Will Trump's Second Amendment remark undo goodwill from Detroit speech?

WASHINGTON — A day after Republican nominee Donald Trump appeared ready to move past controversy with a disciplined policy speech in Detroit, he was mired in it again on Tuesday.

During a rally in Wilmington, N.C., Trump remarked that if Democrat Hillary Clinton wins the November general election, there may be no way to stop her from appointing U.S. Supreme Court justices who would curtail gun rights under the Constitution's Second Amendment.

Then he added: "Although, the Second Amendment people, maybe there is."

Trump appeared to be joking but the off-the-cuff remarks were seized on immediately as an inappropriate suggestion by a major party's presidential nominee that somehow gun owners could — or should — do something outside the voting process to stop Clinton's election or her appointment of justices.

► Related: Ivanka Trump: Critics 'scared' of Donald Trump presidency

Democrats interpreted the statement as a veiled suggestion that people exercise their Second Amendment rights by legally owning guns, and those who oppose Clinton could shoot her. Social media blew up in the minutes after Trump made the remarks.

Hillary Clinton’s campaign released a statement: "A person seeking to be the president of the United States should not suggest violence in any way."

On Tuesday, Trump's campaign put out a statement that tried to shift the blame for the outcry over the remarks made in North Carolina — like Michigan, a battleground state — onto what it called "dishonest media," though his comments were accurately reported, according to video of the event.

► Related: Trump fact-check: Over-regulation didn't kill Detroit

► Watch: Trump protesters tackle man with Confederate flag outside Cobo speech

► Column:During Detroit speech, Trump passes test of temperament

► Column: Donald Trump's economic speech short on real economics

“It’s called the power of unification," senior Trump communication adviser Jason Miller said in the statement. "Second Amendment people have amazing spirit and are tremendously unified, which gives them great political power. And this year, they will be voting in record numbers, and it won’t be for Hillary Clinton."

Trump's comment, though, seemed to preclude Miller's explanation, since he prefaced it by saying, "If (Clinton) gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do folks," suggesting that his remark about "Second Amendment people" taking any action pertained to if she were elected.

Trump's remarks came a day after a Monday speech at the Detroit Economic Club which was intended to help him move past widespread disapproval voiced about several recent remarks and to reset his campaign.

Many observers believed it to be a step in that direction, with Trump delivering a disciplined speech on his economic proposals, including renegotiating trade deals, making child care expenses largely tax-deductible and lowering tax rates. He avoided some of his more bombastic rhetoric from the campaign trail.

Jim Makowski, the corporate counsel for Michigan Gun Owners Inc. said he can see how someone could misinterpret Trump's statement.

"The first part of the sentiment that Hillary Clinton wants to abolish the Second Amendment, I agree with him 100%," he said. "For gun owners who want to retain their Second Amendment rights, she's not their candidate."

His statement "Is a reality check to gun owners, that your rights are at stake," Makowski added. "This election is not about who is going to occupy the White House for the next four years, but who's going to appoint possibly four Supreme Court justices who are going to interpret the law for the next 30 to 40 years."

But the Michigan Democratic Party said Trump crossed yet another, very dangerous line.

“Donald Trump is now blatantly encouraging physical harm against a presidential candidate and the Office of the President of the United States. He was already a threat to this country, if he were to somehow win, but now he’s clearly attempting to make violence the consequence of his defeat,” said Brandon Dillon, chairman of the Michigan Democratic Party. “When will enough be enough for Michigan Republicans? Anyone that continues to stand by this lunatic as their nominee for president is endorsing this unbelievably dangerous rhetoric and should consider themselves an accessory to its results.”

Zack Pohl, a spokesman for the Michigan AFL-CIO, tweeted "What’ll it take for  @SchuetteOnDuty @briancalley @RepWalberg & @Rep_Cotter to pull their Trump support? He just suggested Hillary be shot," referring to Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette; Lt. Gov. Brian Calley; U.S. Rep. Tim Walberg, R-Tipton, and Speaker of the House Kevin Cotter, R-Mt. Pleasant.

"Running for President is a serious task.  His recent comments, while appearing to be a poor attempt at humor, are not appropriate, period," said Schuette in a statement.

And a super PAC that supports Clinton — The Democratic Coalition Against Trump — contacted the FBI to voice concerns about Trump’s comments.

“There is no place in American politics for this kind of disgusting rhetoric,” said the organization’s senior adviser, Scott Dworkin.

After getting a bounce in polls after the Republican convention, Trump has fallen behind Clinton nationally and in some key states including Michigan in recent weeks as he has committed a series of self-inflicted errors.

He was widely chastised for criticizing the family of a Muslim-American soldier killed in Iraq with U.S. forces in 2004 after the soldier's father spoke against Trump at the Democratic National Convention two weeks ago. And he has been denounced by many for remarking that the election may be "rigged" against him and for making another offhand comment in the wake of a Russian hacking of Democratic e-mails that perhaps Russia could find e-mails missing from Clinton's private server when she was secretary of state.

Democrats — and not a few Republicans — have suggested Trump is unfit to serve as president, though most Republicans have coalesced around his campaign and continue to support him. 

Contact Todd Spangler at 703-854-8947 or at tspangler@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter at @tsspangler.