We begin on a somber note on Saturday, July 18th, President Trump issues a proclamation calling for flags around the nation to be flown at half-staff to honor civil rights hero John Lewis, who passed away on Friday at the age of 80. The longtime congressman from Georgia was the last living speaker of the 1963 March on Washington where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech.
Sunday, July 19th, in a contentious interview with Chris Wallace on “Fox News Sunday,” President Trump pushes back against coronavirus reporting, saying the statistics are misleading. Additionally, the president threatens to veto the National Defense Authorization Act because of the provision of renaming military bases honoring Confederate generals. When asked about the possibility of losing re-election in November and accepting the results, Trump says, “No, I’m not going to just say yes. I’m not going to say no, and I didn’t last time either.”
Monday, July 20th, President Trump defends his administration’s use of force in Portland, Oregon, where federal law enforcement officers have been clashing with protesters and rioters, calling the social unrest “worse than Afghanistan.” Trump continues to say that if Joe Biden is elected, the whole country will look like Portland.Later, Trump tweets a photo of himself wearing a mask, saying it’s “patriotic” to wear one during the coronavirus pandemic, which has become an issue among many of his supporters who believe mask mandates threaten their freedom.
Tuesday, July 21st, in a presidential memorandum, Trump states that undocumented immigrants would be excluded from being counted in the U.S. Census for when congressional districts are re-drawn in 2021.Later, in his first coronavirus briefing after a lengthy hiatus, Trump is asked about Ghislaine Maxwell, the alleged co-conspirator in the Jeffrey Epstein child sex trafficking ring, and this is what he says, “I wish her well, frankly. I’ve met her numerous times over the years, especially since I lived in Palm Beach, and I guess they lived in Palm Beach. But I wish her well, whatever it is.”
It would’ve been better if Trump said nothing at all as you do not, under any circumstance, have to wish an alleged accomplice in a child sex trafficking ring well.
Wednesday, July 22nd, Trump announces he’s sending federal law enforcement agents to cities like Chicago and Albuquerque to crack down on violent crime.
Thursday, July 23rd, President Trump’s former personal attorney Michael Cohen is re-released from prison after it was discovered that federal officials returned Cohen to prison in retaliation for his plans to write a tell-all book about his former client.
Meanwhile, at his coronavirus press briefing, Trump announces that the Republican National Convention is canceled. The convention was originally supposed to be in Charlotte, North Carolina, and was moved to Jacksonville, Florida, when North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper couldn’t guarantee that attendance would be at full capacity due to the coronavirus pandemic. However, with the surge in coronavirus cases in Florida, Trump decided to scrap it. The Democratic National Convention was canceled in late June and moved to a virtual setting, which is probably what the RNC will do as well.
So, as numerous cities across the country deal with a spike in crime and unrest, Trump’s going all in on his pledge to be the “law and order” candidate and make it a referendum of Joe Biden, suggesting he will inject chaos into the country. Being down in every battleground state poll except for Iowa, it’s a bold strategy, Cotton, let’s see if it pays off for him.
