Former President Donald Trump is attempting to distance himself from the famous "lock her up" chants aimed at Hillary Clinton, despite multiple instances of him using the phrase during his 2016 presidential campaign. In an interview on "Fox and Friends" Weekend Edition, Trump denied ever calling for Clinton's arrest and imprisonment, instead shifting the blame to his supporters.

During the interview, Fox News co-host Will Cain brought up Trump's famous remark, "Lock her up," and highlighted how Trump had chosen not to pursue legal action against Clinton during his presidency. Trump responded by stating, "I beat her. It's easier when you win. They always said, 'Lock her up.' And I could have done it, but I felt it would have been a terrible thing."

However, Trump's claim contradicts the undeniable evidence of him repeatedly invoking the "lock her up" chants during his 2016 campaign. At that time, he even vowed to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate allegations that Clinton mishandled classified information by using a private email server while serving as Barack Obama's Secretary of State.

Although Trump softened his stance after winning the presidential election, expressing gratitude towards Clinton for her service, he later returned to embracing the "lock her up" rhetoric. At a rally in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania in September 2020, Trump responded to chants of "lock her up" by saying, "I agree."

The former president's attempts to distance himself from the chants come in the aftermath of his recent conviction on 34 felony counts. While it remains unclear whether Trump will face jail time for his crimes, his disavowal of the "lock her up" chants seems to be an effort to redirect blame and avoid accountability.

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