Politics & Government

What The President Said: A Trump Timeline Over 8 Days Of Chaos

President Donald Trump's words and actions surrounding the death of George Floyd and his response to the protests and chaos that followed.

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President Donald Trump arrives to speak in the Rose Garden of the White House.
President Donald Trump arrives to speak in the Rose Garden of the White House. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

President Donald Trump held an unscheduled news conference at the beginning of the week about the George Floyd protests and the looting and destruction that accompanied them, the first time he had appeared in public in two days.

His first widely reported words on the death came on Wednesday, May 27, two days after Floyd's death and hours before the peaceful protests going on in Minneapolis turned into looting and violence at night.

What follows is a timeline of Trump's comments and tweets from that Wednesday through the week, including his Monday news conference, where he declared himself the "president of law and order" during statements in the Rose Garden.

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The timeline does not include retweets; all times are Eastern Daylight Time.

Wednesday, May 27

Trump tweets about Floyd for the first time after protests intensify in Minneapolis.

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6:39 p.m. — "At my request, the FBI and the Department of Justice are already well into an investigation as to the very sad and tragic death in Minnesota of George Floyd....I have asked for this investigation to be expedited and greatly appreciate all of the work done by local law enforcement. My heart goes out to George’s family and friends. Justice will be served."

Thursday

Looting begins in certain cities. Trump talks to reporters.

Morning — Trump shares in-person comments about the video of Floyd with reporters in the White House: "I feel very, very badly. That's a very shocking sight."

Onlookers watch as smoke smolders near the Minneapolis Police Third Precinct Thursday. (AP Photo/Jim Mone)

Friday

Violence escalates in Minneapolis, Oakland and Chicago, and curfews are imposed in many cities throughout the nation.

12:53 a.m. — "I can't stand back & watch this happen to a great American City, Minneapolis. A total lack of leadership. Either the very weak Radical Left Mayor, Jacob Frey, get his act together and bring the city under control, or I will send in the National Guard & get the job done right."

12:53 a.m. — "These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, and I won't let that happen. Just spoke to Governor Tim Waltz and told him that the Military is with him all the way. Any difficulty and we will assume control, but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts. Thank you!"

Twitter hides the tweet for "glorifying violence."

See the latest on George Floyd protests.

10:46 a.m. — "The National Guard has arrived on the scene. They are in Minneapolis and fully prepared. George Floyd will not have died in vain. Respect his memory!!!"

2:20 p.m. — "Looting leads to shooting, and that’s why a man was shot and killed in Minneapolis on Wednesday night - or look at what just happened in Louisville with 7 people shot. I don’t want this to happen, and that’s what the expression put out last night means....

....It was spoken as a fact, not as a statement. It’s very simple, nobody should have any problem with this other than the haters, and those looking to cause trouble on social media. Honor the memory of George Floyd!"

2:30 p.m. — Trump holds a public news briefing about China.

4 p.m. — Trump has a roundtable with industry executives about reopening the economy after the coronavirus. The White House provides a livestream for the event, and Trump expresses his "deepest condolences" to the family of George Floyd.

"I want to express our Nation's deepest condolences and most heartfelt sympathies to the family of George Floyd," Trump says.

Trump says during the remarks, "We think that we also have to make the statement, and it’s very important that we have peaceful protesters and support the rights for peaceful protesters. Can’t allow a situation like happened in Minneapolis to descend further into lawless anarchy and chaos, and we understand that very well. It’s very important, I believe, to the family, to everybody that the memory of George Floyd be a perfect memory. Let it be a perfect memory."

Visit The New York Times to see Trump's full remarks.

Evening — The Secret Service rushes Trump to a White House bunker as protesters gather outside the executive mansion.

Trump spends nearly an hour in the bunker, which was designed to provide safety during terrorist attacks, according to The New York Times.

11:20 p.m. —

Saturday

Cities begin cleaning up after a day of peaceful protests turns into a night of chaos and looting.

8:41 a.m. —"Great job last night at the White House by the U.S. Secret Service. They were not only totally professional, but very cool. I was inside, watched every move, and couldn't have felt more safe. They let the 'protesters' scream & rant as much as they wanted, but whenever someone...

....got too frisky or out of line, they would quickly come down on them, hard - didn’t know what hit them. The front line was replaced with fresh agents, like magic. Big crowd, professionally organized, but nobody came close to breaching the fence. If they had they would....

have been greeted with the most vicious dogs, and most ominous weapons, I have ever seen. That's when people would have been really badly hurt, at least. Many Secret Service agents just waiting for action. 'We put the young ones on the front line, sir, they love it, and...

good practice.' As you saw last night, they were very cool & very professional. Never let it get out of hand. Thank you! on the bad side, the D.C. Mayor, Muriel Bowser, who is always looking for money & help wouldn't let the D.C. Police get involved. 'Not their job.' Nice!"

