Trump tweets in support of ‘liberation’
President’s messages echo language of Right-wing protesters putting pressure on states to relax lockdown
DONALD TRUMP urged three states that have seen anti-lockdown protests to “liberate” yesterday, echoing the language of the protesters as others condemned their actions.
“Liberate Minnesota!”, “liberate Michigan!”, “liberate Virginia”, the US president wrote on Twitter in quick succession, giving little context to the messages. The tweets were posted a day after Mr Trump had declined to criticise those taking to the streets to protest against restrictions, instead acknowledging their “suffering”.
Many of the gatherings have been organised by Right-wing groups and some of those attending have worn Trump caps or waved flags carrying the president’s name.
A new wave of protests is expected this weekend. Though small-scale – many gatherings have attracted only a hundred or so people – they have gained national attention.
A website promoting a protest at the Idaho state parliament building featured the image of a jail cell and the words “security without liberty is called prison”. The Facebook group for another protest being organised in Washington state this weekend posted an image of the Statue of Liberty with her mouth covered by a face mask.
Meanwhile, an online movement called “American Revolution 2.0” is attempting to set up branches in all 50 states to oppose the lockdowns.
On Thursday, Mr Trump announced guidelines for how states can get people back to work and reopen schools and businesses, which he referred to as “opening up America again”.
“We have to do that. America wants to be open,” he said.
The announcement marks a major moment in the fight against Covid-19, as Mr Trump begins to pivot to a focus on helping the flagging economy. The president has left the decision up to state governors, but has made clear his enthusiasm for lifting restrictions.
Yesterday’s tweets were interpreted by some as putting pressure on the three states – all of which have Democratic governors – to loosen their rules.
In Michigan, thousands protested earlier this week, some carrying rifles.
A group called Liberate Minnesota – the words the president used – was planning to hold a rally outside the state governor’s residence yesterday.
Some viewed Mr Trump’s tweets, which were open to interpretation, as potentially encouraging people to break his own administration’s guidance to stay at home.
“Stop telling people to violate your own guidelines with ridiculous liberate tweets,” wrote Ted Lieu, a Democratic
congressman from California, citing one of Mr Trump’s messages.
While the protests appear to be emerging from local movements, there is a common theme of promoting the importance of liberty and freedom – rallying cries for America’s Right.
Mr Trump expressed empathy with those taking to the streets.
“Well, they’ve been going through it a long time and it’s been a tough process for people,” the president said at a White House press briefing.
“There’s death and there’s problems in staying at home too. It’s not just, ‘isn’t it wonderful to stay at home’; they’re suffering.
“This country wasn’t built on that principle. It was built on an exact opposite principle, actually.”