US President Donald Trump has declared his administration has done more for the African American community "than any president since Abraham Lincoln" and said "the best is yet to come".
In a series of tweets, Mr Trump pointed to the record low unemployment rate among African Americans recorded before the novel coronavirus pandemic and his administration's work to pass criminal justice reform as well as federal tax breaks.
"My Admin has done more for the Black Community than any President since Abraham Lincoln. Passed Opportunity Zones with @SenatorTimScott, guaranteed funding for HBCU's, School Choice, passed Criminal Justice Reform, lowest Black unemployment, poverty, and crime rates in history," Mr Trump tweeted on Tuesday (US time).
READ MORE: Former Defence Secretary tears into Trump's militarised handling of riots
During the American Civil War from 1862 to 1865, Mr Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, declaring slaves in states under Confederate control free and paving the way for the banning of slavery two years later following the conflict.
"AND THE BEST IS YET TO COME!"
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1267885675338219520?ref_src=twsrc%5EtfwMr Trump's words came amid criticism of his response to widespread protests - often violent ones - following the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who was killed in police custody last week after a white police officer knelt on his neck.
The African American community has also been heavily impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.
READ MORE: How George Floyd protests and riots began, explained
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1268167411230007300?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfwhttps://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1268167419132084230?ref_src=twsrc%5EtfwMeanwhile, the White House has compared Mr Trump's visit to a nearby church where he held up a Bible earlier this week with British wartime leader Winston Churchill's visits to bomb-hit cities.
During the German air force's blitz campaign against Britain during World War II, the then UK prime minister often visited communities where thousands were killed.
White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said Mr Trump's walk to St John's Church the day after it was damaged by fire during protests was a "leadership moment".
"Through all of time, we've seen presidents and leaders across the world who have had leadership moments and very powerful symbols that were important for our nation to see at any given time to show a message of resilience and determination," she said.
"Like Churchill, we saw him inspecting the bombing damage and it sent a powerful message of leadership to the British people."
READ MORE: How the 'take a knee' protest started
Mr Trump has also downplayed reports he sheltered in a White House bunker when unrest broke out in Washington, DC, Bloomberg reports.
The US president insisted his visit to the facility was more of an "inspection".
"Well, that was a false report," Mr Trump said on Brian Kilmeade's Fox News Radio show.
"I was there for a tiny, little short period of time. It was much more for an inspection."
from 9News https://ift.tt/3cux5NN
via IFTTT
0 Comments