President Trump has dismissed popular claims over police killings of black people in the US, stating that “more white people” are killed in the hands of the police than blacks.
In an interview with CBS News on Tuesday, Trump said that the killing of George Floyd was “terrible”, however, he looked less concerned when asked why Black Americans are “still dying at the hands of law enforcement in this country.”
“So are White people. So are White people, What a terrible question to ask. So are White people,” Trump told investigative correspondent, Catherine Herridge in an interview at the White House. “More White people, by the way. More White people.”
His comment follows nationwide protests against police brutality and racial violence that was instigated by the death of Floyd, an unarmed black man killed in Minneapolis.
According to a database of police shootings, and compiled by the Washington Post, 1, 301 Black people have been killed by the police in the past five and half years.
Another study found that about 100 Black men and boys per 100, 000 and 39 white men and boys per 100, 000 are killed by police during their lifetimes.
President Trump further inflamed racial passions when he suggested that the debate over the confederate flag and statues is a freedom of speech issue.
“All I say is Freedom of speech. It’s very simple. My attitude is freedom of speech. Very strong views on the confederate flag. With me, it’s freedom of speech. Very simple. Like it, don’t like it, it’s freedom of speech,” Trump said.
“Well, people love it, and I know people that like the confederate flag, and they are not thinking slavery,” Trump added.
President Trump has come under intense criticism after many suggested he is overly appealing to white supremacists.
