George Floyd New York Protests: Trump Demands De Blasio Call In The National Guard

President Trump on Wednesday stoked racial tensions, demanding New York Mayor Bill de Blasio call in the National Guard to stem protest violence and looting, and called presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden weak for seeking calm and unity. Biden called Trump an incompetent narcissist intent on ratcheting up anxiety for his own benefit.

For the last week, the U.S. has been wracked by protests in the wake of the Memorial Day death of a black Minneapolis man at the hands of a white police officer who knelt on the victim’s neck as he pleaded for air. Numerous demonstrations turned violent and led to looting, prompting Trump on Monday to threaten to invoke the Insurrection Act, which would allow him to federalize the National Guard and send regular military troops into the streets to quell the violence.

Trump mobilized the military for the capital. Customs and Border Patrol said it had deployed troops in the city.

“These ‘protests’ have devolved into chaos & acts of domestic terrorism by groups of radicals & agitators,” CBP Acting Commissioner Mark Morgan tweeted. “@CBP is answering the call and will work to keep DC safe.”

Trump railed at “hoodlums and thieves” who ransacked Macy’s flagship store on 34th Street in Manhattan’s Herald Square, and demanded, “Bring in the National Guard.”

A few minutes later he attacked Biden, accusing him of doing nothing during his congressional career and now pretending “to have the answers. He doesn’t even know the questions.”

“Weakness will never beat anarchists, looters or thugs, and Joe has been politically weak all of his life,” Trump said.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo also condemned the violence in New York City, calling it inexcusable. He said he has offered to send in the National Guard, but de Blasio declined the offer. Cuomo has said he’s not willing at this point to take control of the city from de Blasio, saying the situation is too chaotic. The city is under an 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew.

“I understand the president’s political point. … He is Mr. Law and Order and he would bring in the military to put down these protests,” Cuomo said.

“We saw vicious attacks on police officers. That is wholly unacceptable. It does not represent the people of this city,” de Blasio said. “Anyone who attacks a police officer attacks us all.”

De Blasio on Tuesday outlined how he plans to take control of the situation, calling on community leaders to come forward to help guide the conversation and channel anger.

Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., a member of the Armed Services Committee, said he would introduce an amendment to prevent Trump from using the military against protesters.

Biden, in a speech delivered in Philadelphia, said though there is no place for violence, Trump has yet to heed the public’s cry for leadership and unity.

Biden criticized tactics used to disperse peaceful protesters outside the White House Monday so that Trump could walk across the street for a photo op in front of a historic church. Federal law enforcement officers fired tear gas at the protesters to clear a path.

“His narcissism has become more important than the nation’s well-being,” Biden said in Philadelphia.

He continued: “We are a nation in pain, but we must not allow this pain to destroy us. We are a nation enraged, but we cannot allow our rage to consume us. We are a nation exhausted, but we will not allow our exhaustion to defeat us.”