WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) ─ President Donald Trump says he plans to travel to Kenosha, Wis. on Tuesday to address the unrest over police brutality and racial injustice across the nation.
Kenosha has been in the spotlight since Jacob Blake, a Black man, was shot seven times in the back by city officers last weekend.
The shooting has sparked protests nationwide and many lawmakers are demanding Trump respond accordingly.
“There is a demand that we deal with it, as we should,” Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Maryland, said. “He’s never really acknowledged the tragedies of those who have lost their lives through police violence, he has not expressed his support for the protesters and their right to protest.”
Cardin said instead, Trump is stoking the flames and provoking more anxiety across the country.
Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden said Monday Trump isn’t capable of healing the nation, and declared him a “toxic presence.”
“Fires are burning and we have a president who fans the flames,” Biden said. “He can’t stop the violence because for years he’s fomented it.”
White House Press Secretary Kayliegh McEnany encouraged Democratic-run cities to take back control of their streets.
“All of these cities have experienced anarchy, violence and destruction in recent days,” she said. “The opposite of a peaceful protest.”
She said Trump plans to meet with local law enforcement and business owners in Kenosha while surveying the recent damage.
As of now, there are no plans for Trump to meet with the Blake family.
