President Trump, struggling in his re-election race towards his Democratic opponent, on Tuesday sought to enchantment to his predominantly white ba
President Trump, struggling in his re-election race towards his Democratic opponent, on Tuesday sought to enchantment to his predominantly white base of voters with a collection of startling remarks in regards to the Accomplice flag, victims of police violence and a St. Louis couple who pointed weapons at protesters peacefully marching by their home.
Mr. Trump added to his lengthy document of racially inflammatory feedback throughout an interview with CBS Information, during which he dismissed a query about Black individuals killed by cops, saying that white individuals are killed in higher numbers.
Mr. Trump reacted angrily when requested in regards to the concern, which has led to nationwide protests calling for main legislation enforcement adjustments.
“Why are African-People nonetheless dying by the hands of legislation enforcement on this nation?” the interviewer, Catherine Herridge of CBS Information, requested the president.
“What a horrible query to ask,” Mr. Trump responded. “So are white individuals. Extra white individuals, by the best way.”
Statistics present that whereas extra white People are killed by the police over all, individuals of shade are killed at greater charges. A federal examine that examined deadly drive utilized by the police from 2009 to 2012 discovered {that a} majority of victims have been white, however the victims have been disproportionately Black. Black individuals had a fatality fee by the hands of cops that was 2.eight instances as excessive as that of white individuals.
In a separate interview printed on Tuesday with the conservative web site Townhall.com, Mr. Trump falsely claimed {that a} white couple in St. Louis who confronted peaceable marchers exterior their residence with weapons had been on the verge of being crushed and having their residence burned down.
“They have been going to be beat up badly, and the home was going to be completely ransacked and possibly burned down,” Mr. Trump mentioned.
Video of the incident, which turned a flash level within the nationwide debate over racial inequality, confirmed that the protesters at no level bodily threatened the couple.
The president’s remarks have been the most recent instance of his refusal to acknowledge the racial discrimination that even many in his personal social gathering have mentioned have to be addressed. However Mr. Trump, who lately retweeted a video of a supporter shouting “white energy” and mentioned he would oppose a bipartisan effort in Congress to take away Accomplice names from army bases, has displayed no intention of making an attempt to bridge the nation’s racial divide.
Requested within the CBS interview how he felt about the usage of the Accomplice battle flag in public settings like NASCAR races, the president mentioned: “With me, it’s freedom of speech. Quite simple. Prefer it, don’t prefer it, it’s freedom of speech.”
Requested if he understood that the flag was a painful image to many individuals as a reminder of slavery, Mr. Trump mentioned, “Nicely, individuals find it irresistible and I don’t view — I do know those who just like the Accomplice flag and so they’re not eager about slavery.” He added, “I simply suppose it’s freedom of speech, whether or not it’s Accomplice flags or Black Lives Matter or anything you wish to speak about.”