Lawrence Jones: Toughness isn't enough, Trump has to show heart
President Trump needs a symbolic measure to show he stands with the peaceful George Floyd protesters, Fox News contributor Lawrence Jones says.
Fox Nation host Lawrence Jones said on Tuesday that President Trump should send military backup for states that will not protect its citizens, but his message should be more “balanced.”
“The balance of this is with that toughness, he has to show his heart as well and the president mentioned, you know what, I stand with the peaceful protesters. Well, there has to be some symbolic measures as well to show those people that he really does stand with them,” Jones told "Fox & Friends."
Jones said that Trump has to hold accountable the people who do unjust actions and strip away people’s liberty.
“I don’t know the logistics of this because he is the president of the United States and Secret Service would have to deal with this, but, he has to go with some visual message with the protesters because they need the protesters as well,” Jones said.
Democratic leaders on Monday criticized the use of tear gas against protesters in Washington D.C.'s Lafayette Square before President Trump walked through the area to visit St. John's Church, which had caught on fire during last night's demonstrations.
Law enforcement officers deployed tear gas and shot rubber bullets to forcefully disperse the peaceful protesters prior to his visit, which drew harsh backlash from Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden, and Sen. Elizabeth Warren.
"Tonight the President of the United States used the American military to shoot peaceful protestors with rubber bullets & tear gas them. For a photo op," Clinton said. "This is a horrifying use of presidential power against our own citizens, & has no place anywhere, let alone in America. Vote."
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Jones said local and state governments are holding back on sending in National Guard reinforcements to quell the riots because of “political" concerns.
“I don’t think they know what they’re doing,” Jones said.
“They want to stand with the protesters but they don’t know how to get control of the rioters."
Fox News' David Aaro contributed to this report.
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