On June 1, 2020, amid national protests and riots following George Floyd’s death at the hands of police, Trump gave a speech wherein he threatened to unilaterally deploy the military to quell unrest.
First, we are ending the riots and lawlessness that has spread throughout our country. We will end it now. Today, I have strongly recommended to every governor to deploy the National Guard in sufficient numbers that we dominate the streets. Mayors and governors must establish an overwhelming law enforcement presence until the violence has been quelled.
If a city or a state refuses to take the actions that are necessary to defend the life and property of their residents, then I will deploy the United States military and quickly solve the problem for them.
After the speech at the White House, Trump headed to St. John’s Church for a photo op. Lafayette Square, which sits between the White House and the Church, was filled with people protesting the death of George Floyd. The park is famed for being a place to voice grievances, seeing hundreds of protests annually.
Attorney General William Barr gave the order for US Park Police, the federal organization responsible for overseeing and securing the park, to clear the area so Trump could proceed to St. John’s. Without warning, the federal officers equipped in riot gear deployed tear gas and rubber bullets on the crowd.
An Australian news crew on the scene filmed the moment the police began to advance. The cameraman was briefly attacked by one of the officers.
The administration originally claimed that no tear gas had been used, despite CS canisters being found at the scene. A spokesman for the US Park Service later said “It was a mistake on our part for using ‘tear gas’ [in our statement].”
Once Trump reached St. John’s, he posed with a Bible in front of the church briefly before leaving. When asked if it was his Bible, Trump simply responded, “it’s a Bible.”
The pastor of St. John’s said he wasn’t made aware of the photo op. Mariann Budde, the Episcopal Bishop of Washington, DC noted that no one was “given even a courtesy call, that they would be clearing with tear gas so they could use one of our churches as a prop.”
Budde commented further on Twitter:
The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff also issued an apology for his presence:
I should not have been there. My presence in that moment and in that environment created a perception of the military involved in domestic politics.
Several other military leaders, including former Secretary of Defense James Mattis, criticized Trump’s handling of protests both at Lafeyette Square and around the nation.
AP News – Tear gas, threats for protesters before Trump visits church
NPR – Peaceful Protesters Tear-Gassed To Clear Way For Trump Church Photo-Op
The Hill – US Park Police say it was a mistake to say no tear gas was used in Lafayette Square
USA Today – Donald Trump’s Bible or George Floyd’s? That’s the choice facing America’s Christians.
White House Historical Association – President’s Park: A History of Protest at the White House
Axios – St. John’s clergy: Trump used church as prop, Bible as symbol of division
The New York Times – Milley Apologizes for Role in Trump Photo Op: ‘I Should Not Have Been There’
Task & Purpose – Here are all the current and former military leaders blasting Trump’s response to nationwide protests
Wikipedia – Donald Trump photo op at St. John’s Church
