Death of George Floyd: the unprecedented charge of the American generals against Donald Trump

The tribune of Donald Trump's former secretary of defense, Jim Mattis, who accused the American president of dividing the country with his management of the demonstrations, does not stop making waves. Thursday, June 4, Alaska Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski revealed that she had "trouble" deciding to vote for Donald Trump in November, saying that the corrosive indictment against the President published by the former boss of the Pentagon was "true" and "necessary".

"Donald Trump did not expect Jim Mattis, who has always been on his reserve duty, to position himself so clearly," says US specialist Jean-Éric Branaa, professor-researcher at Pantheon University. -Assas, contacted by France 24. "And while Trump wants to appear as an authority figure, this highly respected general has come to sanction his strategy."

>> Read: Former Defense Minister Donald Trump accuses him of trying to "divide" the United States

Jim Mattis' podium was particularly incisive. "In my lifetime, Donald Trump is the first president who doesn't try to bring the Americans together, who doesn't even pretend to try," he wrote in a statement posted online on June 3 by the journal. The Atlantic. "Instead, he's trying to divide us," added the former Marine general.

The former Secretary of Defense notably refers to the day of June 1. On that day, after having muscularly evacuated the demonstrators who were in front of the White House, the American president walked to St John's church, "Bible" in hand, to announce his intention to '' use soldiers on American soil to restore order.

Donald Trump "made no secret of his disdain for the right to peaceful protest"

For former general Douglas Lute, member of the National Security Councils of George W. Bush and Barack Obama, interviewed by the New York Times, the Donald Trump communication operation crossing Lafayette Square, the small park adjoining the White House , along with Defense Secretary Mark Esper and Chief of the Defense Staff Mark Milley, was the trigger. According to him, the president "crossed the line that day" in the use of the army for partisan politics.

Since then, Jim Mattis' position has freed the floor in the military. Former Chief of the Defense Staff Martin Dempsey wrote on Twitter that the country is "not a battlefield" and that its "citizens are not an enemy". "Whatever the goal sought by Donald Trump during this visit (in front of the church), he did not hide his disdain for the right to peaceful protest in this country," wrote another former head of state. major of the armies, Michael Mullen, in a column published in The Atlantic. Likewise, former general John Allen said that Donald Trump's threat to use the military on American soil was reminiscent of "what happens in authoritarian regimes". "It does not happen in the United States and we should not tolerate it," he added.

America's military, our sons and daughters, will place themselves at risk to protect their fellow citizens. Their job is unimaginably hard overseas; harder at home. Respect them, for they respect you. America is not a battleground. Our fellow citizens are not the enemy. #BeBetter

Seeing so much criticism expressed publicly is not trivial. Donald Trump has no political interest in going against the traditionally conservative and highly respected army in the Republican electorate. His decision on Thursday, June 4, to send the troops home outside Washington seems to be a sign that recent criticism had been heard.

>> Read: Mobilizing the army on American soil, a decision with questionable legality

"The army is part of the DNA of the Republican party and Donald Trump understood this during his campaign in 2015-2016, said Jean-Éric Branaa. He had promised to surround himself with generals in the White House - which he did - and propelled the military budget to unprecedented heights. He appeared to be a friend of the military. So now seeing generals becoming hesitant about him is a problem. "

"Have the courage of our convictions to say it loud and clear"

Especially if the snowball effect takes Congress with it. Because after the attacks from the army, languages ​​begin to loosen among moderate Republicans, as shown by the words of Senator Lisa Murkowski.

"I found General Mattis' words to be true, honest, necessary and long overdue," she told reporters at Congress on Thursday June 4. "It seemed to me that perhaps we were getting to the point where we could be more honest with the concerns we keep inside, and have the courage of our convictions to say it loud and clear."

>> Read: Death of George Floyd: Biden relaunches campaign and accuses Trump of stoking violence

When asked if she plans to vote for Donald Trump's re-election in November, she said, "I'm still having trouble with this. I've been struggling with this for a long time."

Such statements are extremely rare within the republican camp, which has remained largely loyal to the American president during previous crises, including during his impeachment trial - with the notable exception of Mitt Romney. "Until now, there was a block behind Donald Trump, possible critics inside the party were low profile, but now they are starting to speak openly, notes Jean-Éric Branaa. However, the risk for Trump, is to huddle on your hard core. And if it remains an unconditional support of the president, it might not be enough to win in November. "

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