Donald Trump was widely mocked on Twitter on Tuesday after suggesting that a reporter’s pen could’ve been “dangerous.”

During CNN’s town hall for GOP presidential candidates, Trump defended campaign manager Corey Lewandowski, who earlier in the day was charged with simple battery related to a March 8 incident with a reporter.

Trump said the then-Breitbart News reporter Michelle Fields was holding a pen, which he suggested could have been something more nefarious.

“She went through the Secret Service, she had a pen in her hand, which Service Service is not liking because they don’t know what it is, whether it’s a little bomb,” Trump said.

He returned to the subject several minutes later while defending his top aide.

“She had a pen in her hand,” he said. “It could’ve been a knife. It could’ve been just a pen, which is very dangerous.

Users on Twitter quickly jumped on Trump’s statement, mocking the Republican presidential frontrunner for being so concerned about an innocuous object.

Lewandowski has maintained his innocence as the Trump campaign has been caught in a shifting story to describe the incident. Lewandowski initially said he had never touched Fields but Trump now argues that Lewandowski had good reason to step in and separate her from the candidate.

View some of the tweets mocking Trump below:

Edward Bulwer-Lytton, 1839: “The pen is mightier than the sword.” Trump 2016: “It could have just been a pen, which is very dangerous.”

— Rebecca Berg (@rebeccagberg) March 30, 2016

OMG THE REPORTER HAD A PEN!!!!!!!!

— Noah Shachtman (@NoahShachtman) March 30, 2016

think we all know ISIS was hiding inside the pen

— Katherine Miller (@katherinemiller) March 30, 2016

Master assassin Michelle Fields

— Stephen Miller (@redsteeze) March 30, 2016

Trump is afraid of a pen but he’s going to take on ISIS.

— Olivia Nuzzi (@Olivianuzzi) March 30, 2016

NOW WATCH: Watch the Secret Service jump to protect Trump after a protester tries to climb on stage



Business Insider Emails & Alerts Site highlights each day to your inbox. Email Address Join

Follow Business Insider Australia on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram.