Fences coming down, rallies starting up: Trump looks to move on from twin crises
President Donald Trump plans to emerge from a fortified White House in the coming days hoping that twin crises weighing on his presidential campaign — the coronavirus pandemic and protests against racial inequality — can be put behind him.
A fence that runs over a mile long surrounding the White House complex and its adjacent parks will begin to come down on Wednesday, the National Park Service told McClatchy. It was installed last week as protesters demonstrating against the death of George Floyd in police custody marched on Washington.
The Ellipse, a park between the White House and the National Mall, will reopen to the public, as will parts of Lafayette Square, the site of a riot on May 31 that led to a fire in the basement of St. John’s Church, followed by the forced dispersal of peaceful protesters by law enforcement the next day.
The removal of the massive fence – and the departure of the National Guard and military vehicles from the streets of the nation’s capital – is a welcome development for the Trump administration, which has come under fire from former top military leaders over his threat to use active duty personnel to quell protests.
“The president has recognized that the protests have largely been peaceful. Why have they been peaceful? It’s because of the actions taken by this administration,” White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany told reporters in a briefing on Monday, defending the actions taken in Lafayette Square.
“Once the National Guard came in, D.C. was secure. That Monday decision by the president of encouraging governors to surge National Guard made the difference,” she said.
Trump’s aides are also anxious for the resumption of his campaign rallies, which have long served as an outlet for the president and a direct link between him and his loyal base of supporters. A Trump campaign official confirmed a Politico report that the president would resume rallies in roughly two weeks.
The 2020 campaign was turned upside down by the coronavirus pandemic, ending in-person rallies and events. Polling over the last two weeks has spooked Trump and his staff as he has lost critical support from demographics long supportive of the president’s policies, and as former Vice President Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, has gained steam.
“Americans are ready to get back to action and so is President Trump,” Brad Parscale, Trump’s campaign manager, said in a statement. “The Great American Comeback is real and the rallies will be tremendous. You’ll again see the kind of crowds and enthusiasm that Sleepy Joe Biden can only dream of.”
Trump is also resuming in-person fundraising events, a Republican aide said.
This story was originally published June 8, 2020 at 6:06 PM with the headline "Fences coming down, rallies starting up: Trump looks to move on from twin crises."
