Trump vows to stop ‘mob violence’
President gives no specifics on what he’d do to end the unrest
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump vowed his administration would end what he called “mob violence” in U.S. cities after the death of an unarmed black man at the hands of Minnesota police, blaming leftist groups for clashes with police and property damage.
“The mobs are devastating the life’s work of good people and destroying their dreams,” Trump said at Cape Canaveral, Florida, in remarks after the first launch of U.S. astronauts into orbit from U.S. soil since 2011.
“There will be no anarchy,” he said. “Civilization must be cherished, defended and protected. The voices of law-abiding citizens must be heard and heard very loudly.”
The successful rocket launch by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, which will carry two NASA astronauts to the International Space Station, had served as a chance for Trump to take a victory lap for an electoral promise to reestablish American dominance in space. It’s also a symbolic step; the U.S. is resuming manned spaceflight just as most of the country begins to emerge from lockdowns from the coronavirus pandemic. Trump touted the launch as part of his “America First” agenda.
Instead, the day was overshadowed by demonstrations in Minneapolis, Louisville, Kentucky, Atlanta, Washington, D.C. and other cities, evoking the political strife and racial division that have accompanied Trump’s presidency. Protesters demanded justice for George Floyd, who died Monday after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for more than eight minutes during an arrest for an alleged counterfeit $20 bill.
The officer, Derek Chauvin, has been arrested and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter. He is white.
Trump didn’t specify how his administration would act against violent protesters.
“The leadership of the National Guard and the Department of Justice are now in close communication with state and city officials in Minnesota,” he said, “and we are coordinating our efforts with local law enforcement all across the nation.”