Story highlights
- Trump visited Flint, Michigan on Wednesday
- He spoke at a church
Flint, Michigan (CNN)The pastor who hosted Donald Trump at her church in Flint, Michigan, interrupted the Republican presidential nominee during his speech Wednesday to ask him to refrain from attacking his rival Hillary Clinton.
"Mr. Trump, I invited you here to thank us for what we've done in Flint, not give a political speech," Rev. Faith Green Timmons of the Bethel United Methodist Church told Trump after walking to the podium while Trump was speaking.
"OK. That's good. Then I'm going back onto Flint, OK? Flint's pain is a result of so many different failures," Trump said.
Timmons, in a statement provided at the event, noted her church welcomes "all people."
"This public event is open to all and today Donald Trump came to observe. Trump's presence at Bethel United Methodist in no way represents an endorsement of his candidacy," she had said.
The awkward moment
Photos: Donald Trump's empire
For "The Apprentice," Trump was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in January 2007.
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Photos: Donald Trump's empire
Trump appears on the set of "The Celebrity Apprentice" with two of his children -- Donald Trump Jr. and Ivanka Trump -- in 2009.
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Photos: Donald Trump's empire
Trump poses with Miss Universe contestants in 2011. Trump has been executive producer of the Miss Universe, Miss USA and Miss Teen USA pageants since 1996.
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Photos: Donald Trump's empire
In 2012, Trump announces his endorsement of Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney. In May 2012, on CNN's "The Situation Room," Trump said that President Barack Obama's birthplace is a matter of opinion. In regards to the President's Hawaiian birth certificate, Trump said "a lot of people do not think it was an authentic certificate."
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Photos: Donald Trump's empire
Trump speaks in Sarasota, Florida, after accepting the Statesman of the Year Award at the Sarasota GOP dinner in August 2012. It was just before the Republican National Convention in nearby Tampa.
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Photos: Donald Trump's empire
Trump appears on stage with Nick Jonas and Giuliana Rancic during the 2013 Miss USA pageant.
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Photos: Donald Trump's empire
In June 2015, Trump announces that he is running for President during a speech from Trump Tower in New York. He said he will give up the show "The Apprentice" to run.
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Photos: Donald Trump's empire
Trump -- flanked by U.S. Sens. Marco Rubio, left, and Ted Cruz -- speaks during a CNN debate in Miami on March 10. Trump dominated the GOP primaries and emerged as the presumptive nominee in May.
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Photos: Donald Trump's empire
The Trump family poses for a photo in New York in April.
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Photos: Donald Trump's empire
Trump speaks during a campaign event in Evansville, Indiana, on April 28. After Trump won the Indiana primary, his last two competitors dropped out of the GOP race.
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Photos: Donald Trump's empire
Trump delivers a speech at the Republican National Convention in July, accepting the party's nomination for President. "I have had a truly great life in business," he said. "But now, my sole and exclusive mission is to go to work for our country -- to go to work for you. It's time to deliver a victory for the American people."
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Photos: Donald Trump's empire
Donald Trump, the Republican Party's presidential nominee, has been in the spotlight for years. From developing real estate to producing and starring in TV shows, see how he's shaped his empire.
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Photos: Donald Trump's empire
Trump stands with Alfred Eisenpreis, New York's economic development administrator, in 1976 while they look at a sketch of a new 1,400-room renovation project of the Commodore Hotel. After graduating from the University of Pennsylvania in 1968, Trump worked with his father on developments in Queens and Brooklyn before purchasing or building multiple properties in New York and Atlantic City, New Jersey. Those properties included Trump Tower in New York and Trump Plaza and multiple casinos in Atlantic City.
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Photos: Donald Trump's empire
Trump was married to Ivana Zelnicek Trump from 1977-1990, when they divorced. They had three children together.
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Photos: Donald Trump's empire
Trump signs his second book, "Trump: Surviving at the Top," in 1990. Trump has published at least 16 other books, including "The Art of the Deal" and "The America We Deserve."
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Photos: Donald Trump's empire
Trump dips his second wife, Marla Maples, after the couple married in a private ceremony in New York in December 1993. The couple divorced in 1999.
