Several Hollywood celebrities reacted negatively to President Trump’s message to the country Monday amid violent protests that erupted nationwide following the death of George Floyd in police custody.
“America needs creation, not destruction; cooperation, not contempt; security, not anarchy; healing, not hatred; justice, not chaos,” Trump said during a speech in the Rose Garden on Monday. “That is why I am taking immediate presidential action to stop the violence and restore security and safety in America. I am mobilizing all available federal resources, civilian and military, to stop the rioting and looting to end the destruction and arson and to protect the rights of law-abiding Americans, including your Second Amendment rights.”
Trump’s words prompted a negative response from famous figures such as Alyssa Milano, Samuel L. Jackson, Ed Helms, Ice Cube.
“F***ing trump gestapo,” Actress Alyssa Milano said on Twitter, accompanied by a video of the protests. “It’s the death of democracy.”
Fucking trump gestapo. It’s the death of democracy. pic.twitter.com/gtzIUSMIRz
— Alyssa Milano (@Alyssa_Milano) June 1, 2020
“Did we just get Martial Lawed??!” actor Samuel L. Jackson asked. “So, he just Declared War on The Public??!! It’s not 1807 this is not Rebellion!!, but I think it’s about get all kinds of fucked up here!!”
Did we just get Martial Lawed??! So, he just Declared War on The Public??!! It’s not 1807 this is not Rebellion!!, but I think it’s about get all kinds of fucked up here!!
— Samuel L. Jackson (@SamuelLJackson) June 1, 2020
Rapper Ice-T responded to Jackson’s question by saying, “Sounded like that to me.”
Sounded like that to me… https://t.co/EEnaY3gZSC
— ICE T (@FINALLEVEL) June 1, 2020
“President @realDonaldTrump is giving the worst speech in the history of our great nation,” actor Ed Helms claimed. “All while attempting to create deliberate chaos in the streets of our great capital. Devoid of humanity, devoid of compassion, devoid of empathy, devoid of integrity. #VoteOutHate.”
President @realDonaldTrump is giving the worst speech in the history of our great nation. All while attempting to create deliberate chaos in the streets of our great capital. Devoid of humanity, devoid of compassion, devoid of empathy, devoid of integrity. #VoteOutHate
— Ed Helms (@edhelms) June 1, 2020
Director Rob Reiner and actor John Cusack both posted attacks against the president, but both have deleted their tweets. Reiner compared Trump to Jefferson Davis, and Cusack compared him to a pig “[wallowing] in shit.”
Rapper Ice Cube asked his Twitter followers if Trump will be the first president to “nuke” a U.S. city.
Will Trump be the first President to nuke a U.S. city? Stay tuned.
— Ice Cube (@icecube) June 2, 2020
Protests have erupted into violence across the country over the last several days in response to the death of Floyd while he was in police custody for alleged forgery. Video of a white police officer kneeling on Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes while Floyd cried that he could not breathe went viral on social media.
Four police officers involved in the arrest were fired, and the officer shown pinning Floyd, Derek Chauvin, was charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.
