Twitter Users Spot The Utter Hypocrisy Of Donald Trump’s Past Advice About Protests
President Donald Trump has previously been quick to dish out advice on how to deal with protesters.
But people on Twitter pointed out that Trump now suddenly doesn’t seem so keen on following his own ideas as demonstrations continue nationwide over the death of George Floyd, a Black man who died in Minneapolis last week after a police officer knelt on his neck.
Trump in August 2019 suggested Chinese President Xi Jinping should meet personally with anti-government protesters in Hong Kong. “There would be a happy and enlightened ending,” Trump predicted in one post. “I have no doubt.”
If President Xi would meet directly and personally with the protesters, there would be a happy and enlightened ending to the Hong Kong problem. I have no doubt! https://t.co/eFxMjgsG1K
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 15, 2019
“Personal meeting?” he asked in another post:
I know President Xi of China very well. He is a great leader who very much has the respect of his people. He is also a good man in a “tough business.” I have ZERO doubt that if President Xi wants to quickly and humanely solve the Hong Kong problem, he can do it. Personal meeting?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 14, 2019
Then, at the start of May, Trump urged Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat, to “give a little, and put out the fire” with mostly white protesters ― some of them armed ― who entered the Michigan Capitol building to protest stay-at-home orders aimed at slowing the spread of the coronavirus.
The Governor of Michigan should give a little, and put out the fire. These are very good people, but they are angry. They want their lives back again, safely! See them, talk to them, make a deal.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 1, 2020
The president has struck a markedly different tone during the Floyd demonstrations against racism.
In a telephone call on Monday, he urged governors to “dominate” protesters. He’s also used inflammatory language and suggested protesters should be shot. On Friday, Trump was reportedly rushed to an underground bunker in the White House during nearby demonstrations.
Twitter users pointed out Trump’s hypocrisy:
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Funny how black people that are angry about being killed do not receive the same treat https://t.co/vvcVnT1aot
— BLM ACAB (@weclimbedwalls) June 2, 2020
These tweets have aged very, very poorly. https://t.co/ouEr2ocGyy
— Abraham M. Denmark (@AbeDenmark) June 2, 2020
Trump's approach, on May 1, with another group of protesters. https://t.co/8Q9KqlqlLI
— Luke Johnson (@johnson) June 1, 2020
There's always a tweet https://t.co/eHl58m0vQ1
— Alex Ward (@AlexWardVox) June 2, 2020
The President should give a little, and put out the fire. These are very good people, but they are angry. They want their lives back again, safely! See them, talk to them, make a deal. https://t.co/4wKEGIcmOv
— Vlad Savov (@vladsavov) May 29, 2020
imagine if this were written about protestors pissed off about racism and police violence https://t.co/giOHQCPE0V
— j.d. durkin (@jiveDurkey) June 1, 2020
Four weeks ago, when men with rifles walked freely through Michigan's capitol to intimidate legislators into ending the coronavirus shutdowns, Trump's response was "give a little, and put out the fire."
Tonight, he's itching to call in the military to act as civilian police. https://t.co/O0tFQhzFf7— Dennis Mersereau (@wxdam) May 31, 2020
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This article originally appeared on HuffPost.