President Trump’s reelection campaign sent a blistering response to Joe Biden’s speech about racial inequality in the United States, claiming the former vice president welcomes “unrest” in the country to help his electoral chances.
“Joe Biden’s campaign made it clear that they stand with the rioters, the people burning businesses in minority communities and causing mayhem, by donating to post bail for those arrested,” wrote senior Trump 2020 adviser Katrina Pierson in a statement to the press. “He has obviously made the crass political calculation that unrest in America is a benefit to his candidacy. Biden has a history of cozying up to notorious racists in the Senate, he attempted to inflame race relations by claiming Republicans want to put Black Americans ‘back in chains,’ and told a Black radio host that Blacks who didn’t support him ‘ain’t Black.’”
The statement was released almost immediately after Biden finished his remarks in Philadelphia. In that speech, the former vice president criticized Trump’s response to the violence and looting that has happened in cities across the country during demonstrations calling attention to racial inequality and police brutality.
Those protests began last week after George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, died after a white Minneapolis police officer pressed a knee into his neck for nearly nine minutes.
Biden called Trump “part of the problem” of racism that black people face and said Trump’s presidency has transformed the country into “a nation in pain.”
“The country is crying out for leadership. Leadership that can unite us, leadership that brings us together. Leadership that can recognize pain and deep grief of communities that have had a knee on their neck for a long time,” he said. “There’s no place for violence, no place for looting, or destroying property or destroying churches or destroying businesses.”
Since the weekend, Trump has placed his focus on quelling civil unrest that has led to the destruction of businesses, multiple deaths, and general disorder. On Monday, he threatened to send troops to states he believes are doing an insufficient job at stopping riots.
“If a city or state refuses to take the actions that are necessary to defend the life and property of their residents,” Trump said from the White House Rose Garden, “then I will deploy the United States military and quickly solve the problem for them.”
