Trump says 'weak leadership' in Dem cities could allow election unrest: 'The other side is radicalized'

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Trump on potential violence and looting erupting following the election results

President Trump tells 'Fox & Friends' that he thinks 'it's very sad when stores are boarded up,' but understands why they do it.

President Trump lamented the fact that areas across the country are bracing themselves for possible riots and looting on Election Day, blaming Democratic leaders for not keeping extremists in line.

Images of boarded-up storefronts in major cities, including New York City and Washington, D.C., have given a dire premonition of what could come Tuesday night.

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“I think it’s very sad and part of the reason is it’ll all be in Democrat cities, Democrat-run cities," Trump said in an interview with "Fox & Friends" Tuesday morning, giving New York City, Baltimore, Portland, Ore., Chicago and Oakland, Calif., as examples. "And that’s because of weak leadership. Their weak, weak leadership."

He also blamed left-wing extremists for being the source of the danger.

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"The other side is radicalized," Trump said, pointing to Antifa.

Trump said that Republican leaders are tougher, even if they do not necessarily like being involved in confrontations with the public.

"And, you know, my side is a very strong side if they wanted to, but they don’t like doing that, you know, they’re proud of their country, they don’t want to hurt our country," Trump said.

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The president then said that such confrontation would not even be necessary if officials made it clear that offenses would not be tolerated.

"Frankly, if you let people know that they will be held at bay, you wouldn’t have any problem but they don’t do that," Trump claimed. "They have the cops stand back. Stand back and watch looters walk washing machines and televisions out of stores. It’s a shame to watch it."