9:34 a.m. — "The professionally managed so-called 'protesters' at the White House had little to do with the memory of George Floyd. They were just there to cause trouble. The Secret Service handled them easily. Tonight, I understand, is MAGA NIGHT AT THE WHITE HOUSE???"

10 a.m. — "These are 'Organized Groups' that have nothing to do with George Floyd. Sad!"

10:25 a.m. — "Mayor Jacob Frey of Minneapolis will never be mistaken for the late, great General Douglas McArthur or great fighter General George Patton. How come all of these places that defend so poorly are run by Liberal Democrats? Get tough and fight (and arrest the bad ones). STRENGTH!"

11:54 a.m. — "It’s ANTIFA and the Radical Left. Don’t lay the blame on others!"

Midday — Trump and first lady Melania Trump depart Washington, D.C., around 12:30 p.m., en route to the Kennedy Space Center to watch the launch of the SpaceX rocket into outer space.

2:20 p.m. — "Crossing State lines to incite violence is a FEDERAL CRIME! Liberal Governors and Mayors must get MUCH tougher or the Federal Government will step in and do what has to be done, and that includes using the unlimited power of our Military and many arrests. Thank you!"

2:34 p.m. — "80% of the RIOTERS in Minneapolis last night were from OUT OF STATE. They are harming businesses (especially African American small businesses), homes, and the community of good, hardworking Minneapolis residents who want peace, equality, and to provide for their families."

5 p.m. — Trump delivers remarks at the Kennedy Space Center after the SpaceX rocket launch. During the speech, he dedicates time to discussing Floyd and the protests going on across the country.

It is the second time he talks about Floyd at an official event.

"The death of George Floyd on the streets of Minneapolis was a grave tragedy. It should never have happened. It has filled Americans all over the country with horror, anger and grief," Trump says during the remarks. "We support peaceful protesters, and we hear their pleas. But what we are now seeing on the streets of our cities has nothing to do with justice or peace."

The public appearance at the space center is Trump's last until he takes the podium Monday evening in the Rose Garden.

It's not his last communication with the public, though.

8:30 p.m. — "MN Gov. Walz: We Estimate 80% of the Rioters Are from out of State. https://breitbart.com/clips/2020/05/30/mn-gov-walz-we-estimate-80-of-the-rioters-are-from-out-of-state/… via Breitbart News."

8:54 p.m. —

10:08 p.m. — "The National Guard has been released in Minneapolis to do the job that the Democrat Mayor couldn’t do. Should have been used 2 days ago & there would not have been damage & Police Headquarters would not have been taken over & ruined. Great job by the National Guard. No games!"

10:12 p.m. — "Let New York’s Finest be New York’s Finest. There is nobody better, but they must be allowed to do their job!"

Sunday

Demonstrators fill the streets across the United States to once again protest the death of Floyd.

12:03 p.m. — "Congratulations to our National Guard for the great job they did immediately upon arriving in Minneapolis, Minnesota, last night. The ANTIFA led anarchists, among others, were shut down quickly. Should have been done by Mayor on first night and there would have been no trouble!"

12:12 p.m. — "Other Democrat run Cities and States should look at the total shutdown of Radical Left Anarchists in Minneapolis last night. The National Guard did a great job, and should be used in other States before it is too late!"

12:23 p.m. — "The United States of America will be designating ANTIFA as a Terrorist Organization."

4:04 p.m. — "Law & Order in Philadelphia, NOW! They are looting stores. Call in our great National Guard like they FINALLY did (thank you President Trump) last night in Minneapolis. Is this what voters want with Sleepy Joe? All Dems!"

4:15 p.m. — "Get tough Democrat Mayors and Governors. These people are ANARCHISTS. Call in our National Guard NOW. The World is watching and laughing at you and Sleepy Joe. Is this what America wants? NO!!!"

6:08 p.m. — "Our National Guard stopped them cold last night. Should have been called up sooner!"

6:52 p.m. — "LAW & Order!"

Monday

Following a weekend of chaos across the country, protests remain mostly peaceful, but looting continues in New York City and Chicago.

8:20 a.m. — “'I don’t see any indication that there were any white supremest groups mixing in. This is an ANTIFA Organization. It seems that the first time we saw it in a major way was Occupy Wall Street. It’s the same mindset.' @kilmeade @foxandfriends TRUE!"

