President Trump Donald John TrumpSteele Dossier sub-source was subject of FBI counterintelligence probe Pelosi slams Trump executive order on pre-existing conditions: It 'isn't worth the paper it's signed on' Trump 'no longer angry' at Romney because of Supreme Court stance MORE on Monday defended the use of tear gas against asylum seekers at the border, telling reporters that it was a "very minor form of tear gas" and questioning why migrants were trying to cross the border.

"First of all, the tear gas is a very minor form of the tear gas itself. It’s very safe," Trump told reporters Monday evening in Mississippi.

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"But you really say, why is a parent running up into an area where they know the tear gas is forming? And it’s going to be formed and they’re running up with a child," he added.

WATCH: President Trump comments on use of tear gas on women and children in migrant caravan who tried to enter the U.S. on Sunday. https://t.co/prjjRnmEEA pic.twitter.com/EUgzrmY0tG — NBC News (@NBCNews) November 26, 2018

Photos circulated on Monday showing women and children at a port of entry near San Diego fleeing tear gas, which was fired by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents.

The CBP said in a statement Monday that agents fired the tear gas after migrants attempted crossing the border illegally, some of them throwing rocks at border agents.

Trump earlier Monday said that border agents were forced to fire the tear gas.