President Trump called the lack of trust between African Americans and law enforcement officials “a very sad problem.”
The president discussed the black community’s level of trust in the police in an interview on Fox News Radio with Brian Kilmeade Wednesday morning. During the appearance, the president was asked about a recent Axios-Ipsos poll that showed 77% of white people trust the police while only 36% of black people do.
“Well, I think it’s a very sad problem,” Trump said. After being pushed by Kilmeade, he added in reference to the death of George Floyd in police custody: “I think [police officers] have to get better than what they were doing. I mean, obviously, that was a terrible thing.”
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Last week, Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, was accused of using a fake $20 bill to pay for cigarettes at a deli. The police were called, and a white officer, Derek Chauvin, knelt on Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes. Although Floyd said that he couldn’t breathe, the officer did not let up until after Floyd lost consciousness. Floyd was later pronounced dead.
“We have to get the word out, we have to get the police departments … to do better,” the president added. “This is a long-term problem, this didn’t happen today.”
Chauvin was taken into custody last Friday and was charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. Floyd’s death sparked protests, both violent and nonviolent, across the country to raise awareness about systemic racism and police brutality.
The president has repeatedly issued calls for police to enforce law and order amid the protests.