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Photos: Donald Trump's empire
An advertisement for the television show "The Apprentice" hangs at Trump Towers in New York in 2004. The show launched in January of that year. In January 2008, the show returned as "Celebrity Apprentice."
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Photos: Donald Trump's empire
A 12-inch talking Trump doll is on display at a toy store in New York in September 2004.
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Photos: Donald Trump's empire
Trump attends a news conference in 2005 that announced the establishment of Trump University. From 2005 until it closed in 2010, Trump University had about 10,000 people sign up for a program that promised success in real estate. Three separate lawsuits -- two class-action suits filed in California and one filed by New York's attorney general -- have argued that the program was mired in fraud and deception. Trump's camp has rejected the class-action suits' claims as "baseless." And Trump has charged that the New York case against him is politically motivated.
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Photos: Donald Trump's empire
Trump attends the U.S. Open tennis tournament with his third wife, Melania Knauss-Trump, and their son, Barron William Trump, in 2006. Trump and Knauss married in 2005. Trump has five children from three marriages.
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Photos: Donald Trump's empire
Trump wrestles with "Stone Cold" Steve Austin at WrestleMania in 2007. Trump has close ties with the WWE and its CEO, Vince McMahon.
Hide Caption
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Photos: Donald Trump's empire
For "The Apprentice," Trump was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in January 2007.
Hide Caption
11 of 21
Photos: Donald Trump's empire
Trump appears on the set of "The Celebrity Apprentice" with two of his children -- Donald Trump Jr. and Ivanka Trump -- in 2009.
Hide Caption
12 of 21
Photos: Donald Trump's empire
Trump poses with Miss Universe contestants in 2011. Trump has been executive producer of the Miss Universe, Miss USA and Miss Teen USA pageants since 1996.
Hide Caption
13 of 21
Photos: Donald Trump's empire
In 2012, Trump announces his endorsement of Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney. In May 2012, on CNN's "The Situation Room," Trump said that President Barack Obama's birthplace is a matter of opinion. In regards to the President's Hawaiian birth certificate, Trump said "a lot of people do not think it was an authentic certificate."
Hide Caption
14 of 21
Photos: Donald Trump's empire
Trump speaks in Sarasota, Florida, after accepting the Statesman of the Year Award at the Sarasota GOP dinner in August 2012. It was just before the Republican National Convention in nearby Tampa.
Hide Caption
15 of 21
Photos: Donald Trump's empire
Trump appears on stage with Nick Jonas and Giuliana Rancic during the 2013 Miss USA pageant.
Hide Caption
16 of 21
Photos: Donald Trump's empire
In June 2015, Trump announces that he is running for President during a speech from Trump Tower in New York. He said he will give up the show "The Apprentice" to run.
Hide Caption
17 of 21
Photos: Donald Trump's empire
Trump -- flanked by U.S. Sens. Marco Rubio, left, and Ted Cruz -- speaks during a CNN debate in Miami on March 10. Trump dominated the GOP primaries and emerged as the presumptive nominee in May.
Hide Caption
18 of 21
Photos: Donald Trump's empire
The Trump family poses for a photo in New York in April.
Hide Caption
19 of 21
Photos: Donald Trump's empire
Trump speaks during a campaign event in Evansville, Indiana, on April 28. After Trump won the Indiana primary, his last two competitors dropped out of the GOP race.
Hide Caption
20 of 21
Photos: Donald Trump's empire
Trump delivers a speech at the Republican National Convention in July, accepting the party's nomination for President. "I have had a truly great life in business," he said. "But now, my sole and exclusive mission is to go to work for our country -- to go to work for you. It's time to deliver a victory for the American people."
Hide Caption
21 of 21
Photos: Donald Trump's empire
Donald Trump, the Republican Party's presidential nominee, has been in the spotlight for years. From developing real estate to producing and starring in TV shows, see how he's shaped his empire.
Hide Caption
1 of 21
Photos: Donald Trump's empire
Trump stands with Alfred Eisenpreis, New York's economic development administrator, in 1976 while they look at a sketch of a new 1,400-room renovation project of the Commodore Hotel. After graduating from the University of Pennsylvania in 1968, Trump worked with his father on developments in Queens and Brooklyn before purchasing or building multiple properties in New York and Atlantic City, New Jersey. Those properties included Trump Tower in New York and Trump Plaza and multiple casinos in Atlantic City.
