The Hill’s Morning Report – Trump mobilizes military against ‘angry mob,’ holds controversial photo op

 

 

 

Welcome to The Hill’s Morning Report. It is Tuesday. We get you up to speed on the most important developments in politics and policy, plus trends to watch. Alexis Simendinger and Al Weaver are the daily co-creators, so find us @asimendinger and @alweaver22 on Twitter and recommend the Morning Report to your friends. CLICK HERE to subscribe!

Total U.S. coronavirus deaths reported each morning this week: Monday, 104,383. Tuesday, 105,147. 

 

The Associated Press describes at least nine people confirmed killed as a result of violence across the country since protests began eight days ago.

President Trump on Monday deployed U.S. soldiers into the streets of the nation’s capital at the same time that police used tear gas against demonstrators across from the White House. Then he walked a block with Secret Service and police protection past graffiti-sprayed barriers to stand with a Bible in his hand in front of the historic St. John’s Episcopal Church, which had been set on fire over the weekend.

 

“I am your president of law and order,” he said during a seven-minute speech from the Rose Garden before venturing beyond heavy fortifications at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. with officials, including the chairman of the Joint Chiefs, trailing behind him.

 

The bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, D.C., said she was “outraged” the church did not learn in advance that Trump would appear in front of the damaged church (The Hill).

 

CNN: Trump angered by coverage he was rushed to the underground bunker during protests Friday night and told aides he wanted to be seen outside the White House gates.

 

The Hill: Trump mobilizes military in D.C. to quell protests as tear gas fired into crowds. 

 

The president said George Floyd, killed more than a week ago by a Minneapolis police officer who pinned the handcuffed suspect’s neck to the ground, will “not have died in vain.” Floyd’s death, captured in gruesome detail on a bystander’s smartphone video, sparked a week of coast-to-coast protests, both peaceful and violently destructive.

 

Trump’s allies and detractors called on the president for days to try to unite a nation racked by fears of a virus, crushing unemployment and another in a long trail of black men killed by white law enforcement officers. The president, who campaigned and has governed on a tough law enforcement platform, said “riots and lawlessness” must end and violators in states and cities must be arrested, prosecuted and punished. 

 

Trump warned that if state and local officials did not “stop the problem,” he would send the U.S. military to restore order.

 

“Where there is no justice, there is no liberty,” Trump said, using a twist on protesters’ cries of “no justice, no peace.” 

 

The Hill and The Associated Press: How the Trump team and law enforcement cleared a perimeter around the White House with tear gas and smoke bombs in advance of the president’s stroll for the cameras on Monday evening.

 

Earlier in the day, the president convened a contentious teleconference with the nation’s governors, characterizing their efforts to combat demonstrators as “weak” and calling on them to “dominate” and “take back your streets” after multiple nights of violent protests (The New York Times audio HERE).

 

The comments drew the ire of multiple high-profile Republicans, including Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker, who said the president’s compassion in recent days and weeks has been “nowhere to be found.”

 

“Instead, we got bitterness, combativeness and self-interest,” Baker added (The Hill).

 

Alexander Bolton, The Hill: Senate Republicans urge Trump to tone down rhetoric on protests.

 

In cities across the country, curfews were instituted in an effort to curb the violent protests. In Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) announced a 7 p.m. curfew for Monday and tonight, while New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) put New York City under an 11 p.m. curfew (The Associated Press).

 

Despite the president’s plea, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) eased restrictions, bumping a curfew back from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Monday and tonight. The head of the Minnesota National Guard said its presence was no longer needed but it stood ready to help (The Hill).

 

The Associated Press: Oregon Gov. Kate Brown (D) said on Monday she did not want the National Guard in an active role in Portland because she said they are not needed and that “is exactly what President Trump wants.”

 

The Associated Press: Democratic governors resist Trump’s calls for military intervention in states.

 

The Hill: Attorney General William Barr will deploy federal riot teams into the District of Columbia and to Miami. 

 

In separate incidents, a police officer was shot and a protestor was shot by an officer during demonstrations along the Las Vegas Strip. The condition of the two individuals was unknown as of this morning (Las Vegas Sun). In St. Louis, Mo., four officers were shot as part of protests in downtown on Monday night (St. Louis Post-Dispatch). 

 

On Monday, the Minneapolis medical examiner ruled that Floyd’s death was a homicide (The Associated Press), and an independent autopsy arranged by Floyd’s family determined the 46-year-old died of asphyxiation (USA Today). 

 

Bloomberg TV: Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio), who was pepper sprayed over the weekend in Columbus, Ohio, said in an interview that she wants federal funding to focus as much as possible on improving racial inequities in education and employment. “You have to do more than protest,” she said. “You cannot legislate away racism. … Laws must change, protocols. It is a culture that we have to invade and set a different tone.”  

