In this March 18, 2020, photo, Defense Secretary Mark Esper speaks as President Donald Trump listens during a press briefing with the coronavirus task force, at the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
By Ben Wolfgang - The Washington Times - Wednesday, June 3, 2020
Defense Secretary Mark Esper said Wednesday he opposes using the Insurrection Act to deploy active-duty troops to American cities to quell riots and protests, and he sought to distance both himself personally and the military as a whole from controversial events Monday night outside the White House.
In a hastily arranged press conference at the Pentagon, Mr. Esper said the use of active-duty troops should be a “last resort” for the country, and he does not believe such a course is necessary or appropriate right now.
President Trump earlier this week threatened to invoke the 1807 law if governors do not activate National Guard forces to control crowds and stop widespread looting. Protests have gripped much of the country following last week’s death of George Floyd, a black man, during a confrontation with Minneapolis police.
No comments:
Post a Comment