President Trump is condemning bigotry and white supremacy after the deadly weekend shootings in Texas and Ohio. Addressing the nation from the White House, Trump said hate “has no place in America.” He also called those behind the shootings “wicked” and “evil.”
As for what’s next, Trump vowed to go after the "evil contagion of gun violence." Something he says must be done in a bipartisan manner and said that includes reforming mental health laws. Trump also cited negative influences from social media and violent video games.
"We are a loving nation,” Trump offered. “And our children are entitled to grow up in a just, peaceful, and loving society." He argued that perpetrators of deadly hate crimes and mass murders should face the death penalty.
What the President didn’t address? Critics who have challenged his own rhetoric. In an earlier tweet, the President said the news media has "contributed greatly to anger and rage that has built up over many years." He again referred to the media as "Fake News."
Meanwhile, social media lit up over a mistake Trump made during his speech – he when speaking about Ohio, he said "Toledo" instead of Dayton. To be fair, he was reading from a prepared speech on a teleprompter…but also, Democratic presidential hopeful Joe Biden made a similar mistake Sunday when he referred to "tragic events" in “Houston and Michigan” before correcting himself
Up next, President Trump will visit El Paso, Texas tomorrow. And while several prominent Dems have suggested it’s a bad idea, El Paso Mayor Dee Margo, who is a Republican, said he considers it his formal duty to welcome the President to the city. He said he will ask Trump to support their recovery efforts with any and all federal resources. He noted that this is not a political visit, but one in which both he and the President are acting in their official capacities.
Source: White House