Ana Navarro claps back at Melania Trump for wagging a finger at Floyd protesters
Minneapolis was set aflame last night as protestors took to the streets in response to the murder of George Floyd, a Black man who was killed by a police officer in broad daylight as he struggled to gasp for air on the ground.
It’s a tragic story that has played out far too many times in this country and once which rams home how desperately the United States needs to reform its police forces.
At time likes this, when racial tensions are at their highest, people need strong, calm leadership from the White House. Unfortunately, we are stuck with Donald Trump, a bone-deep racist who delights in police brutality and who knows that his supporters love when he stokes the country’s racial divides. After all, this is the man who sailed into the Oval Office by vilifying Mexicans and Muslims throughout his entire presidential campaign.
Last night, he wrote a despicable tweet in which he called the protestors “THUGS,” a loaded term often used by Fox News and other right-wing outlets to vilify Black Americans. He then escalated his rhetoric to an unspeakable new low by floating the idea of sending the military in to shoot the protestors in the streets.
….These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, and I won’t let that happen. Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts. Thank you!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 29, 2020
Any person with a scrap of compassion or who believes that the president shouldn’t be permitted to order the extrajudicial killings of his own citizens would feel the need to emphatically denounce Trump’s tweets. First Lady Melania though, has never demonstrated even an ounce of courage when it comes to standing up to her husband’s violent, authoritarian, racist rhetoric.
When FLOTUS woke up this morning, her thoughts turned not to her husband’s disgusting behavior or the police brutality that precipitated the tragic night in Minneapolis. True to form, she focused instead on the protestors her husband has labeled “THUGS.”
Melania claimed that the United States “allows for peaceful protests,” conveniently ignoring the way her husband and other Republicans ruthlessly attacked Black football players like Colin Kaepernick for kneeling in protest of police brutality.
This idea that conservatives are okay with “peaceful protests” is a lie that they trot out in an effort to makes themselves sound reasonable. Don’t believe it. There is no form of protest of police brutality that Republicans won’t smear.
The First Lady went on to share some banal platitudes about seeing citizens “unify & take care of one another,” something she clearly doesn’t care about as evinced by her continued support for a president who seeks only to divide us. She offered some lukewarm condolences to George Floyd’s family and then urged the nation to focus on “peace, prayers & healing” none of which will bring Floyd back or prevent more innocent Black men from being murdered by police.
Our country allows for peaceful protests, but there is no reason for violence. I’ve seen our citizens unify & take care of one another through COVID19 & we can’t stop now. My deepest condolences to the family of George Floyd. As a nation, let's focus on peace, prayers & healing.
— Melania Trump (@FLOTUS) May 29, 2020
CNN’s Ana Navarro-Cárdenas, a Republican strategist and frequent critic of Donald Trump, saw the First Lady’s tweet and felt compelled to take her to task. She pointed out the hypocrisy of Melania calling for “peaceful protests” when her husband insulted and attacked Black athletes for doing just that by calling them “sons of bitches.”
“Take a seat, sis,” Navarro added. It was a succinct dig and exactly what Melania absolutely deserved. Trump and his inner circle cannot be permitted to get away with this kind of talk any longer. People are dying as the administration does nothing. They must be held accountable.
You know that “peaceful protest” you say our country allows? Your husband attacked black athletes peacefully protesting. He called them, “sons of bitches”. Take a seat, sis. https://t.co/S9pOEbiyBk
— Ana Navarro-Cárdenas (@ananavarro) May 29, 2020
Other Twitter users were understandably upset with Melani’s tepid message as well.
Your husband, President Trump, mocked & taunted peaceful protest, and last night he advocated violence. #BeBest #AnyoneForTennis
— David Rothschild (@DavMicRot) May 29, 2020
Your husband just posted violence on the official White House page
— Loaf (@Loafness) May 29, 2020
https://twitter.com/PeanuttheDog4/status/1266428360269484039?s=20
Fuck you. You and your husband called Colin Kaepernick an SOB when he protested peacefully for the same thing. So seriously fuck off and Be Best.
— Tony Posnanski (@tonyposnanski) May 29, 2020
Your husband didn’t want peaceful protests either. pic.twitter.com/lZ1rqZ8elc
— Emily A. (@emzorbit) May 29, 2020
Would rather hear from our real first lady Michelle Obama right now.
— Alex Cole (@acnewsitics) May 29, 2020
Go find your husband in the WH and tell him to stop threatening the shooting of Americans. Peace and healing starts with him.
— Chidi®️ (@ChidiNwatu) May 29, 2020
Why then is your husband calling for shooting the looters. Do you agree. If you don't, could you have a word with him if you see him in the next couple of days?
— Joe Lockhart (@joelockhart) May 29, 2020
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