Hide Caption
2 of 21
Photos: Donald Trump's empire
Trump was married to Ivana Zelnicek Trump from 1977-1990, when they divorced. They had three children together.
Hide Caption
3 of 21
Photos: Donald Trump's empire
Trump signs his second book, "Trump: Surviving at the Top," in 1990. Trump has published at least 16 other books, including "The Art of the Deal" and "The America We Deserve."
Hide Caption
4 of 21
Photos: Donald Trump's empire
Trump dips his second wife, Marla Maples, after the couple married in a private ceremony in New York in December 1993. The couple divorced in 1999.
Hide Caption
5 of 21
Photos: Donald Trump's empire
An advertisement for the television show "The Apprentice" hangs at Trump Towers in New York in 2004. The show launched in January of that year. In January 2008, the show returned as "Celebrity Apprentice."
Hide Caption
6 of 21
Photos: Donald Trump's empire
A 12-inch talking Trump doll is on display at a toy store in New York in September 2004.
Hide Caption
7 of 21
Photos: Donald Trump's empire
Trump attends a news conference in 2005 that announced the establishment of Trump University. From 2005 until it closed in 2010, Trump University had about 10,000 people sign up for a program that promised success in real estate. Three separate lawsuits -- two class-action suits filed in California and one filed by New York's attorney general -- have argued that the program was mired in fraud and deception. Trump's camp has rejected the class-action suits' claims as "baseless." And Trump has charged that the New York case against him is politically motivated.
Hide Caption
8 of 21
Photos: Donald Trump's empire
Trump attends the U.S. Open tennis tournament with his third wife, Melania Knauss-Trump, and their son, Barron William Trump, in 2006. Trump and Knauss married in 2005. Trump has five children from three marriages.
Hide Caption
9 of 21
Photos: Donald Trump's empire
Trump wrestles with "Stone Cold" Steve Austin at WrestleMania in 2007. Trump has close ties with the WWE and its CEO, Vince McMahon.
Hide Caption
10 of 21
Photos: Donald Trump's empire
For "The Apprentice," Trump was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in January 2007.
Hide Caption
11 of 21
Moments before Timmons interrupted him, Trump had begun attacking Clinton for supporting free trade agreements, which Trump argued had caused Flint economic pain.
"Hillary failed on the economy. Just like she's failed on foreign policy. Everything she touched didn't work out. Nothing. Now Hillary Clinton --," Trump said before he was cut off by the church's pastor.
The awkward moment was just one of several uncomfortable ones during Trump's visit to the majority African-American city of Flint on Wednesday, which marked Trump's latest effort to appeal to black voters. Trump was also heckled during his visit to the church. His visit to Flint came less than two weeks after he attended a church service at a predominantly African-American church in Detroit, where about 200 protesters gathered outside.
One woman heckling Trump Wednesday interrupted him to raise allegations that he "discriminated against black tenants," an apparent reference to the Justice Department's 1973 civil rights lawsuit against Trump and his father's landlord practices in New York City.
"No, I never -- never would never would," Trump said before the church's pastor stepped in to defend Trump.
"This is my church and you will respect him," Timmons said.
Another heckler accused Trump of having called black people "lazy."
Home to a water crisis
Trump made his first visit to Flint on Wednesday, home to a water crisis that contaminated the city's water supply, rendering it toxic.
Trump also visited the city's water plant, but in his remarks at the church, he focused on the decline of US manufacturing and outsourcing that he claims has hurt Flint's economy.
The real estate mogul's visit to Flint is the most attention Trump has devoted to the city whose water crisis rose to national prominence earlier this year.
Throughout most of his campaign, Trump has rarely addressed the crisis or offered his views, including whether Rick Snyder, the state's Republican governor, should resign amid mounting pressure.
Trump tries to woo black voters away from Clinton 02:21
When he was asked in January as the crisis gained national media attention about the situation, Trump said he "shouldn't be commenting."
"Well it's a shame what's happening in Flint, Michigan. A thing like that shouldn't happen, but again I don't want to comment on that. They've got a very difficult problem," Trump had said.
And in an interview with a local Michigan TV station on the morning of the state's primary, Trump called it a "catastrophic event," but declined to say whether he believed Snyder should resign.
