Defending Confederate monuments and more: 5 ways tweeting Trump spent day in N.J.

By Jonathan D. Salant | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

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After yet another controversial week, President Donald Trump stayed out of sight Thursday at his Bedminster golf course, holding private meetings and not making and public appearances.

Trump's announced schedule included lunch with Florida Gov. Rick Scott and a meeting with Small Business Administrator Linda McMahon.

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But the president's Twitter finger was busy, as he defended Confederate monuments, blasted the "fake news" media and attacked fellow Republicans.

Here are 5 things he did during his latest day in Jersey:

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President Donald Trump speaks to the press about protests in Charlottesville at Trump Tower in New York. (Jim Watson | AFP/Getty Images)

1. He defended his Charlottesville comments

Still facing criticism over his comments about the Charlottesville protest, when he assigned blame to both sides rather than the white supremacists, neo-Nazis and Ku Klux Klan members who staged the demonstration, Trump insisted that he had been misinterpreted.

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2. He defended Confederate monuments

Trump issued a series of tweets decrying the removal of "our beautiful statues and monuments" honoring the Confederacy.

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Injured people are tended to as police investigate near the scene of a terrorist attack in Barcelona. (Nicolas Carvalho Ochoa | Getty Images)

3. He decried attacks in Spain

Trump quickly condemned the terrorist attack in Barcelona, Spain, which left at least 14 people dead and more than 80 injured by a van in the city's tourist district. The Islamic State claimed responsibility.

Two suspects were arrested.

It was the latest attack in Europe involving individuals driving vehicles into crowds, the same technique used by a Nazi sympathizer in Charlottesville on Saturday when he drove into a group of counterdemonstrators, killing one woman.

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President Donald Trump, left, listens to Merck chief executive Kenneth Frazier at a White House announcement of a pharmaceutical glass packaging initiative. (EPA | Michael Reynolds)

4. Another advisory council bit the dust

Trump dropped plans to form an infrastructure advisory council, according to an unnamed White House official.

The president disbanded his American Manufacturing Council and his Strategy and Policy Forum following an exodus of corporate chief executives after he initially blamed both sides for violence at the white supremacist march in Charlottesville.

The first one to resign was Kenneth C. Frazier, chief executive of Merck & Co., based in Kenilworth.

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5. He attacked fellow Republicans

Trump began his day at his golf club in Bedminster by attacking a fellow Republicans, U.S. Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), who had criticized his response to the violence in Charlottesville.

Graham, who ran against Trump for the Republican presidential nomination, took exception to Trump's insistence to assign blame to both sides rather than just the white supremacists, neo-Nazis and Ku Klux Klan members who marched.

Trump also appeared to endorse a primary challenger to U.S. Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.), author of a recently published book criticizing the president.

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While neither Graham nor Flake endorsed Trump for president, both have been dependable votes for him. Both supported changes in Senate rules so he could name a conservative U.S. Supreme Court justice, voted for controversial Cabinet nominees such as Jeff Sessions for attorney general and Betsy DeVos for education secretary, and backed health care legislation endorsed by Trump that would leave 22 million more Americans without coverage.

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Read more about Trump and Charlottesville

Booker acts to remove Confederate monuments from U.S. Capitol

Why this N.J. lawmaker who helped Trump just rejected the president

7 bombshells from Bannon's stunning interview: Trump adviser reveals all

Trump dissolves industry panel as 2 more N.J. business leaders leave over comments

5 outrageous things Trump said in 'off the rails' news conference

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Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JDSalant or on Facebook. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.

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