Here’s How Trump Used His Church Photo-Op To Boost His Campaign

President Donald Trump walks with Attorney General William Barr, Secretary of Defense Mark T. Esper, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark A. Milley, and others from the White House to visit St. John's Church on... President Donald Trump walks with Attorney General William Barr, Secretary of Defense Mark T. Esper, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark A. Milley, and others from the White House to visit St. John's Church on June 1, 2020 in Washington, DC. MORE LESS
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President Trump has drawn backlash for his photo-op in front of St. John’s Episcopal Church following his first formal address Monday evening amid mounting protests nationwide in the wake of George Floyd’s death.

Just before the President delivered his address in the Rose Garden, federal police used tear gas and flash bangs to disperse what appeared to be a peaceful crowd of protesters outside the White House as Washington, D.C.’s 7 p.m. curfew order approached.

After his brief remarks, President and several members of his administration made a surprise visit to nearby St. John’s Episcopal Church, which was vandalized during protests the night before.

Despite criticism from local religious leaders — which include an Episcopal priest in D.C. who said that federal police used tear gas to kick her off of the church’s property ahead of Trump’s photo-op — both Trump’s campaign and the White House took the opportunity to use his photo-op as a way to bolster his claim that he is the “President of law and order.”

Trump campaign director of communications Tim Murtaugh tweeted a black and white photo of the President leaving the White House to walk toward St. John’s just hours after the photo-op.

A few hours later, the White House tweeted a campaign-style video touting Trump’s surprise visit.

Trump appeared to still ride high off of his actions on Monday night in a tweet the following morning, claiming that D.C. had “no problems” due to “many arrests.”

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Notable Replies

  1. Notice how all the henchmen around the orange man are white, and are all so full of their self importance and ‘manliness’. I’ll bet they are all aroused in a way that disgusts me. I am so full of loathing I am physically ill. The worst part is, there are real people out there that think this is just jim-dandy.

    When George Will finally says stuff like this, you know the republicans are toast.

  2. Given the people he’s appealing to, anything would suffice. People have not yet grasped that nothing that Trump does will shake their allegiance.

    Trump is the only competitive white supremacist running the U.S. President in 2020.

    Therefore, they have no choice but to vote for him.

  3. President Bone Spurs and the Greatest Worst Show On Earth.

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