Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren claimed Friday that President Donald Trump is calling for violence and advocating for ‘illegal, state-sponsored killings.’
“Donald Trump is calling for violence against Black Americans,” the senator said in a tweet. “His advocacy of illegal, state-sponsored killing is horrific. Politicians who refuse to condemn it share responsibility for the consequences.”
Donald Trump is calling for violence against Black Americans. His advocacy of illegal, state-sponsored killing is horrific. Politicians who refuse to condemn it share responsibility for the consequences.
— Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) May 29, 2020
The comment follows the president’s tweets saying that he will send in the National Guard to regain control of Minneapolis. Protests began in the city following the death of George Floyd on Monday who was killed when a police officer knelt on his neck until he died. The city has been rocked with looting and violence as riots ensued.
“I can’t stand back & watch this happen to a great American City, Minneapolis,” the president said in a tweet. “A total lack of leadership. Either the very weak Radical Left Mayor, Jacob Frey, get his act together and bring the City under control, or I will send in the National Guard & get the job done right.” (RELATED: Trump Vows ‘George Floyd Will Not Have Died In Vain’ As National Guard Arrives In Minneapolis)
“These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, and I won’t let that happen. Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts,” he added in a second tweet.
….These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, and I won’t let that happen. Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts. Thank you!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 29, 2020
The latter post was marked by Twitter as violating their rules, meaning users are shown a warning message before clicking a button to view the post. Twitter says in the warning that the president’s “tweet violated the Twitter Rules about glorifying violence. However, Twitter has determined that it may be in the public’s interest for the Tweet to remain accessible.”
“Trump threatens American lives and American democracy,” Warren tweeted. “We need to vote him and his enablers out—but we must also commit ourselves to the work of dismantling structural racism and white supremacy in our country.”