Kayleigh McEnany Nukes USA Today Journo's Talking Point That Trump's Been 'Hiding' During George Floyd Protests

AP Photo/Patrick Semansky
AP featured image
White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany speaks during a news conference at the White House, Monday, June 1, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
Advertisement

———

White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany was back in action today for another action-packed sparring match with the left-wing activists reporters in the White House press corps after a weekend of violence, riots, and chaos in cities across America including Washington, D.C. in the aftermath of the tragic death of George Floyd.

Among the gotcha questions asked was one from USA Today White House correspondent David Jackson, who repeated the false Democrat/media/Never Trump talking point that Trump has been “hiding” from the George Floyd issue and the protests that have followed his death.

Here’s how the exchange went down:

Jackson: “Kayleigh, there is a perception that the President is hiding in the bunker on the racial protest issue. He was literally put in the bunker on Friday night by the Secret Service. Would you agree that he is hiding out on this issue and is that a good posture to be in?”

McEnany: “I would not. I would not agree with that at all. Look, I was on the phone with the President at least half a dozen times yesterday and every time I talked to him, he was telling me about a different action he had taken whether it was talking to a governor about this or a foreign leader about ventilators.

This president has been leading. He met with generals yesterday. He is each and every moment taking another action to try to solve and resolve what we’ve seen in our streets. Where the governors have failed, he has stepped in. He is acting. He’s hard at work. You’ve heard from him on this issue any number of times, and he is working because that’s the job of the president, is to keep this country safe.”

Jackson: “We haven’t heard from him on camera that much. Is he going to give a speech or specific event about all these disturbances in hundreds of cities?”

Advertisement

It was then McEnany started flashing receipts:

“I really think that that’s a misnomer in the media. It was really appalling, some of the coverage I saw, like the New York Times yesterday made no mention of the myriad times that the President has spoken on this issue. Instead in paragraph 14 they made a cursory mention of his remarks at Space Force – most of which, at least half of which pertain to George Floyd.

There was a Washington Post article with an egregious headline about ‘Trump staying silent’? He hasn’t been silent on this. I have a whole list of his remarks there, and instead paragraph 23, they note, ‘oh wait, we’re contradicting our own headline. The president did, in fact, make remarks’, contrary to the ‘silent’ headline.

You had Don Lemon on CNN saying at 9:38 pm on Saturday night ‘the President’s been silent.’ Ironically, that comment came four hours after the President was quite audibly speaking [about] this issue. I was there for the remarks. And then you had CNN double down the next day, Sunday afternoon, saying the President was silent.

I don’t want to bore you reading out all the statements, but it sounds like I should read a few, like the President saying ‘It’s a grave tragedy that filled Americans all over the country with horror, anger and grief, and I stand before you as a friend and ally to every American seeking justice.’ He said “I understand the pain the people are feeling.’

I can go on and on but I’d be repeating what the President has already said. Make no mistake. This President has not been silent.”

Advertisement

Watch the full exchange below:

She also tackled the “hiding” talking point on her Twitter feed Sunday:

Here are some more excerpts from Trump’s Kennedy Space Station remarks on the death of George Floyd and the violent unrest that happened in the days after:

Yesterday, I spoke to George’s family and expressed the sorrow of our entire nation for their loss. I stand before you as a friend and ally to every American seeking justice and peace. And I stand before you in firm opposition to anyone exploiting this tragedy to loot, rob, attack, and menace. Healing, not hatred; justice, not chaos are the mission at hand. (Applause.)

The police officers involved in this incident have been fired from their jobs. One officer has already been arrested and charged with murder. State and federal authorities are carrying out an investigation to see what further charges may be warranted, including against, sadly, the other three.

In addition, my administration has opened a civil rights investigation, and I have asked the Attorney General and the Justice Department to expedite it.

I understand the pain that people are feeling. We support the right of peaceful protesters, and we hear their pleas. But what we are now seeing on the streets of our cities has nothing to do with justice or with peace.

The memory of George Floyd is being dishonored by rioters, looters, and anarchists. The violence and vandalism is being led by Antifa and other radical left-wing groups who are terrorizing the innocent, destroying jobs, hurting businesses, and burning down buildings.

Advertisement

Read Trump’s full remarks here.

Recommended

Join the conversation as a VIP Member

Trending on RedState Videos