fired back at Donald Trump after he posted a horrifying tweet seemingly threatening violence on the protestors in Minneapolis in the wake of George Floyd’s murder. On Thursday (May 28th), the third day of the protests fighting for justice in George Floyd’s death,
“I can’t stand back & watch this happen to a great American City, Minneapolis,” he wrote. “A total lack of leadership. Either the very weak Radical Left Mayor, Jacob Frey, get his act together and bring the City under control, or I will send in the National Guard & get the job done right…..” However, it was his follow-up tweet, which has since been hidden for violating Twitter’s rules against “glorifying violence,” “These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, and I won’t let that happen,” he said. “Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts. Thank you!”
His remarks, in particular the statement “when the looting starts, the shooting starts,” stunned many, as it appeared that the president had just given the green light to enact violence on the American people while they were protesting violence against Black folks by law enforcement.
One somewhat surprising response that’s been making waves came from the formerly politically silent Taylor Swift, who tweeted directly at Trump and vowed to vote him out of office for his racism and incompetence. “After stoking the fires of white supremacy and racism your entire presidency, you have the nerve to feign moral superiority before threatening violence?” she wrote. “‘When the looting starts the shooting starts’??? We will vote you out in November. @realdonaldtrump.”