The protester removed from President Donald Trump's Thursday night rally in Manchester, New Hampshire, is actually a Trump supporter—and he still likes Trump, he told Fox News in an interview after the rally.
Frank Dawson, a former police officer and retired navy man told Fox that he had actually been trying to stop other protesters before he was removed from the crowd. He said that Trump would not have been able to see this.
"He didn't see me rip those signs away from those three people were sitting near us," Dawson said. "And they were trying to cause a ruckus and they jumped up and they started yelling, and I don't even care what they were trying to say, but it wasn't going to happen beside me because I was trying to listen to my president."
While Dawson was being removed, Trump paused his speech to mock him.
"That guy's got a serious weight problem," Trump told the audience. "Go home. Get some exercise."
Trump then spoke to the security guards, before speculating about what would happen to Dawson after he was removed.
"Get him out of here, please," Trump said. "He's got a bigger problem than I do. He's got a bigger problem than all of us. Now he goes home and his mom says, 'What the hell have you just done?'"
Once Dawson was removed, Trump then carried on with his speech. As Dawson was being led away, the crowd began chanting "USA! USA! USA!"
Dawson told Fox that Trump was confused in his criticism.
"I think he thought I was part of it, but I wasn't," he said. "I was the good part of it."
Dawson also confirmed that he heard Trump's mockery, but laughed it off.
"He said that guy needs to lose a little weight," he said, as he and everyone else standing near him laughed.
Later in the interview, Dawson said that he still strongly supports Trump.
"Everything is good," he said. "I love the guy. I think he's the best thing that ever happened to this country."
Trump later called Dawson, but was unable to reach him because of bad cell reception. The president left a voicemail, which Dawson told NBC that he was proud of.
"Trump did not apologize to me, nothing to apologize for," he said. "He thanked me for his support. It was a 'thank you,' he did not apologize to me."
"I owe [Trump] depth of gratitude because he called me," Dawson also said. "I was honored to be called... He's a stand-up guy."