Inside Trump's church visit to reassure a fearful public
by Rob Crilly
| June 02, 2020 10:35 AM
It was the seventh day of violent protests across America, and criticism was mounting of a president who had not been seen for almost 48 hours. Aides were divided on whether President Trump should address a wounded nation.
It was not until about 4 p.m. Monday, according to senior officials, that the president seized on an idea floated during a day of brainstorming and told a room of his closest advisers, “I think we should do this.â€
His words set in motion a plan to clear Lafayette Square of protesters so that Trump could walk, just as a curfew fell over Washington, the 100 yards or so to St. John’s Episcopal Church, which had been set ablaze the night before by demonstrators.
The result was exactly what aides hoped. While CNN and other media outlets fulminated at the use of tear gas to deliver a photo opportunity, White House officials’ phones blew up with congratulatory messages from supporters and donors as they shared a dramatic black and white image taken by Doug Mills of the New York Times. It showed a stern-faced president striding purposely from the White House.
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