Donald Trump's campaign manager Kellyanne Conway charged Sunday that a protester involved in a Secret Service scare at a Nevada rally for the GOP nominee was "probably a plant" by Democrats.

In an interview on CNN's "State of the Union," Conway made the assertion in response to a Saturday night rally in Reno, where Trump was rushed off stage by Secret Service agents after someone shouted “gun” near protester Austyn Crities. The Secret Service said no weapon was found at the scene.

Trump’s son, Donald Trump Jr., retweeted a post calling the incident an "assassination attempt," as did the nominee's social medial manager Dan Scavino.



"He had canvassed for Hillary Clinton and he had donated to her campaign," Conway said of the protester. "So this is a Democratic plant or operative trying to disrupt our rally. If you're Don Jr. and you're on a live tv set while watching this unfold, it's pretty rattling to think of what may have happened to your father, so I'll excuse him that."

Pressed by host Jake Tapper why the campaign spread the accusation that it was an assassination attempt despite the Secret Service denial, Conway answered with a demand the station apologize for pundits who declared Trump's campaign to be all but over.

"You guys retract that, and I'll give a call to Dan Scavino about the retweet," Conway said.

She also defended Trump's allegation of a "rigged" system that allowed polls to stay open in Clark County, Nevada — where Las Vegas is located — to accommodate early voters standing in line at closing time.

"We just always want the law followed and rules followed," she said.

"I do predict that you're going to see really long lines — serpentine-like lines on Tuesday of folks there for Donald Trump," she said. "You’re going to see record turnout in many of these places. It's concerning when you hear reports about special favors and perhaps special rules for Democratic voters. We already know that their presidential nominee has special rules for her."

"Excuse us that the Democratic presidential nominee is somebody who lives under a separate set of rules than the rest of us. That's very clear," she added.