SUMMARY
Trump’s rhetoric and policies were aligned towards promoting more police violence, political violence, chaos, and unrest. The president overturned past reforms, used violent rhetoric, and stoked tensions.
As His Last Act As Attorney General, Jeff Sessions Curtailed The Use Of “Consent Decrees,” Which Were Agreements Between The Justice Department And Local Police Forces To Change Abusive Practices. According to the New York Times, “In a major last-minute act, Mr. Sessions signed a memorandum on Wednesday before President Trump fired him sharply curtailing the use of so-called consent decrees, court-approved deals between the Justice Department and local governments that create a road map of changes for law enforcement and other institutions.” [New York Times, 11/8/18]
Consent Decrees Had Been Used In Ferguson And Baltimore After Deaths Caused By Police. According to the New York Times, “Mr. Sessions had signaled he would pull back on their use soon after he took office when he ordered a review of the existing agreements, including with police departments in Baltimore, Chicago and Ferguson, Mo., enacted amid a national outcry over the deaths of black men at the hands of officers.” [New York Times, 11/8/18]
Sessions’s Rules Required Top Political Appointees To Sign Off, Required Additional Violations Beyond Unconstitutional Behavior And Set Sunset Dates. According to the New York Times, “Mr. Sessions imposed three stringent requirements for the agreements. Top political appointees must sign off on the deals, rather than the career lawyers who have done so in the past; department lawyers must lay out evidence of additional violations beyond unconstitutional behavior; and the deals must have a sunset date, rather than being in place until police or other law enforcement agencies have shown improvement.” [New York Times, 11/8/18]
CBS: Trump Justice Department Appears To Be Taking A Hands-Off Approach To Police Reform, A Major Shift Compared To Actions Under The Obama Administration. The Trump Justice Department appears to be taking a hands-off approach to police reform, a major shift compared to actions under the Obama administration. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has ordered a sweeping review of reform agreements with troubled police forces nationwide. In a memo sent to U.S. attorneys. Sessions said, “It is not the responsibility of the federal government to manage non-federal law enforcement agencies.” [CBSN, 4/4/17]
Mark Morial On DOJ Taking A Hands-Off Approach: “The Justice Department's Obligation Is To Ensure The Fair And Impartial Administration Of Justice.” CBS: MARK MORIAL: The Justice Department's obligation is to ensure the fair and impartial administration of justice. And I think to pursue police reform through consent decrees is part of the Justice Department's obligation to the people of this nation. REPORTER: So what happens the next time we have one of these incidents. And tragically it is very likely that there will be another instance in which we have use of force. If the Department of Justice says look we're going to let the local officials handle it, where does that leave civil rights groups? What is your role now in police reform? MORIAL: I mean our role is to hold the Department of Justice accountable. The federal courts are an option in some instances. The local courts may be an option in some instances. But I really think the message is there for citizens across the nation to demand these reforms. [CBSN, 4/4/17]
Trump Reestablished Program To Transfer Surplus Military Equipment To Local Police Forces. According to Reuters, “U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday issued an executive order revoking limits imposed by predecessor Barack Obama on the transfer of surplus military equipment to local law enforcement agencies, the White House said. Obama had curtailed the equipment transfer program after law enforcement officers using military-style armored vehicles and guns confronted protesters in Ferguson, Missouri, in 2014 following the fatal police shooting of a black teenager. Trump’s executive order said, ‘All executive departments and agencies are directed, as of the date of this order and consistent with Federal law, to cease implementing those recommendations and, if necessary, to take prompt action to rescind any rules, regulations, guidelines, or policies implementing them.’” [Reuters, 8/28/17]
Jeff Sessions On Announcement Of Trump EO Allowing Police Departments To Buy Military Surplus: “These Restrictions Had Been Imposed Went Too Far. We Will Not Put Superficial Concerns About Public Safety.” “President Trump this day is issuing an executive order that will make it easier to protect yourselves and your communities. And it's a top priority of Chuck and your leaders. He is rescinding restrictions from the prior administration that limited your agency's ability to get equipment through federal programs including lifesaving gear. Lifesaving gear that makes your lives safer like Kevlar vest and hell month's first responder and rescue equipment like they're using in Texas right now. [...] Studies have shown that this equipment reduces crime rates, reduces the number of assaults against police officers, and actually reduces the number of complaints against police officers. These restrictions had been imposed went too far. We will not put superficial concerns about public safety. We will do our best to get you what you need. The executive order that the President will sign today will ensure that you can get life-saving gear. You need to do your job and send a strong message that we will not allow criminal activity violence and lawlessness to become a new normal. And we will save taxpayer money in the process. There's not a dollar to waste. And we're not going to waste a dollar. We're not gonna allow equipment, no longer needed, to be sitting idle when you could be using it.” [AP, 8/28/17]
