Cop tells Trump to ‘keep mouth shut’

HOUSTON: The Houston city police chief has asked US President Donald Trump to keep his “mouth shut” after his sharp comments aimed at governors in the wake of violent protests following the death of George Floyd.

“Let me just say this to the President of the United States. On behalf of the police chiefs of this country: Please, if you don’t have something constructive to say, keep your mouth shut,” Art Acevedo told CNN’S Christiane Amanpour.

His reaction came after Trump urged governors to get tough on the protesters.

Trump, in a video conference call with governors on Monday, had called them “weak” for not being able to control the growing nationwide protests over the death of George Floyd, suggesting that they use the National Guard to “dominate” the protesters.

Trump also praised the National Guard’s response in Minneapolis, saying that it “cut through (protesters) like butter” while calling on state leaders to adopt more brutal tactics to put down the unrest.

“You have to dominate. If you don’t dominate, you’re wasting your time. They’re going to run over you. You’re going to look like a bunch of jerks. You have to dominate,” Trump said on the call, according to media reports.

Acevedo told CNN, “This is not about dominating. It is about winning hearts and minds. And let’s be clear, we do not want to confuse kindness with weakness. We don’t want ignorance to ruin what we have managed to do to restore normalcy.”

The Houston police chief accused the US president of putting men and women in their early 20s at risk. Acevedo quoted from the Hollywood film Forrest Gump, saying, “If you don’t have anything to say, don’t say it.”

He added, “Because that’s the basic tenet of leadership and we need leadership now more than ever.. and it’s time to be presidential and not try to be like on The Apprentice. This is not Hollywood, this is real life and real lives are at risk.”