May 31, 2020 - Politics & Policy

Atlanta mayor on Trump's riot response: "He speaks and he makes it worse"

Axios

Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms responded on CNN's "State of the Union" Sunday to President Trump's tweets and comments about the mass protests that have swept across the United States, urging him to "just stop talking."

What she's saying: "This is like Charlottesville all over again. He speaks and he makes it worse. There are times when you should just be quiet. And I wish that he would just be quiet."

She continued: "Or if he can't be silent, if there is somebody of good sense and good conscience in the White House, put him in front of a teleprompter and pray that he reads it and at least says the right things, because he is making it worse."

The backdrop: Trump threatened early Friday to send the national guard to Minneapolis after three nights of protests, calling protestors "THUGS" on Twitter and writing that "when the looting starts, the shooting starts." Twitter labeled the tweet as violating the platform's rules about glorifying violence.

On Saturday, Trump tweeted that "the most vicious dogs, and the most ominous weapons" would have greeted protestors at the White House had they breached the area's fence on Friday night.

What to watch: ABC News reported late Saturday night that there was "mounting pressure" inside the White House for Trump to address the nation amid the chaos and violence of the protests.

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Atlanta mayor on Trump's riot response: "He speaks and he makes it worse"

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