President Donald Trump is set to visit Kenosha, Wisconsin on Tuesday, reports confirm. However, this is frowned upon by his critics.
Media outlets have pointed from last week’s RNC that current POTUS Donald Trump failed to mention the recent Jacob Blake shooting. He did mention the city of Kenosha—where the shooting happened—but cited it as one of the top dangerous cities in the U.S.
The streets of Kenosha has been filled with havoc after riots sparked fire on buildings and cars. Tension raised higher when an alleged Trump supporter, a 17-year-old from Illinois, killed two people, after bringing a weapon to the unrest.
According to Reuters, the teen’s lawyers are now citing that Kyle Rittenhouse acted in self-defense “after traveling to Kenosha from his home 30 miles (50 km) away in Antioch, Illinois.”
Democrats oppose Trump’s visit
The news outlet further reported that President Donald Trump has taken “a hard stand against the racial protests.” During his RNC acceptance speech, he slammed hard on what Democrats believe are “so-called peaceful demonstrators.”
Nevertheless, per the White House’s announcement, Trump is set to visit Kenosha this Tuesday. This raised concerns from Democrats as his visit might “worsen the strife.”
The only way you will stop the violence in the high crime Democrat run cities is through strength!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 30, 2020
Wisconsin’s Democratic Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes is reportedly worried about Trump’s intention to be helpful, considering his previous statements about the protests.
“They centered an entire convention around creating more animosity and creating more division around what’s going on in Kenosha,” says Barnes.
Joe Biden, Trump’s rival, believes that he is only “recklessly encouraging violence.” Meanwhile, U.S. Representative Karen Bass is quoted telling CNN’s State of the Union that, “[h]is visit has one purpose and one purpose only, and that is to agitate things.”
“We’re 66 days from an election and I think it’s a tragedy that we have a president that is doing everything he can to fan the flames,” she further expressed.
.@finneyk to Democrats: "Don't let Donald Trump take us off focus on what this election is really about — (Trump's) incompetence, the danger that he himself creates. Him going to Kenosha, Wisconsin is like driving a mack truck full of gas into a fire." https://t.co/P6iz1jjwYE pic.twitter.com/6iYyCr8iio
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) August 30, 2020
Wisconsin Governor asks Trump to reconsider
CNN recently reported that the White House confirms that Trump will still go to Kenosha. Reports have it that he will meet with the law enforcement and assess the damages from the havoc.
His persistence to travel to the Midwestern city is due to the “outreach of individuals from Kenosha who have welcomed the President’s visit and are longing for leadership to support local law enforcement and businesses that have been vandalized,” per White House deputy press secretary Judd Deere’s statement.
Accordingly, it is said that the decision to pursue Trump’s Kenosha visit was made hours after Governor Tony Evers wrote to the president, asking to reconsider.
An excerpt of that letter reads:
“I am concerned your presence will only hinder our healing. I am concerned your presence will only delay our work to overcome division and move forward together.
It is our job as elected officials to lead by example and to be a calming presence for the people we know are hurting, mourning, and trying to cope with trauma. Now is not the time for divisiveness.”
Full text of @GovEvers’ letter asking @realDonaldTrump to reconsider his plans to visit Kenosha: pic.twitter.com/iMtoet261S
— Jessie Opoien (@jessieopie) August 30, 2020
He further noted:
“Now is not the time for elected officials to ignore armed militants and out-of-state instigators who want to contribute to our anguish.”
However, the plan to meet Jacob Blake’s family is still “hasn’t been fully ironed out yet.” As previously reported, Blake has now gained consciousness after being shot at least seven times. His family has been disheartened to see Blake handcuffed to his hospital bed after becoming paralyzed from the incident.
Featured image courtesy of Evan El-Amin/Shutterstock