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At Arizona rally, Trump defends response to Charlottesville violence

President Donald Trump, surrounded by thousands of supporters on Tuesday, defended his response to the violence at a rally organized by white supremacists in Charlottesville, Virginia, and attacked the media for "giving a platform to hate groups."

Trump told the friendly crowd at the political rally in Arizona that his words in the aftermath of the Virginia event had been "perfect."

He revved up the crowd with criticism of journalists, who he said did not report what he had said. Many in the crowd turned and pointed at reporters in the room. Some chanted "CNN sucks."

Trump also suggested he might pardon Joe Arpaio, a former sheriff of Maricopa County, Arizona, who was found guilty last month of criminal contempt for violating the terms of a 2011 court order in a racial profiling case.

Arpaio, 85, lost a re-election bid last year in the county.

"Do the people in this room like Sheriff Joe?" Trump asked, sparking loud applause and a chant of "Pardon Joe!"