Donald Trump had already come under criticism for his handling of the Covid-19 pandemic. They were revived by his response to protests sparked by the death of George Floyd, an African-American man who was suffocated by a Minneapolis police officer.
One scene particularly caught the eye: the one who saw peaceful demonstrators gathered in front of the White House evacuated unceremoniously by the police, Monday 1er June, to allow the President of the United States to pose for photographers while brandishing a Bible in front of a church which had suffered minor damage during the disturbances that had taken place the previous night.
This presidential gesture aroused the disapproval of religious leaders. Their criticisms were redoubled when Donald Trump chose Tuesday to go to the national sanctuary dedicated to the memory of Pope John Paul II. Catholic Archbishop Wilton Gregory, an African American, said "Disconcerting and reprehensible" what he called manipulation. " Saint Pope John Paul II was an ardent defender of the rights and dignity of human beings (…) He certainly would not have tolerated the use of tear gas and other deterrents to silence, disperse or intimidate ” those "With whom we do not agree", "for a photo session in front of a place of worship and peace".
This controversial scene has drawn criticism from a small minority of elected Republicans, including the only African-American Republican senator Tim Scott (South Carolina) or even Senator Ben Sasse (Nebraska), while some governors have taken their distances from the primacy accorded by Donald Trump to a security response. The overwhelming majority of Republicans in Congress either supported the president, or refused to speak.
"Tackling institutional racism"
Tensions have pushed former officials out of their reserves. Defense Secretary Mark Esper's statement that law enforcement must "Dominate the battlefield", and the chief of staff Mark Milley's night trellis night patrol on the streets of Washington prompted one of his predecessors, Martin Dempsey, to write on his Twitter account that "America is not a battlefield" and "Our fellow citizens are not the enemy".
Former Republican President George W. Bush, who has generally been little involved in politics since taking office in 2008, also took a stand, saying in a statement that"It is time for America to examine our tragic failures". "That many African Americans, especially young men, are harassed and threatened in their own country remains a shocking failure", did he assure. "This tragedy, which is part of a long series of similar tragedies, raises an inescapable question: how can we end systemic racism in our society? ", asked the former president.
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