PORTSMOUTH, New Hampshire — Donald Trump has challenged his rival Hillary Clinton to a drug test before their next debate, suggesting the Democrat was “pumped up” on performance-enhancing drugs in a stunning new twist to the brutal White House race.
The unsubstantiated attack from the Republican nominee came as a new poll out on Sunday shows Clinton with a four-point lead over her Republican rival, suggesting that Trump still holds a solid core of voters despite a week of snowballing claims of sexual misconduct that have thrown his presidential campaign into chaos.
Trump has trampled all conventions in his treatment of his opponent, vowing if elected to jail her over her email practices as secretary of state — and making “Lock Her Up” a rallying cry for his fired-up supporters.
In the latest attack, leveled without proof, Trump suggested she had taken drugs during their last debate, and called for testing ahead of their final duel on Wednesday in Las Vegas.
“At the beginning of her last debate, she was all pumped up at the beginning. At the end, it was like, ‘Take me down,’ she could barely reach her car,” the 70-year-old told a rally on Saturday in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
“Athletes, they make them take a drug test. I think we should take a drug test prior to the debate. Why don’t we do that?” Trump said.
Meanwhile in an unrelated development, Trump said that, if he’s elected to the White House, there won’t be any relationship more important to the US than its relationship with India.
Trump says at a Republican Hindu Coalition fundraiser on Saturday night that “under a Trump admiration we are going to become even better friends.”
He adds: “In fact, I’ll take the word ‘even’ out because we are going to be best friends. There won’t be any relationship more important to us.”
Trump also praises Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a “great man” and says he looks forward to deepening diplomatic and military ties with India. — Agencies
