Axios

As recently as Saturday night, senior administration officials told me that the designation of a violent cohort of far-left activists, antifa, as a terrorist organization was not being seriously discussed at the White House. But that was Saturday.

Behind the scenes: The situation changed dramatically a few hours later, after prominent conservative allies of the president, such as his friend media commentator Dan Bongino, publicly urged a tough response against people associated with antifa (short for "anti-fascist").

Former Vice President Joe Biden said in a statement Sunday that he visited Wilmington, Delaware, to view the aftermath of the city's protests the previous night against the killing of George Floyd.

What he's saying: "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."

Over the past couple of days, numerous advisers both inside and outside the White House have urged the president to tone down his violent rhetoric, which many worry could escalate racial tensions and hurt him politically.

Behind the scenes: The biggest source of internal concern was Trump's escalatory tweet, "when the looting starts, the shooting starts." Some advisers said it could damage him severely with independent voters and suburban women.

The American Israel Public Affairs Committee policy conference scheduled for March 2021 has been canceled due to "uncertainties created by the COVID-19 pandemic."

Why it matters: The cancellation of the event, set to take a place a full year after the pandemic was declared, illustrates the long-lasting effects COVID-19 could have on large gatherings.

Attorney General Bill Barr said in a statement Sunday that the Justice Department will use its network of 56 regional FBI Joint Terrorism Task Forces to identify the "criminal organizers and instigators" of violence during the George Floyd protests, including antifa and similar groups.

Why it matters: Barr, President Trump and other members of the administration have pinned the blame for riots and looting over the past few days of protests against police brutality on antifa, a loosely defined far-left movement that uses violence and direct-action protest tactics.

Scott Gottlieb, President Trump's former FDA commissioner, warned on CBS News' "Face the Nation" Sunday that "this is not the time" to be pulling out of the World Health Organization."

Why it matters: Gottlieb said Trump's decision to cut off the United States' relationship with the WHO will impact international responses not only to the coronavirus pandemic, but also to diseases like polio. For many countries that lack critical health infrastructure, the WHO functions as their Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Gottlieb said.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) said Sunday that he has asked the state's attorney general to review the New York Police Department's conduct during protests over the death of George Floyd.

Why it matters: Several videos of protests over the weekend showed NYPD officers pushing protestors, driving SUVs through crowds and more. While some of the confrontations were instigated by the protestors, Cuomo said that allegations of misconduct by police officers should be fully investigated.

Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser said on NBC's "Meet the Press" on Sunday that President Trump's tweets about protests over the death of George Floyd are "divisive" and draw from the "segregationist past of our country."

Driving the news: A Friday tweet by Trump, which was later flagged by Twitter for violating its rules about "glorifying violence," called protestors "THUGS" and used the phrase, "when the looting starts, the shooting starts."

Twitter and Google are among the dozens of brands over the past 24 hours that have taken public stances in favor of Americans protesting racial inequality. Some companies have changed their logos in solidarity with the movement, while others have pledged money in support of efforts to address social injustice.

Why it matters: The pressure that companies feel to speak out on issues has increased during the Trump era, as businesses have sought to fill a trust void left by the government. Now, some of the biggest companies are quickly taking a public stand on the protests, pressuring all other brands to do the same.

New York City Police Commissioner Dermot Shea said in a public statement Sunday that he is "extremely proud" of the New York City Police Department's response to protests over the death of George Floyd Saturday night, writing: "What we saw in New York City last night and the night before was not about peaceful protest of any kind."

Why it matters: New York City residents captured several instances of police officers using excessive force against demonstrators. In one video, two NYPD SUVs are seen ramming into protesters who were blocking a road and throwing traffic cones at the vehicles.

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison cautioned in an interview on "Fox News Sunday" that the case against Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer involved in the death of George Floyd, is "very early in the process" and that charges could be amended or added.

Why it matters: Chauvin was arrested last week and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter, which implies that he did not intend to kill Floyd. Some protestors have demanded more severe charges, and Floyd's family has asked Ellison to serve as a special prosecutor in the case.

White House national security adviser Robert O'Brien said on CNN's "State of the Union" on Sunday that he doesn't believe there is "systemic racism" among law enforcement in the U.S., arguing that there are "a few bad apples" that are giving police a bad name.

Why it matters: The mass protests that have swept across the United States are not just a response to the death of George Floyd, but of the dozens of high-profile instances of unarmed black men dying at the hands of police officers over the years.

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."

For many black Americans, this moment feels like a crisis within a crisis within a crisis.

