Sandy MaloneWashington, DC – President Donald Trump appeared outside the White House to deliver a message to protesters on Monday evening before he went to visit the historic St. John’s Episcopal Church that was burned by rioters on Sunday night.
President Trump boldly announced he was mobilizing all available civilian and U.S. military resources to put end to lawless destruction that has reigned in the nation’s capital and across the country for the past few nights.
He said he would not allow peaceful protesters “to be drowned out by an angry mob,” and called himself an ally of peaceful protesters.
The President promised to protect the rights of law abiding citizens and specifically mentioned defending Americans’ Second Amendment rights.
A 7 p.m. curfew has been established for Monday and Tuesday nights in Washington, DC.
President Trump made his announcement about 15 minutes before the curfew went into effect, moments after literally thousands of federal, state, local, and military law enforcement officers in riot gear stationed themselves in an impenetrable lines around the White House.
The President vowed to immediately “end the riots and lawlessness that has spread throughout our country – we will end it now.”
He said he told the governor to deploy National Guard troops to “dominate the streets.”
President Trump said that if city or state officials refused to take the steps necessary “to defend life and property,” he would deploy the U.S. military and solve the problem for them.
He also spoke about protecting the nation’s capital and said he would not allow the destruction of the city’s precious landmarks and memorials to continue.
“As we speak, I am dispatching thousands and thousands of heavily armed soldiers and law enforcement officers to stop wanton destruction of property,” President Trump said, and warned the encroaching 7 o’clock curfew would be strictly enforced.
He said curfew violators would be arrested and prosecuted to fullest extent of the law and said the U.S. Department of Justice would seek severe criminal penalties and lengthy prison sentences for rioters who continued to rampage, specifically mentioning antifa.
President Trump promised to help American families and businesses as soon as order was restored.
“Where there is no law, there is no opportunity. Where there is no justice, there is no liberty. Where there is no safety, there is no future. We must never give in to anger and hatred. When malice reigns, none of us is free,” the President finished.
And then to the shock of protesters and media who have mocked President Trump for allegedly being rushed into his bunker for an hour when rioters breached an outer perimeter of the White House, the Commander in Chief strode across the area that has been a battleground for days to visit the historic “Church of the Presidents” that was burned by protesters on Sunday night.
U.S. Secret Service agents swarmed around the chief executive but President Trump exhibited no fear of the screaming crowd.
Attorney General William Barr accompanied the President to visit and pay respects at the church where President Abraham Lincoln worshipped shortly before he was assassinated.
President Trump stood in front of the church and held up a Bible and promised to restore the country to “greater than ever before.”