8:27 a.m. — "'These were the people that trashed Seattle years ago. Who’s paying for these people. I was appalled that 13 of Joe Biden’s staff were donating money to bail people out in Minneapolis. They should have stayed in jail until this is over (and beyond). @newtgingrich @foxandfriends"

9:20 a.m. — "Sleepy Joe Biden’s people are so Radical Left that they are working to get the Anarchists out of jail, and probably more. Joe doesn’t know anything about it, he is clueless, but they will be the real power, not Joe. They will be calling the shots! Big tax increases for all, Plus!"

Morning — Trump has no public events scheduled but a recording is obtained by The Washington Post of a video teleconference, in which he calls the governors "weak" over their response to the Floyd protests.

1:57 P.M. —

2:24 p.m. —

6:15. p.m. — Trump announces he will be delivering remarks from the Rose Garden at 6:30 p.m. to give an update on the "Federal Response."

6:40 p.m. — Trump declares himself the president of "law and order" in the Rose Garden as police disperse protesters across from the White House. He walks to the St. John's Church near the White House, and multiple photos are taken of him holding a Bible.

You can rewatch Trump's full remarks about the Floyd protests from Monday below.

Tuesday

Curfews are extended in multiple cities across the United States, including in New York City and Los Angeles.

9:19 a.m. — "D.C. had no problems last night. Many arrests. Great job done by all. Overwhelming force. Domination. Likewise, Minneapolis was great (thank you President Trump!)"

9:33 a.m. — "Yesterday was a bad day for the Cuomo Brothers. New York was lost to the looters, thugs, Radical Left, and all other forms of Lowlife & Scum. The Governor refuses to accept my offer of a dominating National Guard. NYC was ripped to pieces. Likewise, Fredo's ratings are down 50%"

11:10 a.m. — "NYC, CALL UP THE NATIONAL GUARD. The lowlifes and losers are ripping you apart. Act fast! Don’t make the same horrible and deadly mistake you made with the Nursing Homes!!!"

11:30 a.m. — Trump and the first lady visit the Saint John Paul II National Shrine in Washington D.C.

12:12 p.m. — "New York City put on an 11:00 P.M. CURFEW last night. No wonder they ripped the place apart. Should be 7:00 P.M. CALL UP THE NATIONAL GUARD. #SAVENYC"

3:38 pm. — "Macy’s at 34th. Street, long the largest single department store anywhere in the world, & a point of pride in NYC, was devastated yesterday when hoodlums and thieves vandalized it, breaking almost all of its large panels of storefront glass. What a shame. Bring in National Guard!"

3:56 p.m. — "Sleepy Joe has been in politics for 40 years, and did nothing. Now he pretends to have the answers. He doesn’t even know the questions. Weakness will never beat anarchists, looters or thugs, and Joe has been politically weak all of his life. LAW & ORDER!"

7:22 p.m. — "Washington, D.C., was the safest place on earth last night!"

8:16 p.m. —

9:30 p.m. — "Our highest respect to the family of David Dorn, a Great Police Captain from St. Louis, who was viciously shot and killed by despicable looters last night. We honor our police officers, perhaps more than ever before. Thank you!"

10:28 p.m. — "You got it wrong! If the protesters were so peaceful, why did they light the Church on fire the night before? People liked my walk to this historic place of worship! Sen. Susan Collins, Sen. James Lankford, Sen. Ben Sasse. Please read @MZHemingway below."

10:41 p.m. —

10:57 p.m. — "'Chaos, lawlessness, and destruction take over New York.' @FoxNews When will Governor Cuomo call the Federal Government for help?"

11:58 p.m. — "New York's Finest are not being allowed to perform their MAGIC but regardless, and with the momentum that the Radical Left and others have been allowed to build, they will need additional help. NYC is totally out of control. @NYCMayor & @NYGovCuomo MUST PUT DOWN RIOTING NOW!"

Wednesday

While demonstrators in many cities march in protest the previous night, they do so almost entirely peacefully.

12:29 a.m. — "So pathetic to watch the Fake News Lamestream Media playing down the gravity and depravity of the Radical Left, looters and thugs, ripping up our Liberal Democrat run (only) cities. It is almost like they are all working together?"

6:17 a.m. —

6:47 a.m. —

6:54 a.m. — "The National Guard is ready!"

7:19 a.m. — "Law & Order!"

9:02 a.m. — "If you watch Fake News @CNN or MSDNC, you would think that the killers, terrorists, arsonists, anarchists, thugs, hoodlums, looters, ANTIFA & others, would be the nicest, kindest most wonderful people in the Whole Wide World. No, they are what they are - very bad for our Country!"

Trump has no public events scheduled for Wednesday.

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