Washington, D.C. – Yesterday, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) released the following statement after President Donald Trump threatened to deploy the military in our communities as protesters stand against police brutality:

“President Trump has always shown us exactly who he wants to be—a dictator. Today, Trump demonstrated once again that he is incapable of leadership and knows only how to sow division. In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, which has disproportionately impacted African Americans, the killing of George Floyd tore open a deep wound in an already grieving nation. Understandably frustrated, thousands of Americans – the vast majority of whom are peacefully exercising their constitutional rights – have taken to the streets to make clear their anguish and frustration with a society that has not addressed the fundamental problems of racial and economic inequality.

“Rather than acknowledge that frustration and seek to soothe tensions, President Trump – from the Rose Garden no less - threatened to deploy armed soldiers to ‘dominate’ the streets, and allowed tear gas to be fired on peaceful protesters so he could walk across the street for a photo op. This is disgusting, and as far from the ‘rule of law’ and the Constitution as it gets.”