President Donald Trump has blamed the nationwide civil unrest following the death of an unarmed black man at the hands of a white police officer on “radical-left criminals” and “anarchists,” whom he said are taking advantage of mass anger to spread “violence, mayhem, and disorder.” Speaking at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida after viewing the launch of the first astronauts from U.S. soil in nearly a decade, Trump called the riots—which have spread to nearly a dozen cities after George Floyd died under the knee of a Minneapolis police officer, who has since been charged with third-degree murder—“mob violence” that has damaged minority communities.
Trump, largely ignoring the issue of police violence against black people that sparked the unrest, said that the “overwhelming majority of police officers, who are incredible in every way” should not be blamed for the actions of the “small handful who fail to abide by their oath to serve and protect.” Trump also pledged to stop “mob violence,” potentially with the National Guard or military force. On Friday, Trump declared on Twitter that looters could be shot.
