President is slammed for leaving ‘press conference’ without addressing Minnesota as he disbands US relationship with WHO

Trump calls protesters ‘thugs’ after George Floyd death in police custody

Donald Trump held a "press conference" on Friday to discuss the United State's relationship with China, but then left the Rose Garden without taking questions or addressing the mounting situation in Minnesota following the death of George Floyd.

The president announced during his statement the US would disband its relationship with the World Health Organisation (WHO) amid the coronavirus pandemic.

This statement came moments after he shared two tweets attempting to clarify his "when the looting starts, the shooting starts" tweet released late Thursday night about the violent protests in Minneapolis following the death of George Floyd. Twitter attached an unprecedented warning to a tweet by Mr Trump, accusing him of "glorifying violence".

Following the "press conference" in the Rose Garden, the president later held an additional conference to address the death of Mr Floyd. The president said he spoke with Mr Floyd's family and expressed his condolences.

"We all saw what we saw and it's very hard to even conceive of anything other than what we did see. Should never happen, should never be allowed to happen, a thing like that," Mr Trump said, sentiments people initially thought would happen earlier in the Rose Garden.

Mr Trump's war against Twitter continued into Friday just one day after he signed an executive order to limit legal protections against social media sites that shields them from liability about content posted on their platforms.

The war first started when Twitter fact-checked a tweet the president posted about mail-in voting. It only heightened when it labelled Mr Trump's protest tweet as "glorifying violence".

Former Vice President Joe Biden attacked the president for his tweets and his handling of the situation in Minnesota. "This is no time for incendiary tweets. It's no time to encourage violence," Mr Biden said. "This is a national crisis, and we need real leadership right now."

Key Points

• Twitter masks 'shooting' tweet in unprecedented move
• Trump calls protesters ‘thugs’ and warns he could activate National Guard
• Trump more trusted on economy than Biden, polling shows
• Trump launches into latest attack on Twitter

[29 May 2020 17:06 · Danielle Zoellner]

FCC commissioner accuses Twitter of 'punishing speakers' based on politics

The Federal Communications Commission's Brendan Carr spoke out against the social media site for putting a warning on Donald Trump's tweet for "glorifying violence". 

Last night the president tweeted "when the looting starts, the shooting starts" about Minneapolis protesters. People thought he was encouraging violence agains the protesters. 

[29 May 2020 17:15 · Danielle Zoellner]

Trump friend and political adviser Roger Stone to report to federal prison on 30 June

Roger Stone, the longtime Donald Trump friend and political adviser, has a prison date.

Mr Stone will be designated inmate #19579-104 when he reports to a federal prison on 30 June, according to the Bureau of Prisons, which does not announce which penitentiary in which an inmate will be housed until they are inside.

Stone, who worked directly for the Trump campaign in 2015 and then as an unofficial adviser, was convicted in November for lying to Congress, obstructing an official proceeding and witness tampering.

John T Bennett reports: 

 

[29 May 2020 17:28 · Danielle Zoellner]

Former President Barack Obama responds to the killing of George Floyd

The former president shared the "anguish" black Americans face living in America in a powerful statement following the death of George Floyd. 

Going back to "normal" has been a continuous phrased used amid the coronavirus pandemic as people looked forward to life returning as it was. But Mr Obama did not think "normal" in our country should return. 

"But we have to remember that for millions of Americans, being treated differently on account of race is tragically, painfully, maddeningly 'normal' – whether it's while dealing with the health care system, or interacting with the criminal justice system or jogging down the street, or just watching birds in a park," he wrote.

"There shouldn't be 'normal' in 2020 America," he added. "It can't be 'normal.'"

Mr Obama's full statement here: 

[29 May 2020 17:36 · Danielle Zoellner]

Elizabeth Warren accuses Trump of calling for 'violence against black Americans'

Elizabeth Warren has accused the president of calling for violence against black Americans after he tweeted "when the looting starts, the shooting starts" late Thursday evening. 

The Massachusetts senator released her full statement on Mr Trump's tweets on Friday after they sparked severe backlash Across America.

The White House later defended the president's tweets by saying he was working to halt violence, not incite it. But critics remain unconvinced. 

[29 May 2020 17:44 · Danielle Zoellner]

National Guard to remain in Minneapolis

General Jon Jensen, the Adjutant General of Minnesota's Army National Guard, said on Friday Minnesota's National Guard would remain in Minneapolis for as long as necessary.

The National Guard was called after protests escalated on Thursday evening and involved the burning of the Minneapolis Police Department's third precinct.

The team of soldiers will assist state and local law enforcement as they work to defuse the situation in Minneapolis, Mr Jensen said. 

It was later revealed the National Guard soldiers are armed while on the ground. 

[29 May 2020 17:58 · Danielle Zoellner]

Trump goes to war on multiple fronts as woman and older voters flee

John T Bennett with the analysis:

[29 May 2020 18:18 · Danielle Zoellner]

Minnesota governor says Trump tweets were not "helpful" in diffusing the protests

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz was asked about the president's tweets during his press briefing on Friday, calling them "just not helpful".

"It was unnecessary," Mr Walz said. "I didn't know he's going to tweet, he certainly can... It's just not helpful," he added.

Mr Walz also said the tweets "added fuel to the fire" of an already volatile situation. 

Donald Trump decided to voice his own opinion about the Minneapolis protests on Thursday evening by calling the protesters "thugs" and then stating "when the looting starts, the shooting starts". People accused the president of inciting violence. 

Twitter later flagged the tweets as "glorifying violence", which goes against the social media site's code of conduct. 

[29 May 2020 18:32 · Danielle Zoellner]

Mitch McConnell says Minneapolis police officers look 'pretty darn guilty' 

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell issued harsh words against the four officers involved in the death of George Floyd.  

“If you see what happened, [they] look pretty darn guilty," he said. 

The majority leader also called for the violent protests in Minneapolis and other cities to stop. 

“I think what's happening in Louisville and Minneapolis really needs to stop. This senseless violence in reaction to this is not helpful. But you can certainly understand the outrage. I mean, you can certainly understand the outrage. But it's not made better by engaging in random acts of violence," Mr McConnell said.

He declined to comment about the tweets released by the president calling protesters "thugs" and saying "when the looting starts, the shooting starts".

[29 May 2020 18:36 · Danielle Zoellner]

If Trump is Caligula, there could be some unexpected benefits Eric Lewis for his take on the Trump administration: 

[29 May 2020 18:56 · Danielle Zoellner]

Joe Biden alludes to Trump's controversial tweets in powerful speech

The former vice president gave a powerful speech on Friday addressing George Floyd's death and the protests that have erupted across Minnesota and the country. 

"The original sin of this country still stains our nation today ... We are country with an open wound. None of us can turn away," he said. 

Mr Biden then made a swipe at the president for his controversial tweets late Thursday evening about protesters. 

"This is no time for incendiary tweets. It’s no time to encourage violence," he said. "This is a national crisis, and we need real leadership right now." 

Mr Biden also said he's spoken to Mr Floyd's family following his death. It is unclear if the president has also spoken with the family. The president is expected to speak soon in the Rose Garden of the White House.