- The economy added 2.5 million jobs in May, bringing the unemployment rate down to 13.3% from the 14.7% rate in April.
- "Hopefully, George is looking down right now and saying, 'this is a great thing that's happening for our country,'" Trump said. "It's a great day for him, it's a great day for everybody, this is a great, great day in terms of equality."
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Trump said he hopes George Floyd is 'looking down' from heaven and appreciating the US' strong May jobs report: 'It's a great day for him'
Trump touted a strong May jobs report and said he hoped George Floyd, the Minneapolis man who died in an interaction with police ten days ago, was looking down and appreciating the economy.
In a freewheeling Friday morning press conference in the Rose Garden, President Donald Trump touted a strong May jobs report and said he hoped George Floyd, the Minneapolis man who was killed by police ten days ago, was looking down and appreciating the economy.
The May jobs report stunned economists and completely defied forecasts pointing to further economic decline. The economy added 2.5 million jobs in May, bringing the unemployment rate down to 13.3% from the 14.7% rate in April.
In his press conference, Trump took a victory lap on the economy, the US' recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, which has now killed over 105,000 Americans, and the issue of racial justice and police brutality.
"Equal justice under the law must mean that every American receives equal treatment in every encounter with law enforcement regardless of race, color, gender, or creed. They have to receive fair treatment," Trump said in the press conference.
"We all saw what happened last week, we can't let that happen," Trump said of Floyd. "Hopefully, George is looking down right now and saying, 'this is a great thing that's happening for our country.' It's a great day for him, it's a great day for everybody, this is a great, great day in terms of equality. It's what our Constitution requires and it's what our country is all about."
Floyd died on May 25 shortly after four police officers arrested him in Minneapolis, sparking widespread protests and demonstrations against police violence around the country. All four officers have been fired and criminally charged in connection with the incident.
One of the officers, Derek Chauvin, who was recorded pinning his knee on Floyd's neck for eight minutes, has been charged with second-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter by Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison on top of a third-degree murder charge levied by prosecutors in Heppein County.
The three other officers involved, Thomas Lane, J. Alexander Kueng, and Tou Thao, have been charged by state prosecutors with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.
See Also:
- White House press secretary compares Trump's photo-op outside St. John's Church to Churchill's bunker visits during WWII and Bush's first pitch after 9/11
- Black Lives Matter and the ACLU are suing the Trump administration for forcing peaceful protesters out of his way with tear gas before his church photo op
- Trump, Melania, and Barron were rushed to a secure bunker after protesters breached barricades near the White House, contradicting the president's claim that he was there for 'inspection'
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