Former Republican presidential candidate Carly Fiorina said she cried at President Trump’s response to the protests.
Fiorina, a former CEO of Hewlett-Packard who ran against Trump for the GOP nomination in 2016, said the president’s reaction to peaceful protests has been disappointing.
“Like so many Americans, I cried last week as I watched white policemen murder George Floyd in broad daylight in front of witnesses. And I wept last night as I watched a President of the United States forcibly reject every plea for empathy and unifying leadership,” she tweeted Tuesday.
She said Trump failed to acknowledge and understand why protesters have taken to the streets en masse after George Floyd, an unarmed black man, died after a white Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee into Floyd’s neck for more than 8 minutes.
“Instead of leading when leadership is sorely needed, Trump had peaceful protesters cleared out with tear gas and rubber bullets. Instead of leading, Trump declared he would deploy the military into American cities, with or without the state Governors’ consent. Instead of leading, Trump walked across the street and posed for an awkward photo in which he held up a Bible in front of St. John’s church,” she said.
Like so many Americans, I cried last week as I watched white policemen murder George Floyd in broad daylight in front of witnesses. And I wept last night as I watched a President of the United States forcibly reject every plea for empathy and unifying leadership.
— Carly Fiorina (@CarlyFiorina) June 2, 2020
He did not propose a plan for long-overdue police reform or suggest programs to help communities struggling with the devastating impacts of disease, death, unemployment, poverty, destruction and division.
— Carly Fiorina (@CarlyFiorina) June 2, 2020
Instead of leading, Trump walked across the street and posed for an awkward photo in which he held up a Bible in front of St. John’s church.
— Carly Fiorina (@CarlyFiorina) June 2, 2020
Let us fill our hearts with empathy for others, commit to living by our principles, and find the courage to change the order of things for the better. Let us hold ourselves and our political representatives accountable for empathetic, principled, courageous leadership.
— Carly Fiorina (@CarlyFiorina) June 2, 2020
The U.S. Park Police later denied law enforcement used tear gas on protesters, but rather smoke canisters and pepper balls “as many of the protesters became more combative, continued to throw projectiles, and attempted to grab officers’ weapons.”
Trump said Monday in the White House Rose Garden that he was prepared to send troops to states if governors could not suppress the unrest. Most of those protesting Floyd’s death and police brutality have been peaceful, though some have resorted to looting and violence.
“These are not acts of peaceful protests. These are acts of domestic terror,” said Trump, who has also called for “total domination” against protesters.
Minutes later, Trump left the White House to walk across Lafayette Square to St. John’s Episcopal Church, which was set on fire a day earlier. He stood in front of the boarded-up church holding a Bible while photographers snapped photos before walking back to the White House.
Law enforcement forced protesters out from the area before the city’s 7 p.m. curfew and before Trump made the walk to the church.
