Sharpton calls out Trump for silence on final minutes of Floyd’s life
The Rev. Al Sharpton issued a sharp rebuke of President Trump in his eulogy for George Floyd, who died in police custody after an officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes.
“When some kids wrongly start violence that this family doesn’t condone, the president talks about bringing in the military,” Sharpton said. “But he’s not said one word about 8 minutes and 46 seconds of police murder of George Floyd.”
Trump has repeatedly called for the National Guard to be called in to quell unrest around the country in the aftermath of Floyd’s death.
He doubled down in a tweet Tuesday morning showing video of a charred Minneapolis following riots.
“Should have let police do their job and brought in National Guard on Day One, not Day Four,” Trump said.
Sharpton also mentioned Trump’s challenge of China’s human rights violations as an example of disconnect in his leadership.
The preacher said law enforcement is receiving the message that law doesn’t apply to them.
Sharpton’s criticism closely mirrored that of Floyd’s niece, Brooke Williams, who said earlier in the program that laws need to change.
“Someone said make America great again, but when has America ever been great,” she said