What exactly was he talking about? While he summoned the media to the White House to discuss and congratulate himself on the surprise drop in unemployment in May, Trump has become a little tangled in the face of the many questions about the death of George Floyd and the mobilization of a large part of the country in the face of racial injustices.
"We all saw what happened last week. We cannot allow this to happen again, he says. I hope George looks at us from above thinking that what is happening in the country is great. It's a great day for him, it's a great day for everyone. "This is a big, big day in terms of equality," he continued, when he is accused of having so far failed to respond to the evils denounced by the demonstrators - racism, police violence, inequality.
His comments on George Floyd were thus widely interpreted as a surprising rapprochement between this good economic news and this drama which is shaking the United States. Partly because the videos that were taken up on social networks and by various American media were content to "clip" only the phrase "it's a great day for him", without context.
I had to clip this because it is unbelievable. President @realDonaldTrump just said this: “Hopefully, George is looking down right and saying this is a great thing that's happening for our country. It's a great day for him, it's a great day for everybody. ” #GeorgeFloyd pic.twitter.com/6CbGoLJrRg
- Vladimir Duthiers (@vladduthiersCBS) June 5, 2020The White House protested this "false" reading. "The president was very clear about the fight for fair justice and fair treatment before the law when he made this comment," one of his communications advisers, Ben Williamson, said on Twitter.
Just before commenting on George Floyd, Donald Trump brought up this theme. "Equality before the law must mean that every American receives the same treatment in every interaction with law enforcement, regardless of race, color, gender and faith. They must be treated fairly by the police, ”he said.
"Frankly abject"
His choice to speak instead of the deceased was in any case strongly criticized. "George Floyd's last words" I can't breathe, I can't breathe "resounded across our country," said Joe Biden, Donald Trump's Democratic opponent in the November presidential election. "That the president tries to put other words in the mouth of George Floyd, it is frankly abject," added the former vice-president in a speech.
George Floyd's last words, “I can't breathe,” have echoed across our nation and around the world.
For the President to try to put any other words in his mouth is frankly despicable. https://t.co/8dWu78dtGP
Since the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis on May 25, and the demonstrations that followed, initially marked by looting and riots in many American cities, Donald Trump has favored a martial response. He presented himself as the president of "public order" and threatened to send the army to the streets to quell the excesses. He again took on Friday his call to "dominate the streets", criticizing the governors of states who refuse to call on the National Guard.
This posture has earned him unprecedented criticism from former army leaders, including his former defense minister Jim Mattis. The current Pentagon chief, Mark Esper, has also distanced himself from the view that the army should not be deployed.
Donald Trump has always believed that the best policy for reducing inequality is to promote economic growth and lower unemployment among African Americans.
For the past three years, he has constantly highlighted his decline to present himself as "the president who has done the most for the black community since Abraham Lincoln", who abolished slavery in the 1860s.
World
Death of George Floyd: Two police officers suspended for violently pushing a 75-year-old protester
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