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Trump Criticizes Clinton Backer Jay Z for 'Bad Language'

Donald Trump criticizes Clinton backer Jay Z for 'bad language.'
Image: Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump waves with his wife Melania Trump at a campaign rally in Wilmington
Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump waves with his wife Melania Trump at a campaign rally in Wilmington, North Carolina on Nov. 5.CARLO ALLEGRI / Reuters

TAMPA, FL — Donald Trump, who has faced near-constant backlash for his rhetoric at various points in this campaign, started his day put off by the language at Friday’s pro-Hillary Clinton concert with Jay-Z and Beyonce.

Admitting that he does like the couple, he took issue with their choice of language. “I like Jay Z, but oh the language!” Trump protested. The straight talking and controversial candidate wondered “should I use that language?” A move his crowd quickly rebuked with boos. Trump declined to even “use the initials” for the words that the music icons used on stage, so as to avoid getting in trouble. Foul language was used in-songs and interludes by Jay-Z, Chance the Rapper, and Big Sean, but Beyonce did not curse during her performance and none of the performers cursed during their out-of-song remarks.

“I like them both but he used language last night that was so bad,” Trump said. “And then Hillary said, ‘I did not like Donald Trump’s lewd language. My lewd language. I’ll tell you what, I’ve never said what he said in my life.”

And while Trump claims he hasn’t not said the words he took issue with on Saturday, that doesn’t mean he hasn’t used crude language in the past. In fact, his willingness to say anything is a hallmark of his controversy-wrought campaign.

Over the course of his candidacy, Trump has used words like “p—y” and “s—t” on stage at his rallies. In resurfaced hot mic audio from 2005, Trump told Billy Bush he can grab women “by the p—y” because of his celebrity and star power. A wave of over a dozen separate accusations of groping and sexual assault followed the leaked audio, and the comments lost Trump the endorsement of many establishment Republicans already skittish about him as the Republican nominee.

Trump also balked at the concert’s crowd size – about 10,000 – as it compares to the way he sees his own. Trump said he fills his venues “because you love what we’re saying” – calling it the “old fashioned way."

And he sounded his familiar line of “get him out” when an apparent protester interrupted his remarks.

“Stay on script,” a supporter in a Make America Great Again hat pled with the nominee from the front row. “Stay on script, Donald."