Republican nominee Donald Trump has jumped into the controversy over President Barack Obama's welcome on the tarmac in China for the G20 Summit, saying he would have ordered Air Force One to head back to U.S. had leaders not rolled out the red carpet for him.
As reported in The Wall Street Journal, Trump said he would have ordered the plane to "get out of here" had he received a similar welcome that was given Obama over the weekend.
"I wouldn't over-crank the significance of it," said Trump while campaigning in suburban Cleveland.
"I got to tell you, if that were me, I'd say, 'You know what folks? I respect you a lot. Let's close the doors. Let's get out of here,'" he was quoted as saying.
Chinese leaders have been accused of a diplomatic snub to President Obama after the U.S. president was not provided with a staircase to leave his plane during his chaotic arrival in Hangzhou before the start of the G20 Summit. He, instead, exited from the belly of Air Force One, and later played down the incident at a news conference.
Chinese authorities have rolled out the red carpet for leaders including India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin, South Korean President Park Geun-hye, Brazilian President Michel Temer, and British Prime Minister Theresa May, who touched down on Sunday morning.
Republicans, who are trailing their Democratic counterparts by 4 percentage points according to a Real Clear Politics average of national polls, and by about the same margin in Ohio, are keen on closing the gap.
Trump, along with his running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, is spending his Labor Day in northeast Ohio campaigning.
Clinton and her vice presidential nominee, Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine, were also in northeast Ohio on Monday, the report said. Interestingly, the campaign planes of all four candidates were parked at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport.
Trump told the gathered group that opinion polls saw him leading in Ohio, Iowa and New Hampshire and tied in Maine and Michigan. There was "tremendous" support in Florida and Pennsylvania for him, he claimed.
The Republican nominee also highlighted his Mexico visit last week where he met Mexico President Enrique Peña Nieto. "Mexican-American supports Trump. It's so nice," he said.
Looking at reporters, he gestured, "Make a note of it, guys."