Donald Trump Jr abandons book launch after heckling from audience

A supporter of President Trump yells at counter protesters outside a book promotion by Donald Trump Jr
AFP via Getty Images
Rebecca Speare-Cole11 November 2019

Donald Trump Jr walked out of a launch event for his new book after his own supporters began heckling him for refusing to answer questions.

The US president's son was at UCLA to promote his new book "Triggered: How The Left Thrives on Hate and Wants to Silence Us."

His appearance to talk about his book on liberals and free speech was cut short by an argument between him and the audience over why he would not take questions, the Guardian reported.

The 41-year-old was allegedly drowned out by heckling just 20 minutes into the event, which was scheduled to last two hours.

Trump Jr's appearance to talk about his new book on liberals and free speech was marked by an argument with the audience (filephoto)
AP

About 450 people at the University of California, Los Angeles, were vocally angry that Mr Trump and his girlfriend, former Fox News personality Kimberly Guilfoyle, declined to take questions because of time constraints, according to the newspaper.

After initially being greeted with shouts of shouts of "USA! USA!" when he first appeared on the stage of a lecture hall, members of the audience eventually turned to louder, openly hostile chants of "Q and A! Q and A!" after they were told he would not take questions.

Protesters opposed to President Trump hold signs during a protest outside a book promotion by Donald Trump Jr
AFP via Getty Images

The Guardian said that Mr Trump told the audience that taking questions from the floor risked creating sound bites that left-wing social media posters would abuse and distort.

Ms Guilfoyle reportedly told audience members that they were being rude before she and Mr Trump shortly left the stage.

Outside the lecture hall, several dozen protesters organised by the Los Angeles chapter of Refuse Fascism protested.

The Los Angeles Times reports that protesters chanted "UCLA protects fascists" and "humanity first."

Andy Stein, a supporter of President Donald Trump, told the Times that he came to UCLA to listen to Mr Trump Jr. because he sees the son as a "chip off the old block" and admires his "feistiness."

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