Donald Trump is holding talks with his Attorney General, law enforcement officials and state leaders on Monday as violent protests continued to escalate in cities all over the country in the wake of George Floyd’s death.
Attorney General Bill Barr will visit the White House for an Oval Office meeting with the president Monday morning, and shortly after, Trump is scheduled to host a video conference with governors, law enforcement leaders and national security officials in the Situation Room to discuss ways to keep American communities safe.
Cities across the nation appear war-torn after rioters set establishments and cars in the middle of streets on fire, smashed windows of local stores and looted their shelves and clashed with law enforcement.
Trump had to flee to the White House bunker to shelter in place for a short period of time on Friday, it was revealed on Sunday, as protesters surrounding the White House.
Many governors activated the National Guard in their states and sent them to cities being affected by protests turned to violence.
Governors and mayors also went public, both on their own mediums and in interviews with networks, claiming that while they support rioters’ right to gather, they are pleading for an end to the violence and destruction in their cities as a means of protesting.
Donald Trump will meeting with Attorney General Bill Barr (pictured left), and separately hosting a teleconference with governors, law enforcement and national security officials on Monday to discuss how to keep Americans safe in the wake of violent riots that have broken out in cities all over the country
Violent protesters surrounded the White House for a fourth day on Sunday and it was revealed that Donald Trump was taken, for a short period of time, to the bunker in the residence on Friday and has expressed he is concerned for his safety
Protesters set an American flag on fire at Lafayette Park in front of the White House as they rallied against police brutality on Sunday evening, and were hit with tear gas by law enforcement
The president did not appear publicly on Sunday to address the rioters, who have engulfed the perimeter of the White House as well taken to the streets in several other U.S. cities, he did weigh in on Twitter, claiming that governors need to activate the National Guard in their states.
He lauded the improvements over the weekend in Minneapolis, Minnesota by the National Guard’s presence – and while the demonstrations have appeared less violent since they started at the end of last week, police in the city said they discovered Sunday caches of homemade firebombs around the city.
The president has told aides that he’s concerned about his safety as the White House turned off its lights Sunday night while protests and riots continued a few hundred yards away from the residence.
The rioters also set a fire to American Flags in Lafayette Square, the park adjacent to the North Lawn of the White House – and they were hit by tear gas by law enforcement.
The riots broke out after video emerged of, George Floyd (pictured), being killed after a white police officer held his knee on his neck for eight minutes during an arrest in Minneapolis, Minnesota on Memorial Day
Trump has urged governors to activate the National Guard, demanding they ‘get tough, but has not sought control of the Army reservists himself to quell the nationwide riots.
The violence ensued after George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, was killed while in a white police officer’s custody in Minneapolis on Memorial Day.
A cellphone video of the incident went viral where Derek Chauvin, 44, can be seen holding his knee on Floyd’s neck during an arrest for more than eight minutes as the victim repeatedly said he could not breathe.
While Floyd was handcuffed, four cops, including Chauvin, were holding him down.
Chauvin was fired after the video emerged and taken into custody on Friday after the violent protesters demanded he be arrested – and he is being charged with third-degree murder.
The other three officers have not been arrested.
Trump has also blamed the media, Democrats and outside groups for exacerbating the riots – asserting on Sunday that he is classifying the far-left anti-fascists group Antifa as a terrorist organization.
Antifa has no official leaders, and it could appear their fingerprints are all over the riots as their demonstrations include violent tactics that they deem justifiable.
Donald Trump demanded that state and local lawmakers ‘get tough’ and call in the National Guard to their cities to help mitigate escalating riots in the midst of George Floyd’s death
Trump said Democratic-run areas should look to Minneapolis as an example of how the National Guard can help with rioters. He also blamed much of the continued riots, including looting and arson, on governors and mayors not activating the National Guard to help mitigate violence in their cities
Minnesota did activate the Guard in their state, deploying them to the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul
Trump specifically mentioned the rioting in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – the state has not yet called in the National Guard – and lauded the job done by the Guard in Minneapolis
‘Congratulations to our National Guard for the great job they did immediately upon arriving in Minneapolis, Minnesota, last night,’ Trump tweeted Sunday morning. ‘The ANTIFA led anarchists, among others, were shut down quickly. Should have been done by Mayor on first night and there would have been no trouble!’
Minnesota law enforcement say that they believe white supremacists have infiltrated the riots in Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul to stoke violent demonstrators.
‘They’re agitators, ‘Department of Corrections Commissioner Paul Schnell told CNN on Sunday, adding that there have been reports of Antifa members attending demonstrations.
While Trump does feel an outside group is involved, he asserted Monday that he does not believe that there were white supremacist groups mixed in with those protesting the death of George Floyd.
He instead doubled-down on blaming Antifa for the violent skirmishes with police.
‘I don’t see any indication that there were any white supremest groups mixing in. This is an ANTIFA Organization,’ the president asserted.
‘It seems that the first time we saw it in a major way was Occupy Wall Street. It’s the same mindset,’ Trump said, tagging ‘Fox & Friends’ host Brian Kilmeade and crediting him for the comment.
Derek Chauvin, 44, was arrested Friday on charges of third-degree murder and manslaughter in the death of George Floyd, which has sparked violent protests
He also replied ‘TRUE!’ to the Kilmeade quote, and misspelled the word ‘supremacist.’
Democratic Minnesota Governor Tim Walz was asked Friday about reports that White Supremacists were involved and he answered, ‘My suspicions and what I’ve seen on this, yes.’
‘It gets worse than that,’ he added. ‘The cartels, who are wondering if there was a break in their drugs transmissions, are trying to take advantage of the chaos. That’s why this situation is on a federal level.’
While governors and mayors scramble to create more peace in their major cities, the president is blaming them not calling in the National Guard for aggravating the violent situations.
‘Get tough Democrat Mayors and Governors,’ Trump urged in a tweet. ‘These people are ANARCHISTS. Call in our National Guard NOW.’
‘The World is watching and laughing at you and Sleepy Joe,’ he continued, referring to presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden. ‘Is this what America wants? NO!!!’
By Sunday evening, Trump followed up his calls for the National Guard with a tweet that simply read: ‘LAW & ORDER!’
So far, 15 states and Washington, D.C. have deployed the Guard.
Rioters continue to take to the streets, becoming especially active after sundown, in major cities like New York City, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Minneapolis, Seattle, Washington, D.C. and beyond.