White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany recently told the media that Donald Trump is "devastated" over incidents of police brutality, particularly those that resulted in loss of life, like the recent deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor.
However, as people quickly began pointing out, Trump's actions tell an entirely different story.
According to McEnany's statement, Trump despises racism and believes there should be "no racism in our policing, economic, or schooling systems." She also stated that Trump believes most police officers are good.
"Team Trump" even tweeted about the statement.
White House Press Secretary @KayleighMcEnany: President @realDonaldTrump believes there should be no racism in our policing, economic, or schooling systems.
President Trump also believes that most police officers are good and hard working people! pic.twitter.com/kZ2I4y77zi
— Team Trump (Text TRUMP to 88022) (@TeamTrump) June 16, 2020
After McEnany spoke about Trump's devastation over police brutality, Trump himself took the stage flanked by police officers. None of the families of the recently deceased people he was "devastated" over were present.
Many believe they were not invited, despite Trump claiming to have met with the families of Atatiana Jefferson, Botham Jean and Jemel Roberson.
Once on stage, Trump spoke about his executive order (which experts agree doesn't really say or do much of anything) supported police choke holds as necessary sometimes, dismissed calls to "defund" the police by reallocating more funds to social programs that he called "radical and dangerous" and told the world how great the stock market was doing.
"Devastated"
Kayleigh McEnany claims Trump was "devastated" after he met with the victims of police brutality today. A few minutes after that even Trump was on stage supporting police chokeholds and bragging about how the stock market was performing. pic.twitter.com/GuwqVRCqm4
— The American Independent (@AmerIndependent) June 16, 2020
Most people pretty strongly disagree with McEnany's statement. Trump may claim he feels devastated, but his actions do not support that.
Donald Trump has a long history of racism within both his personal and professional lives. In fact, he has found himself in court over it in the past.
It's not just his past that belies racist beliefs, however. Up until very recently, Trump had a campaign rally scheduled for Tulsa, Oklahoma—the site of "the single worst instance of racial violence in American history" on Friday, June 19.
Tulsa History describes the massacre:
"In the early morning hours of June 1, 1921, Greenwood was looted and burned by White rioters. Governor Robertson declared martial law, and National Guard troops arrived in Tulsa."
"Guardsmen assisted firemen in putting out fires, took African Americans out of the hands of vigilantes and imprisoned all Black Tulsans not already interned. Over 6,000 people were held at the Convention Hall and the Fairgrounds, some for as long as eight days."
"Twenty-four hours after the violence erupted, it ceased. In the wake of the violence, 35 city blocks lay in charred ruins, over 800 people were treated for injuries and contemporary reports of deaths began at 36. Historians now believe as many as 300 people may have died."
He had the rally scheduled for Juneteenth, a celebration of the end of slavery. Trump also scheduled a Jacksonville stop on the anniversary of Axe-Handle Day, a day where Black Jacksonville residents were terrorized by the KKK.
According to political experts, these stops schedules in these specific cities on these specific days could be interpreted as a nod to White supremacists.
Given all of that, many people are calling his "devastation" less than genuine.
If he was "devastated" as you claim, @PressSec, it seems he got over it pretty quickly. https://t.co/MIciduv5tp
— Corinne Marasco (@CorinneAM) June 16, 2020
RUMP couldn't give a WHOOT.Abt the Families.Coming from a man who DIDN'T like AFRICAN AMERICAN accountants touched HIS MONEY.Coming from a man and his late father who didn't let AFRICAN AMERICANS in complex.
Coming from a Son of A KLANSMAN..YES DADDY TRUMP was a KLANSMAN
— dellajean (@dellajean521) June 16, 2020
So devastated he did not even invite them to the rose garden... because they were not there.. made up meeting
— BLUE Pen-in-su-la 🐄 (@TruthOverAll202) June 16, 2020
Exactly what did Trump do? Absolutely nothing. Nothing he said or the executive order Trump signed change one damn thing. Trump is a showman, a con man, who only touts of accomplishing much but has nothing to show. Another COVID19 wave is here and Trump has his head in the sands.
— jimmy c. (@JiQed) June 16, 2020
Their defense is always “I feared for my life" maybe they need to get jobs where they aren't afraid of people.
— Bonnie (@Wag0Gail) June 16, 2020
" A few minutes after that ..." Thats far to much time to "feel" about anything, its good he spent most of the time praising himself. Amen.
— Trying to be better now (@seekingsompeace) June 16, 2020
lololol "devastated"... Trump doesn't have feelings. He's a narcissist. The only feelings he displays is anger when he doesn't get his way or feels he is wronged in some way.
— WTF Seriously (@stopbeingaderp) June 16, 2020
Talk quickly turned to McEnany, who has quite the history of racist moments herself. She has made comments about how Obama's brother must live in a hut in Kenya, claimed Muslims were genocidal and often blames "radical Islam" for horrible events.
Yeah, she's not popular either.
Well, she's a lying liar, so this makes sense.
— Fauquier Indivisible (@FauquierResist5) June 16, 2020
She's as bad as he is!! What crap she spouts..
— AlexC (@AlexC77980214) June 17, 2020
They did her DNA. Turns out she is 100% Lie. (Thank you Lizzo)
— DoIhavetodoeverythingaroundhere? (@DoIhavetodoeve1) June 16, 2020
While the Trump administration may claim the President is devastated about racism and police brutality, it would be far more beneficial if they would do something about it.