Charlie Hurt on statue removals: Trump has to do more than just talking about the problem
D.C. protesters are burning flags and calling for the removal of the Emancipation Memorial; reaction and analysis from Washington Times opinion editor and Fox News contributor Charles Hurt.
President Trump will have to do something more than just criticize the protesters who are toppling and defacing historical statues and monuments, Fox News contributor Charlie Hurt said Wednesday.
In an interview on "America's Newsroom" with host Sandra Smith, The Washington Times' Opinion editor said he was incredibly troubled by the attempted erasure of U.S. history, which he believes extends far beyond "the regular partisan political lines."
TRUMP CONDEMNS FLAG BURNING AS DC PROTESTERS SET US FLAG ON FIRE
"This is the kind of thing that is upsetting to Democrats and Republicans alike," Hurt noted. "Americans – if you look at polls, for example, this issue of tearing down monuments and defacing public property, defacing historical treasures in this country, it does not poll very well."
SENSITIVE MATERIAL. THIS IMAGE MAY OFFEND OR DISTURB Traffic cones and a rope remain on the statue of Confederate General J.E.B. Stuart the morning after protesters against racial inequality attempted to topple it in Richmond, Virginia, U.S., June 22, 2020. REUTERS/Jay Paul - RC2HEH9THDJS
According to a new Harvard CAPS/Harris poll released Tuesday, a majority of voters said they believe statues of confederate figures should remain standing despite nationwide calls to remove them from public spaces.
"And, the problem with the president, though, is [that] he strikes a correct line in talking about wanting to protect and preserve these things. But, at some point, something has to be done," argued Hurt.
On Tuesday, President Trump announced on Twitter that he had authorized the federal government to arrest anyone who vandalizes or destroys any statue or other federal property and those who are prosecuted could face a decade-long prison sentence under the Veteran’s Memorial Preservation Act. In addition, he wrote that charges may also be made retroactively for destruction and vandalism already caused.
"There will be no exceptions!" he exclaimed.
Sources told Fox News on Wednesday that the president is expected to sign an executive order on the topic by the end of the week that would reinforce his Twitter message in a "more uniform way."
"In elections, people always vote [for] economic security and it’s usually the number one thing. But, the one thing that always trumps that is physical security. And, while obviously images on TV don't necessarily translate into a threat to physical security, it can," Hurt warned.
"And so, at some point, the president has to do something more than just talking about it," he said. "He has to do something that shows that he is actually stopping this stuff, that people are getting arrested for tearing down statues and defacing historical treasures in this country."
CLICK HERE FOR THE FOX NEWS APP
"This is lawlessness," he told Smith. "This is an attack on all of us and people should be arrested and put in jail and be made to pay for the damage that they committed. They should be made to pay for the security required to protect [these monuments] going forward, as far as I’m concerned."
Fox News First
Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox.
By entering your email and clicking the Subscribe button, you agree to the Fox News Privacy Policy and Terms of Use, and agree to receive content and promotional communications from Fox News. You understand that you can opt-out at any time.
