Trump news: Joe Biden says president has turned nation 'into a battlefield' as governors push back against threats to deploy troops

Joe Biden: 'None of us any longer can hear the words ‘I can’t breathe’ and do nothing'

President Donald Trump is claiming “domination” over protestors after police departments forcefully cracked down on days-long demonstrations across the country, as governors push back against his threats to deploy federal troops to cities facing riots.

The president is continuing to take on a “law and order” image while reportedly warning governors nationwide the federal government would intervene if they don’t quell the protests — some of which have devolved into chaotic scenes of violence and looting by nightfall. Former Vice President Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, blasted Mr Trump for the threats, saying the president turned the nation "into a battlefield".

"He thinks division helps him," the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee said in a speech at Philadelphia's City Hall. "This narcissism has become more important than the nation's well-being."

Mr Biden seized on police driving back peaceful protesters near the White House on Monday so Trump could briefly pose with a Bible in front of nearby St John's Church.

"If he opened it instead of brandishing it, he could have learned something," Mr Biden said as he chided authorities for using "tear gas and flash grenades in order to stage a photo op."

Mr Biden said Mr Trump "might also want to open the U.S. Constitution. If he did, he'd find the First Amendment. It protects the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances."

Mr Trump's senior advisor Kellyanne Conway denied that the president directed authorities' actions to move back the protesters and bristled at suggestions the church visit was merely a photo op. She countered that Mr Biden and other critics had no basis to second-guess what was in the president's heart and his intentions.

Still, Mr Biden's address marked a new phase of a presidential campaign that had been effectively frozen for more than two months by the spread of the coronavirus. The former vice president is now emerging from his Delaware home to confront Trump and using in-person appearances to offer direct competition with the president, rather than relying on virtual events that often failed to garner a lot of attention.

It was the third consecutive day that Biden made a public appearance and the first time he's been out of the state since March. His remarks were carried live on the three major cable news networks.

Mr Biden spoke as upheaval in the wake of Mr Floyd's death has spread around the country. While Biden spoke, the National Guard maintained a visible presence to defend public buildings as Philadelphia continues to face sustained violent protests. Several buildings adjacent to City Hall, including banks, convenience stores and hotels, were boarded up.

He spoke of the "tug of war between the American ideal that we are all created equal and the harsh reality that racism has long torn us apart."

"The honest truth is both elements are part of the American character," he said.

Since the early days of his candidacy, Mr Biden has framed the election as a "battle for the soul of the nation." He went into greater detail on Tuesday about what that meant and the questions voters should ask themselves.

"I ask every American to look at where we are now and think anew: Is this who we are?" he said. "Is this who we want to be? Is this what we pass on to our kids' and grandkids' lives? Fear and finger-pointing rather than hope and the pursuit of happiness? Incompetence and anxiety? Self-absorption and selfishness?"

The tone was part of Mr Biden's effort to cast himself as a "consoler in chief" in stark contrast to Trump's blunt, confrontational style. While he noted that his anguish over the death of his son Beau five years ago from cancer isn't the same as the sadness felt by those protesting police brutality, he said he understood the hopelessness that can come with grief.

"Like many of you, I know what it's like to grieve," Mr Biden said. "I know what it feels like when you're thinking you can't go on."

Primary elections in nine states are meanwhile underway despite the continued demonstrations and coronavirus pandemic. Mr Trump is tweeting out his support for several Republican candidates while attacking his apparent enemies, including Governor Andrew Cuomo (D—NY).

The Associated Press contributed to this report. Check out The Independent's live updates below:

Please allow a moment for the live blog to load.

Key Points

• Trump's director of Secret Service called before Congress to discuss dispersal of peaceful protestors
• Archbishop calls president's visit to church 'baffling and reprehensible'
• Joe Biden hits out at Trump in emotional speech about the George Floyd protests
• President issues slew of Republican endorsements as eight states and DC head to the polls

[2 June 2020 15:45 · Chris Riotta]

Welcome to The Independent's live coverage on Donald Trump, the primary elections and continued protests over the death of George Floyd. 