The big picture: It's not just George Floyd's killing by police. Or the deaths of EMT Breonna Taylor and jogger Ahmaud Arbery. Or the demeaning of birdwatcher Christian Cooper and journalist Omar Jimenez. Or the coronavirus pandemic's disproportionate harm to black Americans. It's that it's all happening at once.

An unnamed 24-year-old demonstrator protesting the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis criticized people looting and causing violence in riots in major cities around the United States in a viral interview with CNN Saturday night.

What he's saying: "This is what I gotta say to the people who are destroying things," the demonstrator said. "If you really feel like you have to take an opportunity, like you have to be opportunistic, something is wrong with you. If you cannot stand up and fight the good fight, and you want to be a cheater and go ahead and take what we're trying to do, something is wrong with you."

Amnesty International issued a statement on Sunday morning calling for an end to militarized policing in several U.S. cities and the use of "excessive force" against demonstrators protesting police brutality.

Why it matters: The human rights group said police across the country were "failing their obligations under international law to respect and facilitate the right to peaceful protest, exacerbating a tense situation and endangering the lives of protesters."

President Trump’s mockery of coronavirus masks, his false claims about the dangers of voting by mail and his insinuations that a cable TV nemesis was involved in a murder are testing more high-profile Republicans' willingness to look the other way.

The big picture: Republicans learned a long time ago how dangerous it is to alienate Trump’s base — which is why any hint of disagreement, even a whisper, is so remarkable when it happens.

Major U.S. cities have implemented curfews and called on National Guard to mobilize as thousands of demonstrators gather across the nation to continue protesting the death of George Floyd.

The state of play: Hundreds have already been arrested as tensions continue to rise between protesters and local governments. Protesters are setting police cars on fire as freeways remain blocked and windows are shattered, per the Washington Post. Law enforcement officials are using tear gas and rubber bullets to try to disperse crowds and send protesters home.

Clashes erupted between law enforcement and protesters in several major U.S. cities Saturday night as demonstrations over the death of George Floyd and other police-related killings of black men spread across the country.

The big picture: Floyd's death in Minneapolis police custody is the latest reminder of the disparities between black and white communities in the U.S. and comes as African Americans grapple with higher death rates from the coronavirus and higher unemployment from trying to stem its spread.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) blasted New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio via Twitter early Sunday for defending the NYPD after video emerged of some officers driving their cars into a group of protesters.

The state of play: In the clip, New York Police Department cars are surrounded by protesters before driving into the crowd, forcing some of the demonstrators to the ground. Per a New York Times reporter, De Blasio responded by saying: "If those protesters had just gotten out of the way, and not created an attempt to surround that vehicle we would not be talking about this situation."

Police used tear gas, rubber bullets and pepper spray as the protests sparked by the killing of George Floyd continued nationwide into early Sunday.

The big picture: Police responded over the weekend with force, in cities ranging from Salt Lake City to Atlanta to Des Moines, Houston to Detroit, Milwaukee to Washington, D.C., Denver and Louisville. Large crowds gathered in Minneapolis on Saturday for the fifth day in a row.

Former Vice President Joe Biden responded to the string of violent protests consuming the U.S. following the police killing of George Floyd, calling for protesters to stop the violence.

What he's saying: "Protesting such brutality is right and necessary. It’s an utterly American response. But burning down communities and needless destruction is not. Violence that endangers lives is not."

Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.), a civil rights icon, released a statement Saturday night urging protesters to peacefully take to the streets as unrest continues.

What he's saying: "I see you, and I hear you. I know your pain, your rage, your sense of despair and hopelessness," he said. "Justice has, indeed, been denied for far too long. Rioting, looting, and burning is not the way. Organize. Demonstrate. Sit-in. Stand-up. Vote."

Without citing evidence, Attorney General Bill Barr denounced what he described as "planned" violence from "far-left extremist groups" on Saturday, in response to many U.S. cities erupting in protest through Friday evening over the killing of George Floyd.

Driving the news: President Trump quickly echoed Barr's statement on Twitter, saying that "'Crossing State lines to incite violence is a FEDERAL CRIME! Liberal Governors and Mayors need to get tougher on protestors or the federal government will use "the unlimited power of our Military and many arrests."

President Trump told reporters on Saturday evening he would postpone the G7 summit in Washington, D.C., to September and expand the meeting to more nations that are not members of the Group of 7.

Details: Trump said he would invite Russia, South Korea, Australia and India to the summit, according to a pool report. "I don’t feel that as a G7 it properly represents what’s going on in the world. It’s a very outdated group of countries," he said.