President Donald Trump's mere mention of Hillary Clinton's now infamous "deplorables" remark from the 2016 campaign sent the crowd at CPAC into a frenzy on Friday morning.
Chants of "lock her up" filled the auditorium at the Gaylord Convention Center after the president again defended his voters as "great Americans" against Clinton who during the presidential election said "half" of them are in what she called a "basket of deplorables"
"People came to vote and the media said 'where are they coming from?' These are hardworking great, great Americans. These are unbelievable people who have not been treated fairly. Hillary called them deplorable, they're not deplorable," said Trump.
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As the conservative conference crowd then began chanting "lock her up," the president paused, shook his head, and seemed to gesture for the audience to settle down.
While he didn't directly address the call for the former secretary of state to be arrested, Trump did say: "Who would've thought that a word was gonna play so badly? That's the problem in politics; one wrong word and it's over."
"She also said irredeemable, but we won't mention that," Trump said interrupting the chants.
Click through Twitter reactions here:
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Reactions to "lock her up" chant during President Trump's CPAC speech
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Trump smiles when the crowd chants, "Lock her up." As president, that's acting like an authoritarian or worse.
Telling people to move on amid chants of "Lock her up" is NOT how you bridge a divide.
"Lock her up" chants when Trump recalls @HillaryClinton "deplorables" remark. He observes that in politics "one wrong word and it's over."
"Lock her up" chants erupt at CPAC
"Lock her up chant" at CPAC. It's like old times, this whole speech.
@rtm5308 @POTUS You do know the person chanting "lock her up" is on his way to jail? That was Flynn. Feel chumped yet?
Hillary Clinton broke the law lock her up
At cpac meeting today trumps deplaurables supporters were shouting lock her up they should be chanting mike Flynn lock him up what lisers
CPAC crowd chanting "lock her up" when Trump mentions Hillary during his speech on security. Maybe they didn't hear about Mar-a-Logo?
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The "lock her up" chant became a popular mantra for Trump supporters over the course of the 2016 campaign, and could often be heard the billionaire businessman's rallies across the nation.
But after winning the presidency, Trump has softened on his pledge to seek legal action against his former rival, and in December when a crowd in Michigan broke out into the chant he attempted to put the issue to rest. "That plays great before the election ... nah, we don't care," said Trump.
A day after her controversial "deplorables" comment, then Democratic nominee Clinton expressed "regret," saying she was "grossly generalistic [sic], and that's never a good idea."
The president also spent a large part of his keynote address going after another popular target of his: the press.
SEE MORE: CPAC attendees seen waving Russian flags during Trump speech
Trump doubled down on his claim that the "FAKE NEWS media" is the "enemy of the American people," this time saying he plans to "do something about it."
"A few days ago, I called the fake news 'the enemy of the people', and they are. They are the enemy of the people," Trump said. "Because they have no sources. They just make them up where there are none."
Trump argued that the press makes up stories and makes up sources. "They shouldn't be allowed to use sources unless they use somebody's name. Let their name be put out there. Let their name be put out."
Many online were quick to point out that the president himself has a history of using unnamed sources, citing his past allegation that former President Barack Obama's birth certificate was fake.
Trump did however attempt to clarify his tweet calling the "FAKE NEWS media" the enemy, saying that he didn't call all media "the enemy of the people," but was only referring to the "fake news media."
"They're very dishonest people. In fact, covering my comments the dishonest media did not explain that I had called the fake news the enemy of the people. The fake news. They dropped the word 'fake'," he said.
In Trump's original tweet he labeled the "failing" New York Times, NBC News, ABC, CBS, and CNN as "fake news."
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President Trump's CPAC address
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U.S. President Donald Trump waves to supporters after speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference, or CPAC, in Oxon Hill in Maryland, U.S., February 24, 2017. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
People cheer as US President Donald Trump addresses the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) at National Harbor, Maryland, on February 24, 2017. / AFP / Nicholas Kamm (Photo credit should read NICHOLAS KAMM/AFP/Getty Images)
U.S. President Donald Trump addresses the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Oxon Hill, Maryland, U.S. February 24, 2017. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst
U.S. President Donald Trump takes the stage to address the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Oxon Hill, Maryland, U.S. February 24, 2017. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst
U.S. President Donald Trump takes the stage to address the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Oxon Hill, Maryland, U.S. February 24, 2017. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst
People cheer as US President Donald Trump addresses the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) at National Harbor, Maryland, on February 24, 2017. / AFP / Nicholas Kamm (Photo credit should read NICHOLAS KAMM/AFP/Getty Images)
U.S. President Donald Trump addresses the American Conservative Union's annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in National Harbor, Maryland. U.S., February 24, 2017. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
U.S. President Donald Trump gives his supporters a thumbs up he spoke at the Conservative Political Action Conference, or CPAC, in Oxon Hill in Maryland, U.S., February 24, 2017. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
NATIONAL HARBOR, MD - FEBRUARY 24: Supporters cheer as U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during the Conservative Political Action Conference at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center February 24, 2017 in National Harbor, Maryland. Hosted by the American Conservative Union, CPAC is an annual gathering of right wing politicians, commentators and their supporters. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)
NATIONAL HARBOR, MD - FEBRUARY 24: A supporter wearing patriotic clothing listens as U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during the Conservative Political Action Conference at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center February 24, 2017 in National Harbor, Maryland. Hosted by the American Conservative Union, CPAC is an annual gathering of right wing politicians, commentators and their supporters. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in National Harbor, Maryland, U.S., on Friday, Feb. 24, 2017. It's Trump's party now, but activists at a gathering of conservatives outside Washington this week are still struggling over whether to fully embrace the president's vision for what it means to be a Republican. Photographer: Olivier Douliery/Pool via Bloomberg
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Trump's CPAC speech inspires 'lock her up' chant from 2016 campaign against Hillary Clinton - AOL News