Politics

MSNBC’s Mike Barnicle: Trump ‘Seems To Have Issues With … A Black Woman With Power’

Mike Barnicle on MSNBC

(MSNBC/Screenshot)

David Krayden Ottawa Bureau Chief
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MSNBC contributor Mike Barnicle discussed President Donald Trump’s recent move to deploy federal forces in a number of cities as well as his recent tangles with Democratic Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, saying Trump “seems to have issues with … a black woman with power.”

Barnicle suggested on MSBNC’s “Morning Joe” offered Trump’s recent interactions with Lightfoot as the “larger context” for a specific incident of federal policing he and the host had discussed.

“In the larger context of what is happening, especially with the president’s threat yesterday … to send this federal police force to the city of Chicago, ironically run by a black female mayor, and the President seems to have issues with any women, but especially a black woman, a black woman with power, Lori Lightfoot, the mayor of Chicago.”

Trump said Monday he wants to send federal forces to “Democratic cities” to quell riots and reduce lawlessness.

Lightfoot tweeted Tuesday that she would not welcome federal troops to Chicago. “Mr. President or not — I don’t care one bit what your name is. I will not allow troops in Chicago, and I will do everything in my power to stop you.” (RELATED: Chicago Mayor Cites COVID-19 For City’s Escalating Murder Rate)

There have been numerous reports that Trump plans authorize the presence of 150 Department of Homeland Security (DHS) agents in the Windy City. But it is not yet clear whether the force will be all DHS or composed of other federal agencies.

Barnicle stated Tuesday that “the composition of this federal police force is made up of TSA [Transport Security Agency] agents, ICE [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] agents, customs agents.”

He said this would be the wrong type of security unit to send to any large urban city because “they have scant knowledge of how to operate as a police force on any street of any major urban city in this country and yet the president has indicated that he wants to send them not only to Chicago but New York, Philadelphia and other cities.” (RELATED: Chicago Mayor Heard Calling Police Union Leader A ‘Clown’)

Mayor of Chicago Lori Lightfoot speaks at the U.S. Conference of Mayors 88th Winter Meeting in Washington, U.S., January 23, 2020. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts

Mayor of Chicago Lori Lightfoot speaks at the U.S. Conference of Mayors 88th Winter Meeting in Washington, U.S., Jan. 23, 2020. (REUTERS/Joshua Roberts)

This isn’t the first time Trump or members of his administration have tangled with Lightfoot. During her July 16 daily press briefing, White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany referred to Lightfoot as a “derelict mayor” who “should step up and ask for federal help because she is doing a very poor job at protecting her streets.”

Lightfoot responded by tweeting, “Hey, Karen. Watch your mouth.”