In a meeting Wednesday with President Donald Trump, a black minister from the Cleveland area who is a strong Trump supporter said "top gang thugs" in Chicago wanted to meet with the pastor about reducing the city's gun violence.

A transcript released by the White House quoted the Rev. Darrell Scott, pastor of the New Spirit Revival Center, saying he planned to go to Chicago in a couple weeks for "a sit-down" with gang leaders about "lowering the body count."

"That's a great idea because Chicago is totally out of control," the president responded.

Scott, who was gathered in the White House with others for African-American History Month, went on to say that that the gang leaders had committed "to lower that body count" in return for added social programs from the federal government.

"If they're not going to solve the problem -- and what you're doing is the right thing -- then we're going to solve the problem for them because we're going to have to do something about Chicago," the president said. "Because what's happening in Mobilbahis Chicago should not be happening in this country."

"They want to work with this administration," Scott said of the gangs. "They believe in this administration. They didn't believe in the prior administration. They told me this out of their mouth. But they see hope with you."

"I love it," Trump said.

Trump reacts again to violence in Chicago

Violence in Chicago remains stubbornly high. The city recorded about the same number of homicides and shootings in January as the year-earlier period, according to statistics released Feb. 1 by the city's police department. (Feb. 1, 2017)

Violence in Chicago remains stubbornly high. The city recorded about the same number of homicides and shootings in January as the year-earlier period, according to statistics released Feb. 1 by the city's police department. (Feb. 1, 2017)

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Scott, who could not immediately be reached by the Tribune for comment, gained attention during the campaign by saying on CNN that Trump had "bailed out the auto industry." He quickly realized his error and corrected himself.

According to New Spirit Revival Center's web site, Scott is its co-founder and senior pastor since 1994. The church, located in Cleveland Heights owns a gospel radio station and a record label that produces gospel music, according to the web site.

asweeney@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @annie1221

jgorner@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @JeremyGorner

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