Trump tells women 'I am your protector' after trailing behind Harris with them, slammed as 'manipulative'

INDIANA, PENNSYLVANIA: GOP nominee Donald Trump told women that he will be their "protector" if he is reinstated in the White House in the upcoming general election while speaking at a rally in Pennsylvania on Monday, September 23.

According to The Hill, the former president's attempt to appeal directly to the women in the audience comes as polls show him trail behind his Democratic rival, Vice President Kamala Harris, with that voter demographic.

Since replacing incumbent Joe Biden at the top of the party ticket, Harris was quick to consolidate support among female voters and made reproductive rights central to her campaign.

She blamed Trump for facilitating the repeal of Roe v Wade and restricting abortion access across the country. A New York Times/Siena College poll conducted after their presidential debate found her leading Trump 53 to 42 among women.

Donald Trump's call to female voters

Donald Trump shared at the Pennsylvania rally that he believed women liked him and that "fake news" kept presenting otherwise.

“I make this statement to the great women of our country," he stated. "Sadly, women are poorer than they were four years ago, are less healthy than they were four years ago, are less safe on the streets than they were four years ago, are paying much higher prices for groceries and everything else than they were four years ago."

“I will fix all of that, and fast, and at long last this nation, and national nightmare, will end. It will end,” promised the GOP nominee.

“Because I am your protector. I want to be your protector. As president, I have to be your protector. I hope you don’t make too much of it. I hope the fake news doesn’t go, ‘Oh he wants to be their protector.’ Well, I am. As president, I have to be your protector," he added.

Internet calls out Trump's 'narcissitic' statement

Netizens, especially women, reacting to Trump's comments on the social media platform X slammed him for assuming the role of 'protector' for women. The following tweets demonstrate their takes.

"This is so disgustingly manipulative," wrote a user.

"I would rather take my chances alone in a forest with a hungry grizzly bear than find out what he thinks protection means," shared another.

"Hard pass," jibed a third.

"This is exactly what an abusive man would say," noted a fourth.

"Strong women DO NOT like lecherous, Narcissistic men!" expressed a fifth.

"Swipe left ladies. Swipe left," quipped a sixth user.

"Holy weird creeper," chided yet another.

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online