TN News Coverage Of Trump’s E) On Military Surplus: “Now Local Law Enforcement Will Be Able To Purchase Grenade Launchers, Bayonets, And Armored Vehicles.” More on the President's plan to reverse that executive order signed by President Obama. Now local law enforcement will be able to purchase grenade launchers, bayonets, and armored vehicles. [...] REPORTER: Questions about the military surplus program increased after protests in Ferguson Missouri revealed the massive firepower at the disposal of local police in 2014….. In May of 2015, President Obama signed an executive order banning local police departments from obtaining things like bayonets armored vehicles and grenade launchers. In fact, five Tennessee departments actually had to return grenade launchers they had ordered through the program. SESSION: These restrictions had been imposed went too far. We will not put superficial concerns above public safety. REPORTER: But in a reversal. Attorney General Jeff Sessions told the National Fraternal Order of Police conference that President Trump was officially ending restrictions preventing local law enforcement from getting grenade launchers and other military surplus equipment. SESSION: We will not allow criminal activity violence and lawlessness to become a new norm. REPORTER: And while the announcement was greeted with strong approval from the local law enforcement in attendance it likely revives questions about the firepower available to local departments. RADLEY BALKO: When you surround yourself with the equipment of war with the language of war with the tactic of war you're going to be much less likely to look for ways of resolving disputes using the least amount of force possible. [News Channel 5 investigates, 8/28/17]
Trump Encouraged Officers To Be Rougher With Individuals They Placed User Arrest. According to the Washington Post, “‘When you guys put somebody in the car and you’re protecting their head, you know, the way you put their hand over?’ Trump said, miming the physical motion of an officer shielding a suspect’s head to keep it from bumping against the squad car. ‘Like, don’t hit their head, and they just killed somebody — don’t hit their head,’ Trump continued. ‘I said, you can take the hand away, okay?’” [Washington Post, 7/28/17]
Trump: When You See These Thugs Being Thrown Into The Back Of A Paddy Wagon, You Just See Them Thrown In, Rough. According to Trump’s remarks via Newsday, “Now, we’re getting them out anyway, but we’d like to get them out a lot faster. And when you see these towns and when you see these thugs being thrown into the back of a paddy wagon — you just see them thrown in, rough — I said, please don’t be too nice” [Newsday, 7/28/17]
In His Tweet Stating “When The Looting Starts, The Shooting Starts” Trump Referred To Persons Protesting The Death Of George Floyd As “Thugs.” [Twitter, 5/29/20]
Trump Suggested Shooting Immigrants In The Legs To Slow Them Down. According to the New York Times “Privately, the president had often talked about fortifying a border wall with a water-filled trench, stocked with snakes or alligators, prompting aides to seek a cost estimate. He wanted the wall electrified, with spikes on top that could pierce human flesh. After publicly suggesting that soldiers shoot migrants if they threw rocks, the president backed off when his staff told him that was illegal. But later in a meeting, aides recalled, he suggested that they shoot migrants in the legs to slow them down. That’s not allowed either, they told him.” [New York Times, 10/1/19]
Trump Referred To ICE Agents As “Rough Guys.” According to the Washington Post “Standing in front of a number of police officers in uniform, Trump described a conversation with Thomas Homan, then head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. ‘I said, ‘Hey, Tom, let me ask you a question — how tough are these guys, MS-13?’’ Trump said, referring to a gang. ‘He said, ‘They’re nothing compared to my guys. Nothing.’ And that’s what you need. Sometimes that’s what you need, right?’ ‘I saw some photos where Tom’s guys — rough guys. They’re rough,’ Trump added later. ‘I don’t want to be — say it because they’ll say that’s not politically correct. You’re not allowed to have rough people doing this kind of work.’” [Washington Post, 6/1/20]
