicans in the Senate whom he accused of distorting his response and blocking his agenda. The president mocked the protesters outside the building and taunted the “anti-fascist” protesters — known as “antifa” — that clashed with the white supremacists in Charlottesville, where three people died last Saturday. “All week [the media] are talking about the massive crowds that are going to be outside. Where are they?” Trump asked. “It's hot out. It is hot. I think it's too warm. They show up in the helmets and black masks and they have clubs and everything. Antifa!” At the 76-minute long rally, Trump threatened to shut down the government if his proposed border wall doesn't get funding from Congress. "If we have to close down our government, we're building that wall," he said. Trump teased that he would soon pardon controversial former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, who was convicted of ignoring court orders to end the racial profiling of Latinos. In the run-up to the rally, Democrats warned that a pardon would further inflame racial tensions in the wake of... Link to the full article to read more