Trump’s church photo-op turns a protest night into a national scandal
The White House and law-enforcement posture around Lafayette Square set off a fresh wave of outrage after Trump’s appearance near St. John’s Church, where he posed with a Bible after security forces pushed protesters back. The move looked less like strength than a made-for-camera provocation, and it immediately drew criticism from clergy, civil-rights advocates, and former defense and national-security officials. The political damage was obvious on arrival: Trump had tried to sell himself as the president of “law and order,” but the optics suggested a strongman stunt rather than a plan.
First recorded May 31, 2020·Meaningfully updated May 31, 2020
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Trump’s church photo-op turns a protest night into a national scandal
The White House and law-enforcement posture around Lafayette Square set off a fresh wave of outrage after Trump’s appearance near St. John’s Church, where he posed with a Bible after security forces pushed protesters back. The move looked less like strength than a made-for-camera provocation, and it immediately drew criticism from clergy, civil-rights advocates, and former defense and national-security officials. The political damage was obvious on arrival: Trump had tried to sell himself as th…
The White House and law-enforcement posture around Lafayette Square set off a fresh wave of outrage after Trump’s appearance near St. John’s Church, where he posed with a Bible after security forces pushed protesters back. The move looked less like strength than a made-for-camera provocation, and it immediately drew criticism from clergy, civil-rights advocates, and former defense and national-security officials. Th…
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