 

Reuters: Rep. Justin Amash, a conservative Libertarian from Michigan, won support from a Minneapolis Democrat on Monday for his “Ending Qualified Immunity Act,” which would allow civil lawsuits against police, a recourse that the Supreme Court has all but done away with.

 

 

 

LEADING THE DAY

POLITICS & CAMPAIGNS: Seven states and Washington, D.C. will head to the polls today as former Vice President Joe Biden could be set to officially become the Democratic presidential nominee and a number of key down-ballot primaries are set to take place.

 

In a preview of tonight’s contests, The Hill’s Max Greenwood examines five things to keep a lookout for, including how many delegates Biden racks up and whether he hits the magic number of 1,991 to officially wrap up the Democratic nomination.

 

With the coronavirus pandemic continuing to affect the day-to-day lives of Americans, it also remains an open question how successful mail-in balloting is in tonight’s contests. All seven states plus the District of Columbia have urged voters to cast their ballots via mail and keep people away from in-person voting locales. 

 

Along the same lines, the effect on voter turnout remains something to keep an eye on. In Wisconsin and Nebraska, which held primaries on April 7 and May 12, respectively, turnout either was on par with or exceeded historical averages.

 

Finally, no primary race will be watched more closely than in Iowa’s 4th Congressional District as Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) fights for his political life and Republicans sense an opportunity to rid themselves of his incendiary rhetoric. King is facing off with state Sen. Randy Feenstra (R), who has the backing of a number of House Republicans and GOP outside groups. 

 

The Philadelphia Inquirer: Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf (D) extends mail ballot deadlines for one week.

 

Reuters: Philadelphia’s new voting machines under scrutiny in Tuesday’s elections.

 

The Hill: Rep. Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.) primary challenger drops out, endorses fellow challenger.

 

The Wall Street Journal: Secretary of State Mike Pompeo declines to enter Kansas Senate race.

 

> Protest politics: Biden made his second appearance in public since the coronavirus pandemic escalated and appeared on Monday at Bethel AME Church in Wilmington, Del., to discuss the ongoing situation with community leaders. 

 

After listening for nearly an hour to supportive leaders who nevertheless said he needs to do more to help African Americans, Biden rose to speak and took the opportunity to pan Trump for fanning the flames of the current conflict (The New York Times).

 

“I thought we could actually defeat hate,” Biden said, referring to an earlier period during his political career. “What I realized — not just white supremacy but hate — hate just hides. Hate just hides. It doesn’t go away. And when you have somebody in power who breathes oxygen to the hate under the rocks, it comes out from under the rocks.”

 

The former vice president pledged to address “institutional racism” if he wins the White House (The Hill). 

 

“I really do believe that the blinders have been taken off. I think this tidal wave is moving,” Biden told the mayors of Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles and St. Paul, Minn., later in the day during a virtual event. “I realize we’ve got to do something big. We can do it, and everyone will benefit from it.”

 

The Associated Press: “Hate just hides”: Biden vows to take on racism.

 

Amie Parnes, The Hill: Biden savors Trump’s latest attacks.

 

Niall Stanage: The Memo: Trump lags in polls as crises press.

 

 

 

IN FOCUS/SHARP TAKES

U.S. & CORONAVIRUS: Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) announced on Monday that she lifted her state’s stay-at-home order and said restaurants can reopen for dine-in service next week. Whitmer is a potential vice presidential candidate and was among the governors Trump talked with on Monday via teleconference (The Associated Press).

 

 

 

 

> Treatments: Remdesivir, Gilead’s experimental treatment for patients infected with the new coronavirus, produced only modest benefits in early stages of the disease in hospitalized patients who were not critically ill, according to a large clinical trial. The results were a disappointment for researchers and the company (Bloomberg News). … Drug maker Eli Lilly has begun exploring antibody treatment for COVID-19 in humans (Reuters).  

 

> Maine: Trump plans to visit a medical swab maker, Puritan Medical Products, in Guilford, Maine, on Friday, despite pushback from Gov. Janet Mills (D), who warns that such a visit poses security risks (Bangor Daily News). 

 

> New York: About 15 West Point cadets tested positive for COVID-19 ahead of Trump’s commencement address to graduates scheduled in the state on June 13. The cadets were asymptomatic when they tested positive upon return to the school ahead of the event (CNN).  

 

> Risks: A genetic variant that raises the risk of Alzheimer’s disease in patients may also render humans more susceptible to COVID-19 (Science News). … U.S. and Chinese researchers, reporting on Sunday on years of work that traced coronaviruses in animals, believe COVID-19 developed in bats, but they found that none of the bat viruses they studied are close enough to be the leap to humans. That link, which if discovered could help prevent the next pandemic, has not been identified. U.S. funding for continued research with the Chinese on the project was recently halted by the National Institutes of Health, triggering an outcry from scientists (The New York Times).  

