A self-serving Trump photo-op combined with threats to fill the streets of America with the US military has ramped up emotions and made an already devastating situation of national protests even worse.
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On Monday, Donald Trump engaged in a tense telephone call with the nation’s governors — calling them “weak” for failing to “dominate the streets” amid the coast to coast looting and destruction following last week’s death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police. Then, during a Monday afternoon statement from the Rose Garden, Trump crowned himself the “law and order” president and assumed the persona of a sovereign dictator ruling his nation with an iron fist.
“As we speak, I am dispatching thousands and thousands of heavily armed soldiers, military personnel, and law enforcement officers to stop the rioting, looting, vandalism, assaults, and the wanton destruction of property,” Trump said. He then threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act (an extreme action which hasn’t been used since 1807), which would allow him to unleash the US military onto the streets of America against American citizens.
“We will end it now,” Trump added.
At that exact moment, civil and military police near The White House pounced on peaceful protestors, firing rubber bullets and tear gas into the crowd of all races and genders who had simply come to exercise their constitutional right to assembly. We soon learned why tensions turned south so quickly.
As soon as the crowds and tear gas dissipated, Donald Trump emerged from The White House and, accompanied by Attorney General William Barr, daughter/adviser Ivanka Trump, and other administrative officials, proceeded across the street to St. John’s Church for an ill-advised Trump photo-op that was nothing short of bad reality television.
Surrounded by a sea of all-white advisors, Trump stood in front of the boarded-up church and raised a bible — posing for photographers to capture his great moment of “strength.” But, why?
After all, Trump has rarely visited St. John’s Church or any church. Trump has never quoted from the bible and did not read anything from it while appearing before the cameras on Monday. Instead, the moment appeared hastily staged and poorly advised.
So, why did he do it?
According to CNN’s Kaitlan Collins, Donald Trump was outraged when Americans found out he hid inside the White House underground/nuclear bunker on Friday night while protestors surrounded 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. and demanded justice. Hundreds took to social media to mock Trump for his act of cowardice. So, naturally, the thin-skinned Trump simply couldn’t take being the brunt of the joke and called for Monday’s TV moment to show the world that he is strong and in control.
The Trump photo-op and his lack of leadership were immediately disparaged by Democratic forces. However, several Republican lawmakers surprisingly came forward to denounce the actions of ‘The Donald.’
“I think the country is definitely looking for healing and for calm, and I think that’s the tone the President needs to project when talking about what is happening around the country,” Senate Majority Whip John Thune, a Republican from South Dakota, told CNN. “I think he needs to strike a tone that fits the level of frustration country’s experiencing right now, and I hope in the future, he’ll do that.”
“I think it’s important” for Trump to offer more of a unifying message in the midst of the deep unrest across the county,” said Sen. John Cornyn of Texas. “I presume at some point he will address the nation. If I were advising him I would say we need it sooner rather than later,” he added.
“Some of his tweets have not been helpful. It would be helpful if he would change the tone of his message,” Sen. Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania said.
“We are obviously in a divisive situation right now that is escalating. … He needs to make more unifying comments,” said Sen. Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia.
Even Gov. Charlie Baker of Massachusetts spoke out against Trump’s rhetoric.
“I heard what the President said today about dominating and fighting. I know I should be surprised when I hear incendiary words like this from him, but I’m not,” Baker said Monday. “At so many times during these past several weeks when the country needed compassion and leadership the most, it was simply nowhere to be found. Instead, we got bitterness, combativeness, and self-interest. That’s not what we need in Boston, it’s not what we need right now in Massachusetts and it’s definitely not what we need across this great country of ours either.”
When asked his opinion regarding Trump’s lack of empathy and divisive tone amidst the protests, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky opted to remain silent by simply saying “No comment!”
The Donald Trump photo-op was not about the bible he was holding or about uniting a nation he’s currently responsible for overseeing. It was about having an image to use to help boost his fledgling re-election campaign. It was about pandering to his white supremacist base. It was about politics.
Too bad it was a disaster that only further fueled the national flames.
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What’s a Fake presidency without Fake alpha dog moments like the theatrical BS this LOW IQ clown and his equally LOW IQ cronies put on display yesterday? …and pretty much everyday, for that matter. Btw- I believe it’s being reported that that fool actually held the Bible upside down when putting on his little *show* last evening. Is that correct? Look. He can’t help himself. As I said, he’s a clown. But a very dangerous clown who is inching ever Closer to an authoritarian takeover of this country. This isn’t hyperbole. On Trump’s orders, members of the U.S. armed forces MOVED against American citizens who by ALL accounts were engaged in Peaceful protests. He did it just to get a phony-azz photo-op….this time. But We should NOT fool ourselves. Nov. elections are coming and he knows that ALL indications are that he’s going to LOSE. He’s terrified… Read more »