donald trump microphone first debate
Trump: My mic was 'defective'
00:55 - Source: CNN

Story highlights

"My mic was defective within the room," Trump said

This isn't the first time he's complained about a microphone

CNN  — 

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump complained after Monday night’s debate that his microphone wasn’t working – and he questioned whether that was happening on purpose.

“And they also had, gave me a defective mic. Did you notice that? My mic was defective within the room,” he told a group of reporters afterward. “No, but I wonder, was that on purpose? Was that on purpose? But I had a mic that wasn’t worked properly, with, working properly within the room.”

Trump kept up his complaints about the microphone the morning after the debate, and continued to suggest that it had been tampered with.

“I had a problem with a microphone that didn’t work. I don’t know if you saw that in the room. my microphone was terrible. I wonder was it set up that way on purpose. My microphone in the room, they couldn’t hear me, you know, it was going on and off. Which isn’t exactly great. I wonder if it was set up that way, but it was terrible. When I tested, it was beautiful, like an hour before, I said what a great mic.”

Trump went on, “It was going on and off and it was much lower than hers. I don’t want to believe in conspiracy theories, of course, but it was much lower than hers and it was crackling and she didn’t have that problem. That to me was a bad problem, you have a bum mic, that’s not exactly good.”

This isn’t the first time Trump has attacked a faulty microphone. In January at a rally in Florida, he complained several times about his microphone.

“Stupid mic keeps popping,” he said at the time.