White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said Monday a national address from President Trump isn’t going to “stop Antifa,” the left-wing anti-fascist street organization Mr. Trump is fingering as a lead instigator in the ongoing protests across the country.
“A national Oval Office address is not going to stop Antifa,” Ms. McEnany said on Fox News. “What’s going to stop Antifa is action, and this president is committed to acting on this. He has several meetings pertaining to that today and that’s his focus right now, is acting and keeping our streets safe.”
Ms. McEnany pointed out that Mr. Trump has already delivered remarks on George Floyd, a black man who died in police custody in Minnesota last week after an officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes and whose death has sparked a wave of protests around the country.
“He has addressed the absolutely horrific video of George Floyd,” she said. “He’s routinely addressed … in his remarks less than 48 hours ago the issue of law and order in our streets. He’s issued several statements.”
The president is facing pressure from some quarters to deliver a national address in light of the ongoing upheaval, though some leaders have said it’s unlikely to calm a nation on the verge of boiling over.
Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said Monday the president shouldn’t bother unless he’s going to talk about themes of unity and respect.
Asked if Mr. Trump is capable of making a statement calling for unity, she said on CNN: “I think that he is capable of reading one.”
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.
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