Trump: “In The Good Old Days, They’d Rip Him Out Of That Seat So Fast.” According to the New York Times, “The crowd at Donald J. Trump’s rally here Friday night quickly began booing the young protester clad in the ‘KKK supports Trump’ T-shirt, who was escorted from the event. But for Mr. Trump, the ejection wasn’t quick enough. As his fans shouted down the interrupter, Mr. Trump turned his focus onto law enforcement. ‘You see, in the good old days, law enforcement acted a lot quicker than this,’ Mr. Trump said, as security officers made their way toward the protester. ‘A lot quicker. In the good old days, they’d rip him out of that seat so fast.’ ‘But today,’ he continued, ‘everyone is so politically correct. Our country is going to hell — we’re being politically correct.’” [New York Times, 2/27/16]
Trump Complained That A Protester Had Been “Gently” Removed From A Rally By Security. According to the New York Times, “Referring to another episode from an earlier event, Mr. Trump described someone ‘punching, swinging’ and complained that the protester had simply been ‘gently’ marched out.” [New York Times, 2/27/16]
Trump Encouraged His Supporters To “Knock The Crap” Out Of Protesters. According to Business Insider, “The Republican presidential front-runner suggested that violence would be acceptable against any such protesters. ‘So if you see somebody getting ready to throw a tomato, knock the crap out of them, would you? Seriously,’ he said. ‘OK, just knock the hell. I promise you I will pay for the legal fees. I promise. I promise. They won't be so much because the courts agree with us, too.’” [Business Insider, 1/1/16]
Trump Said Of Black Lives Matter Protester At His Rally “Maybe He Should Have Been Roughed Up.” According to CNN, “‘Maybe he should have been roughed up because it was absolutely disgusting what he was doing,’ Trump said Sunday morning on Fox News, less than 24 hours after his campaign said it ‘does not condone’ the physical altercation. Trump was not asked by the Fox News hosts about the comments made by his campaign. The protester, 31-year-old Black Lives Matter activist Mercutio Southall, said the attendees who attacked him also called him and two fellow protestors ‘monkeys’ and the N-word.” [CNN, 2/23/16]
Trump, 2015: Black Lives Matter Movement “Looking For Trouble.” According to MSNBC, “Although Trump is far from the first Republican presidential candidate to condemn the Black Lives Matter movement, he went further than most, alleging that ‘they’re trouble, I think they’re looking for trouble.’” [MSNBC, 9/8/15]
April 1989: Trump Bought Full-Page Advertisements To Proclaim “Bring Back The Death Penalty. Bring Back Our Police!” According to Never Enough: Donald Trump And The Pursuit Of Success, “In April 1989, Trump saw another opportunity to speak his mind when a young woman who was white and an investment banker was raped and beaten until she became unconscious while out for a jog in Central Park. As media reports shocked the city and the victim struggled for survival, police mounted an intense investigation that ended with the apprehension of five black youths between the ages of fourteen and sixteen who were then interrogated for many hours. The five implicated themselves, but would later recant, saying they had been pressured into making false statements. Editorial writers at the tabloid Post urged readers to ‘channel your outrage’ by demanding lawmakers reinstate the death penalty. Donald Trump bought full-page advertisements in the city’s four big daily papers to proclaim, BRING BACK THE DEATH PENALTY. BRING BACK OUR POLICE!” [Michael D’Antonio: Never Enough: Donald Trump And The Pursuit Of Success, September 2015]
Trump On The Central Park Five After They Were Exonerated, Given Settlement By The City Of New York: “These Young Men Do Not Exactly Have The Pasts Of Angels.” According to Never Enough: Donald Trump And The Pursuit Of Success, “The Central Park Five were the teenagers who had been arrested and charged with the notorious assault and rape of a young woman in Central Park in 1989 […] Freed when DNA evidence proved someone else committed the crime, the men sued, and in 2014 the City of New York paid them a total of $ 40 million, or $ 1 million each per year of imprisonment, as a settlement. This event prompted much public soul-searching about the rush to judgment in the case, but Trump called the settlement ‘a disgrace’ and complained, ‘These young men do not exactly have the pasts of angels.’ When we spoke, at the time of the settlement, Trump said, ‘I spoke to a detective who is sure that they attacked her.’” [Never Enough: Donald Trump And The Pursuit Of Success, 1/1/2015]
Trump On The Central Park Five After DNA Evidence Exonerated Them: “Tell Me, What Were They Doing In The Park, Playing Checkers?” According to Donald Trump: A Biography Of The Mogul Turned Presidential Candidate, “These brow-raising sentiments have been expressed in more subtle ways as well. In the infamous ‘Central Park Five’ case in which five teenagers, in 1989, were falsely accused of raping a white woman in Central Park, Trump reserved a full-spread advertisement in major New York newspapers demanding that the governor reinstate the death penalty. ‘Tell me, what were they doing in the Park, playing checkers?’ he asked after DNA evidence had revealed that they had not been the perpetrators.” [Donald Trump: A Biography Of The Mogul Turned Presidential Candidate, 2015]