'Send him back!': Donald Trump met by protesters as he visits gun massacre cities of Dayton and El Paso
ITV News Security Editor Rohit Kachroo reports from El Paso
Donald Trump was greeted with protests as he visited both El Paso and Ohio following mass shootings in the cities last weekend that left 31 dead and dozens more wounded.
Chants of "Send him back" signalled El Paso's rejection of the Commander-in-Chief, as he arrived in Texas. The president stands accused of inciting hatred in the US with his use of language.
One protester told ITV News: "There's no place in our community for racism and I don't want Donald Trump to be here. He has put a target on our backs. He is a racist and I have zero respect for him."
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As part of the Texas visit, Mr Trump and First Lady Melania met with emergency workers who were the first on the scene at the shooting a a supermarket, which claimed 22 lives.
But despite the criticism of the visit, the president insisted those he met were happy to see him.
He told reporters: "We have had an amazing day. The love and respect for the office of the president...I wish you could have been there to see it."
ITV News spoke to El Paso Mayor Dee Margo, who said he had the opportunity to speak to the president, who offered him a ride on the 'Beast'.
Despite the negative feelings of his constituents, Mr Margo believed the president was "very receptive".
"I thought he was positive and very understanding," Mr Margo told ITV News.
"He was presidential, as you would expect a president to act at a time like this."
He said he also discussed El Paso's cultural and ethnic diversity with Mr Trump.
"We are the largest bi-national, bi-cultural, bi-lingual region in the world.
"It’s been this way for several hundred years. That was what I was trying to get across, to understand the uniqueness of our region which very few understand and probably will never ever grasp until they come here.
"We will not let this evil white supremacist terrorist –whatever you want to call him – with his manifesto, historically define El Paso."
The supermarket attack is being handled as a domestic terrorism case, authorities said. Police are investigating whether there is a link between the shooting and racist, anti-immigrant material posted online shortly before the attack.
Among those critical of the president in El Paso, is Congresswoman Veronica Escobar, who declined a meeting with Mr Trump.
When asked what she would like to hear from the president, during the visit, she told ITV News: "My hope is he says the words I have used to describe this great community and these great people are wrong. These people are worthy of grace and love. They are human."
Earlier in the day The 45th President of the United States visited a hospital in Dayton, Ohio, where many of the victims of Sunday's attack in Dayton were treated.
Outside Miami Valley Hospital, at least 200 protesters gathered, hoping to send a message to the president that they want action on gun control.
Some said he was not welcome in their city.
It was a highly usual display of anger and hostility at a time of national tragedy, driven by critics who say Mr Trump's own words may have contributed to last weekend's shootings.
Before embarking on his trip to Ohio and Texas, the president insisted the language he uses "brings people together".
Law officials have named the suspect of the El Paso shooting as 21-year-old Patrick Crusius from Allen.
He has been charged with capital murder and could face the death penalty if guilty.
Mr Trump said that Congress was making progress on possible new gun legislation and said he was looking at introducing "background checks".
But he would not embrace a call for an assault weapons ban, saying that there was no political appetite for it.
The President strongly criticised those who say he bears some responsibility for the nation's divisions, claiming they were people "looking for political gain," as he returned to political arguing ahead of his visit.
He mentioned the apparent political leanings of the shooter in the Dayton killings, suggesting the man was supportive of Democrats.
Democratic presidential candidate Beto O'Rourke attended the #ElPasoStrong event in a park on Wednesday afternoon local time, during Mr Trump's visit.
In February, while a packed Trump rally in El Paso supporting a US-Mexico border wall was taking place, O'Rourke drew thousands with his own counter speech across the street.
At the time, Mr Trump tweeted he had "trounced" Mr O'Rourke, adding the Democrat should respect victims and law enforcement and "be quiet."
Mr O'Rourke responded: "El Paso will not be quiet and neither will I."
A White House spokesperson, Hogan Gidley, said Mr Trump also wants to have a conversation about ways to head off such violence in the future.
"We can do something impactful to prevent this from ever happening again, if we come together," he said.