1600 Daily The White House • June 8, 2020 The Radical Left Abandons Law Enforcement

The White House • June 8, 2020 The radical left abandons law enforcement Keeping people safe is the first duty of any government. Whatever other debates about public policy our country may have, the basic responsibility to protect all citizens from violence has long enjoyed vocal bipartisan support. No longer. Unable to appease or control its radical fringe, Democrats in elected office—from Congress to city mayors—have at last fully surrendered to the mob. After extremist proposals such as defunding immigration enforcement, pushing to eliminate private health plans with “Medicare for All,” and ending American energy dominance with a “Green New Deal,” far-left Democrats ran low on fanatic proposals for their base. The riots gripping America’s cities this month offered a new opportunity. Watch: President Trump “appalled” by “defund the police” First, Democrat leaders refused to condemn the violence. Next, they joined the mob in condemning U.S. law enforcement officers. At last, they caved to demands. “Defund the police.” Minneapolis’ City Council announced its intent to do it yesterday, and Democrats in Congress now want the rest of America to follow suit. After the riots broke out, about 700 federal, state, and local law enforcement officers sustained injuries. At least 15 people have died, many of them African-American. Countless small businesses have been torched, vandalized, or looted. At least 150 federal buildings have been damaged. It’s unacceptable. Any real leader knows that. The violence and killing must stop.  Minneapolis City Council President defends plan to dismantle police President Trump wasted no time in responding. On June 1, he announced measures to protect peaceful, law-abiding Americans—including letting governors and mayors know that if they didn’t protect their people, the U.S. military would do it for them. These efforts paid off, as most American cities saw violence subside and peaceful protests continue without rioting. National Guard troops are now able to withdraw. Before those actions, the President made it known that racial injustice would not stand. He asked Attorney General Bill Barr to expedite a federal investigation into the killing of George Floyd. President Trump has taken numerous other actions to make our criminal justice system fairer, including signing the historic First Step Act in 2017. Leaving entire communities to fend for themselves by defunding law enforcement won’t improve criminal justice: It will ensure justice for no one.  Press Secretary: No police means “chaos, crime, and anarchy” The overwhelming majority of our police officers are heroes. They’re the ones out on our streets each day to protect peaceful protesters from the violent tactics of Antifa. Bad cops need to be held accountable; good ones need to be protected and supported. President Trump is doing just that. Today, he held a roundtable discussion with law enforcement officials at the White House, where officers discussed responsible ideas for reform and ways for police officers to act as better friends for their communities. Democrats should follow the President’s leadership, stand up for good police officers, and stop bowing to the insanity of their party’s radical, dangerous fringe. WATCH: President Trump meets with law enforcement officials at White House 🇺🇸 READ: Trump’s National Guard ‘Surge’ Allowed Protesters to ‘Demonstrate Safely’ Photo of the Day President Trump hosts a roundtable with law enforcement officials | June 8, 2020