Donald Trump wants everyone to know one thing—he loves babies.

Speaking to a crowd in Des Moines, Iowa, the Republican nominee responded to reports that he had asked a crying baby to be removed from a rally earlier in the week.

"At one of the events, a beautiful baby was crying. And I mean crying like you wouldn’t believe. This baby could’ve been Pavarotti,” Trump joked, referring to the famous Italian opera singer.

As the audience laughed, he added, “I’m gonna find out who that baby is. I’m gonna make a deal with the parents, because we can take that baby to training school, and it’ll be the next great Pavarotti.”

What Really Happened?

The controversy started during a rally in Ashburn, Virginia, when Trump initially said, "I love babies," after hearing a crying child in the crowd. But moments later, he told the mother, "Kidding, you can get the baby out of here."

Critics quickly pounced on the comment, claiming Trump had ejected the infant from the rally. But Trump insisted on Friday that it was all just a joke.

"I actually said the first time, 'Alright, keep the baby here, don’t worry about it.' Then after about two minutes, I said, ‘You know what, I’m gonna counteract my order. Beautiful baby, if you take her out, that’s not so bad.’ That was it. The whole place laughed, we had a good time,” he said.

Defending His Love for Babies

Trump blamed the controversy on "dishonest" press coverage and made sure to reassure the crowd of his true feelings.

"I’ve heard so much about that beautiful baby, beautiful parents, so much. I don’t throw babies out, believe me, I love babies."

While the debate over his comments continues, one thing is certain—this is one campaign moment that won’t be forgotten anytime soon.

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