 

> Collateral damage in the arts: The Metropolitan Opera in New York City said Monday it will begin next season late and cancel four new productions because of the pandemic. “Social distancing and grand opera do not mix,” Met general manager Peter Gelb said (The Associated Press).

 

Reuters: Frequent testing, less contact recommended to get Hollywood cameras rolling again.

The Morning Report is created by journalists Alexis Simendinger and Al Weaver. We want to hear from you! Email: asimendinger@digital-release.thehill.com and aweaver@digital-release.thehill.com. We invite you to share The Hill’s reporting and newsletters, and encourage others to SUBSCRIBE!

OPINION

Don’t call in the troops, by The Wall Street Journal editorial board. https://on.wsj.com/305Gfh0

 

President Trump’s snarling demands for rough policing are the opposite of law-and-order, by The Washington Post editorial board. https://wapo.st/2XW4rA5

 

America’s protests won’t stop until police brutality does, The New York Times editorial board. https://nyti.ms/2zSGl0X

WHERE AND WHEN

The House will meet for a pro forma session on Thursday at 10 a.m. The full House is out of session this week.

 

The Senate will convene at 10 a.m. to resume consideration of the nomination of Victor Mercado to be an assistant secretary of Defense.

 

The president and first lady Melania Trump depart this morning for a visit to Saint John Paul II National Shrine in Washington, and return to the White House. Trump plans to sign an executive order about international religious freedom at 12:15 p.m. in the Oval Office. At 4 p.m., the president will meet with Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar.

 

The Hill’s Coronavirus Report has updates and exclusive video interviews with policymakers emailed each day. Sign up HERE!

 

Hill.TV’s “Rising” program features news and interviews at http://digital-release.thehill.com/hilltv or on YouTube at 10:30 a.m. ET at Rising on YouTube. 

ELSEWHERE

➔ Supreme Court: Trump said Monday that he’d support laws criminalizing flag burning, saying in a call with governors that it’s time for the Supreme Court to take up the issue again. Trump’s comments follow nearly a week of protests across the country. American flags on fire have been seen in Atlanta, Los Angeles and Washington state in recent days. As a candidate in 2016, Trump proposed jail time or loss of citizenship for burning the flag. He called the act a “disgrace” on Monday and pledged support for an “anti-flag burning” statute (CNN). … Justices on Monday decided not to complicate Puerto Rico’s challenges with massive debt and natural disaster by upending the management board overseeing its recovery. They said the board was local, not federal (USA Today). … The Supreme Court ruled that immigrants who fear torture can appeal their deportation orders in court. The justices rejected the Trump administration’s arguments with a 7-2 ruling (The Hill).

 

➔ International: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday set July 1 for a nationwide vote on a constitution that could let him stay in power until 2036 (The Associated Press). … Trump spoke with Putin on Monday to describe his idea for an international gathering that would include Russia, akin to an expanded Group of Seven-style summit. However, the prime ministers of the United Kingdom and Canada say they would veto any such U.S. proposal. … For the first time since March, Spain and Sweden reported no deaths from the novel coronavirus on Monday, according to health officials. Spanish emergency health response chief Fernando Simón called the news “very, very encouraging,” adding that 71 new infections were reported in that time (The Associated Press). … Israel is closing schools that have reported cases of the coronavirus during a spike in the number of infections among students and teachers, especially in Jerusalem (The Jerusalem Post). 

THE CLOSER

And finally…  Celebrities from the worlds of movies and music weighed in on Monday to respond to America’s civil unrest. 

 

Award-winning director, writer and actor Spike Lee spoke with The Associated Press on Monday. In Floyd’s death a week ago, Lee said he sees something painfully familiar, but he also sees something new. 

 

“I’ve been very encouraged by the diversity of the protesters. I haven’t seen this diverse protests since when I was a kid,” the filmmaker said, citing protests he recalls from the 1960s. “I’m encouraged that my white sisters and brothers are out there. That is the hope of this country, this diverse, younger generation of Americans who don’t want to perpetuate the same [expletive] that their parents and grandparents and great-grandparents got caught up in. That’s my hope.”

 

Artists from the music industry plan a Black Out Tuesday to turn off music today as a peaceful way to reflect on Floyd’s death and ways to bring about change (The Associated Press). Participants include companies that are home to Beyoncé, Bob Dylan, Adele and John Legend, to name just a few. “Perhaps with the music off, we can truly listen,” the Sony label said in a statement.