Featured Image Credit: Nathan Howard/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Topics: Donald Trump, US News, Politics, News, Crime
Rhianna Benson
Topics: Donald Trump, US News, Politics, News, Crime
The US President has been subjected to damning accusations of 'downplaying domestic violence' this week, claiming such incidents should not be counted in official crime statistics.
Speaking on Monday (8 Sept) at Washington D.C.'s Museum of the Bible, the Republican leader began by falsely alleging that the policies he's put into place so far in a bid to eradicate crime from the capital have been successful.
For those in need of a reminder, back in August, Trump cited a 'crime emergency' before deploying 800 National Guard members to take over the city’s police department. The 79-year-old also named the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) chief (a federal agent), as the new emergency head of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
He told attendees of the controversial move this week: "There’s no crime. They said, 'Crime’s down 87 percent.' It’s more than 87 percent. Virtually nothing."
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It's worth noting at this point, however, that as per a New York Times article that cites police data, the day prior to his speech, a homicide, six car thefts and two assaults with a weapon were recorded in D.C. As were four robberies and over 30 thefts.
Continuing in the face of these contradictory stats, the right-wing politician went on to express his frustration over the fact that domestic violence contributes towards total crime numbers.
Trump declared: "Things that take place in the home, they call crime. They’ll do anything they can to find something."
He added: "If a man has a little fight with the wife, they say this was a crime scene."
Unsurprisingly, after footage of the President's remarks were shared on social media, hordes of spectators were left horrified, voicing their shock in an appeal to have him removed from the powerful position.
"One woman dies every 11 hours from domestic violence… so naturally, Trump is working overtime to say it’s not real," one heartbroken X user noted.
Another continued: "Trump tells on himself by implying that domestic violence isn’t a crime bc it’s just a 'little fight with the wife'. Contrary to popular belief, women’s bodies do not belong to men."
The same user went on to say: "Marriage certificates don’t change that. And misogynistic laws don’t either."
A third added: "I’ve been up since 5:30AM scrolling and my timeline makes me sad. It’s all Trump. All destruction. All chaos. All Racism. Sexism. Classism. Tribalism. The President winking at domestic violence & lying about his connection to a pedophile.
"What has happened to America?"