FACT CHECK: Donald Trump Claims DC Mayor âWouldnât Let The DC Police Get Involvedâ With May 29 White House Protest
President Donald Trump claimed on Twitter that Democratic Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser âwouldnât let the D.C. Police get involvedâ with a recent protest near the White House.
Verdict: False
Statements from the Secret Service and Bowser indicate that D.C. police were on the scene. The chief of police said his department established âunified commandâ with the Secret Service and Park Police and provided some equipment to the Secret Service.
Fact Check:
Protests and riots have erupted in cities across the U.S. following the death of George Floyd, a black man who died in Minneapolis police custody after an officer knelt on his neck for over eight minutes, according to video of the incident. On May 29, protesters gathered outside the White House, which was briefly put on lockdown, with some pushing at barricades erected by the Secret Service and throwing things, the Washington Post reported.
Trump praised the Secret Serviceâs response to the protests on Twitter the following day, adding, âOn the bad side, the D.C. Mayor, @MurielBowser, who is always looking for money & help, wouldnât let the D.C. Police get involved. âNot their job.â Nice!â
But Trumpâs claim doesnât hold up. The Secret Service said in a May 30 statement regarding the previous nightâs protests that the âMetropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Park Police were on the scene.â Reporters at the scene also noticed a D.C. police presence at protests.
Bowser refuted Trumpâs claim in a press conference the following day. (RELATED: Viral Image Claims MSNBC Aired âWorld War Zâ Clip During George Floyd Protest Coverage)
âNo one needed to ask the Metropolitan Police Department to get involved, because we were already involved,â she said. âOur police were doing their jobs from the start. D.C. Police supported uniformed Secret Service last night like we have done literally dozens of times at Lafayette Park.â
D.C. Chief of Police Peter Newsham told reporters at the same news conference that his department established âunified commandâ with the Park Police and Secret Service and even provided Secret Service agents with equipment they didnât have, such as helmets.
The White House did not return a request for comment.