We'll be providing the latest news as it comes in - stay tuned. 

[2 June 2020 15:47 · Chris Riotta]

Trump issues endorsements of Republicans during crucial primary day

As nine states host primary elections, the president is issuing a slew of Republican endorsements:

[2 June 2020 15:58 · Chris Riotta]

Trump urges Republicans to 'get out and vote' amid pandemic

The president has opposed vote-by-mail efforts while falsely claiming the process leads to widespread voter fraud. Now, Trump appears to be telling his supporters to flock to the polls rather than opting to cast ballots by mail: 

[2 June 2020 16:15 · Chris Riotta]

Joe Biden delivers emotional speech condemning Trump over George Floyd protests

[2 June 2020 16:30 · Chris Riotta]

Trump urges NYC to 'call up the National Guard'

The president is encouraging America's largest city to deploy the National Guard in an apparent attempt to quell protests sparked by the death of George Floyd:

[2 June 2020 16:50 · Chris Riotta]

Biden hits out at Trump threat to crush protests

Graig Graziosi writes: Joe Biden has condemned Donald Trump's threat to use the US military to crush nationwide protests over police brutality and mocked him for his photo opportunity outside a historic church, saying: "The president held up the Bible at St John's church yesterday. I just wish he opened it once in a while instead of brandishing it. If he opened it, he could have learned something."

Speaking in Philadelphia a day after the president demanded "domination" of the streets, his presumptive Democratic challenger in November's election said the killing fo George Floyd was a "wake-up call" for the United States.

He said the United States was "crying out for leadership that can recognise the pain of communities that have had a knee on their neck for a long time".

[2 June 2020 17:14 · Chris Riotta]

POTUS and First Lady to visit National Shrine

Info from the White House, via the pool report: "Today, President Donald J. Trump and First Lady Melania Trump will visit the Saint John Paul II National Shrine and will lay a ceremonial wreath and observe a moment of remembrance under the Statue of Saint John Paul II. The President and First Lady will also visit the Luminous Mysteries Chapel, John Paul II Blood Relic, and the Madonna Icon."

[2 June 2020 17:32 · Chris Riotta]

Check out The Independent's live protest coverage

The Independent is also bringing you live coverage surrounding the nationwide protests against the death of George Floyd. Follow along below.

[2 June 2020 17:55 · Chris Riotta]

CNN anchor claims US is teetering on dictatorship with Trump as president

Louise Hall writes: CNN anchor Don Lemon hit out at Donald Trump on Monday night following the president’s address about the George Floyd protests, warning Americans that the country is “teetering on a dictatorship”.

On Monday Mr Trump threatened to deploy the US military to diffuse protests across the country in remarks made at a press conference at the White House.

In the wake of the threats Mr Lemon, speaking on CNN, condemned the president’s declaration of intent to use military force.

“Open your eyes, America. Open your eyes. We are teetering on a dictatorship. This is chaos. Has the president — I’m listening, is the president declaring war on Americans?”, the anchor asked.

“What is happening here? He is saying that he wants to protect peaceful protesters at the same time sending law enforcement and military into the streets to push peaceful protesters back, to be aggressive with peaceful protesters. He is doing the exact opposite of what he said in that speech," Mr Lemon said.

[2 June 2020 17:58 · Chris Riotta]

Archbishop calls Trump's visit to chapel 'baffling and reprehensible'

Justin Vallejo writes: Donald Trump's visit to a Catholic church on Tuesday morning, after clearing out protesters before a bible photo a day earlier, was "baffling and reprehensible", the Archbishop of Washington said.

Mr Trump planned to visit the Saint John Paul II National Shrine on Tuesday after visiting St John's Church on Monday evening, which required protesters to be cleared out from Lafayette Square by armed riot police and tear gas.