(Thread) Trump Owns This
So now Trump wants to distance himself from Monday's St. John's Church fiasco.
Good luck with that. As is clear from the timing of events, Trump owns it all. Every bit of it.
So now Trump wants to distance himself from Monday's St. John's Church fiasco.
Good luck with that. As is clear from the timing of events, Trump owns it all. Every bit of it.
1/ On Saturday, Trump said the protestors were “Antifa” and said he’d be designating “Antifa” as a “terrorist organization.”
Sunday, Trump tweeted “Law and Order.”
Monday morning, Trump told the governors they needed to get tougher and dominate the streets . . .
Sunday, Trump tweeted “Law and Order.”
Monday morning, Trump told the governors they needed to get tougher and dominate the streets . . .
2/ . . . or they will look like a bunch of jerks.
The transcript is here: cnn.com/2020/06/01/pol…
Trump’s AG-Henchman Barr was also on the phone.
Barr explained exactly what Trump meant when he said the demonstrators were “Antifa” and should be treated like “terrorists”:
The transcript is here: cnn.com/2020/06/01/pol…
Trump’s AG-Henchman Barr was also on the phone.
Barr explained exactly what Trump meant when he said the demonstrators were “Antifa” and should be treated like “terrorists”:
3/ Specifically, Barr said if the protestors are treated as “demonstrators” the police are “pinned back.”
In other words, if treated like protesters, the police will have to respect their rights.
In other words, if treated like protesters, the police will have to respect their rights.
4/ No surprise: Remember what Trump told us about how terrorists should be treated? ⤵️
cnn.com/2015/12/02/pol…
Also, the AG doesn’t have the legal authority to order law enforcement (including federal, such as Park Service or National Guard) to do anything.
cnn.com/2015/12/02/pol…
Also, the AG doesn’t have the legal authority to order law enforcement (including federal, such as Park Service or National Guard) to do anything.
5/ However, according to Elizabeth Warren, Barr reportedly ordered Lafayette Plaza cleared and is responsible for the brutalizing of the protesters and Episcopal priests.
Now Trump wants to say he knew nothing about the forceful removal of protesters.
Now Trump wants to say he knew nothing about the forceful removal of protesters.
6/ Trump can only get away with that in the Fox-Trump echo chamber where Trump and Barr are allowed to invent their own reality.
We can back up even farther and point out that Trump owns every bit of violence occurring now.
We can back up even farther and point out that Trump owns every bit of violence occurring now.
7/ In 2014, President Barack Obama tried to stop the transfer of military weapons and equipment to civilian police departments with an executive order, but Trump reversed it. (As per @HC_Richardson)
See:
washingtonpost.com/news/true-crim…
See:
washingtonpost.com/news/true-crim…
8/ Trump has spent years stoking racial hatred and fear, creating divisiveness and anger.
Remember when Trump told the police they should rough people up more during arrests? ⤵️ vox.com/policy-and-pol…
Remember when Trump told the police they should rough people up more during arrests? ⤵️ vox.com/policy-and-pol…
9/ Trump has called neo-Nazis very fine people. The Confederate flag is waved at his rallies.
How does that not send a message to minority communities that the president is out to hurt them?
It sends a message to his supporters that they should hurt them.
How does that not send a message to minority communities that the president is out to hurt them?
It sends a message to his supporters that they should hurt them.
10/ Trump owns the police attacks on journalists.
He’s not only encouraged police brutality, he has singled out journalists as “enemies of the people.”
Thread:
He’s not only encouraged police brutality, he has singled out journalists as “enemies of the people.”
Thread:
11/ Here’s Secretary of Defense Esper trying to weasel out of complicity with Trump’s clear attempt to circumvent law and due process:
Looks like Esper agrees the military shouldn’t be used against American citizens (duh).
Looks like Esper agrees the military shouldn’t be used against American citizens (duh).
12/ Of course, Trump didn’t like Esper’s statement.
It’s hard for a would-be dictator to have fantasies about a military coup when his own secretary of defense makes a statement like that.
It’s hard for a would-be dictator to have fantasies about a military coup when his own secretary of defense makes a statement like that.
13/ The hypocrisy of Trump claiming to be “law and order” is glaring. I took him apart for it here ⤵️
In Trump’s phone call to the governors, he talked about the need to “dominate” the protesters.
In Trump’s phone call to the governors, he talked about the need to “dominate” the protesters.
14/ Trump's use of the word “dominate” and his use of the phrase “law and order” to mean "maintain hierarchy" is best explained by what I've called the “fairness v. hierarchy” methods of governing.
For more, see:
For more, see:
15/ The dichotomy explains why Trump didn’t want to invoke the Defense Production Act to save lives in a pandemic, but is perfectly happy to invoke the Insurrection Act to send troops to put protesters in jail.
Saving lives is what “fairness” leaders want to do.
Saving lives is what “fairness” leaders want to do.
16/ Trump has no interest in fairness.
He and the entire Trump-FOX-GOP want to maintain the hierarchy.
Their objective is for those at the top of the hierarchy to brutalize those lower who do not stay in line and do as they’re told.
He and the entire Trump-FOX-GOP want to maintain the hierarchy.
Their objective is for those at the top of the hierarchy to brutalize those lower who do not stay in line and do as they’re told.
17/ That's why, this⤵️ bbc.com/news/world-us-… (read the whole thread)
This is also why I say Trump owns all of it.
Every bit of it. All the violence on the street.
This is also why I say Trump owns all of it.
Every bit of it. All the violence on the street.
18/ Enough voters are getting it, and the early signs are that the turnout for 2020 will be record-setting.
Monmouth is an A+ poll.
If we can widen this a bit more, 2020 will be a GOP bloodbath.
Monmouth is an A+ poll.
If we can widen this a bit more, 2020 will be a GOP bloodbath.
19/ Rod, I suspectwhat's happening is that a portion of the police forces are Fox-viewing Republicans (of course) and they are constantly taking in the message that the press are enemies of the people.
Each location has an independent police force.
Each location has an independent police force.
Since I posted this thread earlier (about 5 years ago in Trump Time) a few things changes. Esper, under pressure from the White House caved politico.com/news/2020/06/0…
and Mattis said Trump was a threat to the Constitution and compared Trump to Nazism.
theatlantic.com/politics/archi…
and Mattis said Trump was a threat to the Constitution and compared Trump to Nazism.
theatlantic.com/politics/archi…
This thread is now a blog post, here: terikanefield-blog.com/trump-owns-thi…
