Donald Trump Under Fire For Saying George Floyd Is Smiling Down On US Job Numbers
"Hopefully George is looking down and saying this is a great thing that's happening for our country," Trump said.
Donald Trump has responded to the death of George Floyd, a victim of police brutality, by claiming that Floyd is “hopefully looking down” on US employment numbers.
Floyd was killed by a police officer, Derek Chauvin, who knelt on his neck for eight and a half minutes. His death has resulted in a wave of protests that have taken place all across America. Many of these protests, themselves against police violence, have prompted more aggressive and disruptive tactics from American law enforcement. Protestors have been shot at with rubber bullets, with one journalist losing sight in her eye, and have even driven cars through crowds of protestors.
Throughout these protests, Trump has continued to stoke division. Tweeting for “law & order”, a longtime rallying cry of the far right, Trump has repeatedly threatened to lean even further into violence.
YOU DON’T BURN CHURCHES IN AMERICA!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 4, 2020
Now, however, he has somewhat changed tact, deciding instead to talk up his own “achievements” as a way of ignoring the unrest. After repeatedly Tweeting praise for his own success on the unemployment rate, he eventually delivered a press conference where he made the remarks about Floyd.
“Hopefully George is looking down and saying this is a great thing that’s happening for our country,” Donald Trump said.
“It’s a great day for him, it’s a great day for everybody. This is a great day in terms of equality.”