AMERICA–On Thursday, June 4, Muriel Bowser, the Mayor of Washington, D.C., officially requested President Donald Trump to withdraw all extraordinary federal law enforcement and military prese
nce from Washington, D.C. Approximately 200 soldiers of the Utah National Guard were moving out from the hotels on Friday.
“The deployment of federal law enforcement personnel and equipment are inflaming demonstration and adding to the grievances of those who, by and large, are peacefully protesting for change and for reforms to the racist and broken systems that are killing black Americans,” said Bowser in a statement. She mentioned that unidentified federal personnel patrolling the streets of Washington, D.C. posed safety and national security risks.
“This is overbilling,” said Bowser on Friday after she gave a speech about “Black Lives Matter Plaza.” She emphasized that they are not willing to have any soldier out on the street, but residents in D.C. cannot pay the bills for them. She urged that the Department of the Army or the soldiers’ home states need to take care of their arrangements.
“These brave men and women have risked their lives protecting DC for three days. Rioting, looting, arson, and vandalism have all disappeared because these soldiers served. And now they are being kicked to the curb by an ungrateful mayor. This must be stopped,” said Senator Mike Lee. He emphasized it was unacceptable that more than 1200 troops from 10 states are being evicted. “If Mayor Bowser has a problem with President Trump, she should take it up with him, not take it out on National Guard personnel in the middle of a dangerous deployment in her city.”
President Donald Trump tweeted, “the incompetent Mayor of Washington, D.C., @MayorBowser, who’s budget is totally out of control and is constantly coming back to us for “handouts”, is now fighting with the National Guard, who saved her from great embarrassment over the last number of nights. If she doesn’t treat these men and women well, then we’ll bring in a different group of men and women!”