Former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean came to the defense of violent rioters who started fires at UC Berkeley and attacked Trump supporters, saying the rioters are “our children” and “will soon run America.”

Dean, who served as DNC chairman from 2005 to 2009, was responding to a Donald Trump tweet in which the president criticized the violent rioters who started fires at UC Berkeley and attacked Trump supporters to keep gay conservative and pro-Trump journalist Milo Yionnapoulos from speaking on campus. (RELATED: ‘INFERNO’ — Milo Speech Cancelled After Rioters Set Campus Ablaze)

“Professional anarchists, thugs and paid protesters are proving the point of the millions of people who voted to MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!” Trump said.

Dean took umbrage at Trump’s characterization, firing back on Twitter.

“These are the generation that will soon run America. They are not thugs and they oppose hate. They are our children,” Dean said. “Get used to it.”

Dean ran for president in 2004 and came in third in the Iowa caucuses, before torpedoing his campaign with the now-infamous “Dean Scream.”

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