In Dallas, Trump vows that he will push police reforms
But the president rejects the idea of defunding departments
President Donald Trump returned to George Floyd’s home state for the first time since he was killed, calling what happened in Minneapolis a “disgrace” and pledging to push for reforms to policing nationwide while also slamming efforts to defund police departments.
Trump said at a meeting at the Gateway Church in Dallas that the “radical efforts to defund, dismantle and disband the police” are the wrong way to go and he’ll push in the opposite direction.
“We must invest more energy and resources in police training,” Trump said. “We have to respect our police and take care of our police. They’re protecting us and if they’re allowed to do their job, they’ll do a great job.”
Trump said he knows there are some “bad apples” in any line of work, but “I can tell you there are not too many of them in the police.”
Trump said he’s working on an executive order that would set standards for the use of force by police, including an emphasis on de-escalation tactics.
“We are going to make sure our police are well trained, perfectly trained; have the best equipment,” Trump said.
But in his first trip to Texas since the coronavirus outbreak, Trump’s message went beyond law enforcement.
The White House billed the hourlong meeting as a discussion on how to help minority communities and improve opportunities for all Americans.
Trump insisted he’s been working on programs to help what he called the “forgotten men and women” of America since he took office.
The president pointed to criminal justice reforms he signed last year, increased
funding for historically black colleges and universities under his administration and record low unemployment among black communities before COVID-19 hit the U.S.
“Americans are good and virtuous people,” Trump said. “We have to work together to confront bigotry and prejudice wherever they appear, but we’ll make no progress and heal no wounds by falsely labeling tens of millions of decent Americans as racists or bigots.”
While the event focused largely on policing and community relations, Dallas County District Attorney John Creuzot, Dallas County Sheriff Marian Brown and Dallas Police Chief U. Reneé Hall were not part of the discussion. All three are black. There were more than a dozen other speakers, many black, including religious leaders and business owners.
After the discussion, Trump attended a political fundraiser at a private residence that Republican National Committee officials said would raise $10 million for Trump Victory — a joint fundraising committee for Trump, the RNC and 22 other state party committees.
Texas Democrats were quick to blast Trump for coming to the state to raise money while the nation is facing the novel coronavirus as millions of protesters call for real change in policing in America.
“Our country is in desperate need of leadership and action, but instead of doing his job and working to fix the challenges, Donald Trump decides instead to schmooze with his billionaire campaign donors and pose for a photo-op,” Texas Democratic Party Chairman Gilberto Hinojosa said.
Trump’s words defending the police were part of a consistent theme during the event in which speakers repeatedly warned against efforts to cut police department budgets.
U.S. Attorney General William Barr followed Trump’s comments and told the audience the nation has made great progress in policing over the decades and there is room to continue to implement reforms. But like Trump, he made clear he’s against dissolving police departments.
“This is not the time to tear down our institutions,” Barr declared. “Police are by and large good, decent people.”
Later Vernell Dooley, police chief of Glenn Heights, a town of 13,000 just south of Dallas, said there are inconsistencies in police training and procedures nationwide and he supports better standardization.
“This is not the time to defund police,” Dooley said.
Trump praised police for their efforts over the past two weeks to confront violence in many cities in America. He repeated a phrase he’s delivered often over the last two weeks in calling for law and order but with one key addition.
“We have to dominate the streets,” Trump said. “We are dominating the streets with compassion.”
While Trump alluded to Floyd’s killing, he did not mention him by name during his comments.
Floyd, who grew up in Houston, was killed May 25. A police officer knelt on his neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds.
Later in the event, Surgeon General Jerome Adams was more direct in extending his condolences to Floyd’s family by name.
Trump’s last Texas visit was to
Austin in January, when he spoke at a convention for the American Farm Bureau Federation.
The trip to Dallas was his 15th to Texas since the took office. By comparison, former President Barack Obama made four trips to Texas during his first four-year term in office.
Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton — all Republicans — were among those to greet Trump at Love Field in Dallas when Air Force One landed just after 2:30 p.m.