Trump Makes Controversial Trip To Kenosha Amid Civil Unrest, Meets With Local Law Enforcement

President Donald Trump arrived in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Tuesday, in a visit that has generated controversy as the city grapples with civil unrest and violence after the recent police shooting of Jacob Blake, a 29-year-old Black man. Both Kenosha Mayor John Antaramian and Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers had urged Trump not to make the trip.

"I am concerned your presence will only hinder our healing," Evers wrote to Trump in a letter on Sunday, while Antaramian said he would have preferred Trump to not visit the city "at this point in time.”

Both Black Lives Matter protesters and Trump supporters gathered for the president’s visit to the city. Kenosha has a population of roughly 100,000 and is located near Chicago and Milwaukee.

“We’ll look at some of the damage that was done," Trump told reporters upon his arrival. “We’re going to get it fixed up. We’re going to help the people rebuild their businesses in Kenosha. It’s just been a great state. Great people. And we’re getting it straightened out.”

During his visit, Trump met with law enforcement and the National Guard at a high school. Trump also examined damaged property from the civil unrest in the city, speaking to owners of a furniture store that had been destroyed by rioting.

Trump reiterated his call to send federal law enforcement to the city during his visit and criticized Wisconsin Democratic leaders for their handling of the situation.

“They just don’t want us to come in and then destruction is done,” Trump said. “These governors don’t want to call and the mayors don’t want to call. They have to ask.”

Trump is not expected to meet Blake’s family during his visit. Blake’s father, Jacob Blake Sr., has said he refuses to “play politics” with Trump.

"I'm not getting into politics. It's all about my son, man. It has nothing to do with a photo op," Blake Sr. told CNN.

Trump has used the violence in Kenosha to tout his “law and order” message and has pinned the unrest in the city on Democrats as well as presidential nominee Joe Biden. Prior to his arrival, Trump attacked the media for its coverage of anti-police brutality demonstrations.

“You people, I tell ya, if we only had an honest press in this country. It would be much more advanced. But we have a very dishonest press,” Trump told reporters before boarding Air Force One. “The press should be ashamed of themselves. I think the press, the media is what’s fueling this, more so than even Biden, cause Biden doesn’t know he’s alive.”

Trump has made a series of controversial statements in recent days about the events in Kenosha. The president has defended Kyle Rittenhouse, a 17-year-old who was charged with killing two people and injuring a third during the demonstrations last week.

Rittenhouse considered himself a militia member and had previously attended a Trump rally.

"He was trying to get away from them, I guess, it looks like," Trump said during a White House press briefing on Monday, claiming that Rittenhouse was acting in self-defense. "I guess he was in very big trouble. He probably would have been killed."

In an interview Monday with Fox News host Laura Ingraham, Trump compared police officers who commit acts of brutality to golfers who “choke” and miss a 3-foot putt.

During an address Monday in Pittsburgh, Biden claimed Trump had been fomenting violence for political gain. He also criticized Trump for not condemning the actions of Rittenhouse.

"[Trump] can't stop the violence because for years he has fomented it," Biden said during the speech. "He may believe mouthing the words 'law and order' makes him strong, but his failure to call on his own supporters to stop acting as an armed militia in this country shows how weak he is."