AMERICA'S FASCIST PRESIDENT
‘Fascism Has Come to America’: Trump Ripped for Gassing Protesters to Hold Awkward Bible Photo-Op

President Donald Trump was harshly criticized on Monday after police fired tear gas on protesters so that he could violate DC’s curfew to hold a photo-op with a Bible at St. John’s church.
Here’s some of what people were saying about Trump’s photo-op:
Police and members of the US military were deployed to clear out a protest so Trump can hold up a Bible outside of church. pic.twitter.com/2i0TFCveNp
— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) June 1, 2020
This is the tear gas Trump had deployed on nonviolent protestors in Lafayette Park so that he could walk across the street to St. John’s Church and awkwardly fondle a bible for a photo op. (via @ellievhall) pic.twitter.com/W14cCcRbaz
— Amee Vanderpool (@girlsreallyrule) June 1, 2020
🚨NEW — CLERGY member who was at St. Johns Church says: “I AM SO [EXPLETIVE] OFFENDED”
They had NO idea President Trump was coming…
“No one knew about this stunt”
A clergy member is telling me right now that President Trump “walked on holy ground””sacrilege” #GeorgeFloyd @WUSA9— Mike Valerio (@MikevWUSA) June 1, 2020
The world just watched a peaceful demonstration, in the capital of the United States of America, get attacked by military police. Really jarring to see on live television.
— Oliver Darcy (@oliverdarcy) June 1, 2020
As Trump stands outside St. John’s church:
Reporter: “Is that your Bible?”
Trump: “It’s a Bible.”— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) June 1, 2020
.@donlemon: “Trump standing in front of a church with a Bible — really? Let’s just be honest here. When was the last time Donald Trump saw a church? … when was the last time he cracked open a Bible … this is all for show. Trump in this moment is pretending to be a president” pic.twitter.com/aPIO2yoABX
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) June 1, 2020
Trump just stands in front of the church and holds up a bible while posing for photos. He does not even go inside for a faux tour of the damage or make a pretense of having any purpose in going there other than to pose for photos.
— Peter Baker (@peterbakernyt) June 1, 2020
You see, I’ve spent 4 years studying how Republicans contort themselves to excuse, justify, and enable the behaviors of Donald Trump. It’s become predictable to the point of parody. But this? Tear-gassing citizens to facilitate a photo-op with a Bible? No idea how they spin this.
— Tim Alberta (@TimAlberta) June 2, 2020
Peaceful protesters were gassed and shot with rubber bullets to clear away a space near a church to give Trump a photo-op waving a bible flanked by AG Barr and Sec Def Esper. Monstrous. Anticonstitutional.
— Laurence Tribe (@tribelaw) June 1, 2020
Tear gas and rubber bullets against peaceful protestors outside the White House so Trump can have a photo op at a vandalized church- so he could show everyone he is carrying a Bible. Because nothing says good Christian like gassing and firing on citizens expressing their pain.
— Barbara Malmet (@B52Malmet) June 1, 2020
The president of the United States just used tear gas and rubber bullets on peaceful protestors just so he could take a photo opp at church.
This man knows nothing of God. Nothing of peace.
He knows nothing and our country will continue to burn because of it.
— Chasten Buttigieg (@Chasten) June 1, 2020
There is so much wrong w/ this picture, I’m enraged. Using federal troops w/ tear gas & rubber bullets to clear out a peaceful demonstration so Trump can have a photo-op at a church. He desecrates the Bible. He desecrates a Christian church. & he desecrates the presidency. Shame pic.twitter.com/xGNDHiDPL0
— James J. Zogby (@jjz1600) June 1, 2020
Watching Trump preen in front of St. John’s, moments after he threatened to deploy the American military against the American people, with a bible held above his head, I remembered this quote, “when facism comes to America it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross”
— Steve Schmidt (@SteveSchmidtSES) June 1, 2020
One terrifying thing about Trump is he’s just an incompetent fascist standing there holding a bible and inciting violence and look at what he’s done. Imagine what a competent authoritarian could do with the full support of a major political party.
— Ben Rhodes (@brhodes) June 1, 2020
Trump holding a Bible is a direct insult to everything Jesus fought for. https://t.co/5T2qcgVwdS
— Peter Daou (@peterdaou) June 1, 2020
In case you missed it, fascism has arrived in America:
Trump ordered the police to tear gas, and shoot with rubber bullets peaceful protesters near the White House — so he could have a photo-op holding a bible.
— Bill Madden (@maddenifico) June 1, 2020
Fascism has come to America. Trump is actually holding a bible while guns are loaded. goodnight America.
— Joy Behar (@JoyVBehar) June 1, 2020
Donald Trump in front of St. John’s Church proving he has no experience holding a bible. pic.twitter.com/bmua1krpw8
— Amee Vanderpool (@girlsreallyrule) June 1, 2020
Trump holding up a Bible like a man who has never seen one before.
— Joe Scarborough (@JoeNBC) June 1, 2020
The Episcopal bishop of DC – who oversees the DC church Trump just stopped at – tells the @washingtonpost she is “outraged” and that neither she nor the rector was asked or told… “that they would be clearing with tear gas so they could use one of our churches as a prop..” 1/3
— Michelle Boorstein (@mboorstein) June 2, 2020
“We so disassociate ourselves from the messages of this president. We hold the teachings of our sacred texts to be so so grounding to our lives and everything we do and it is about love of neighbor and sacrificial love and justice.” @Mebudde Bishop Mariann Budde 3/3
— Michelle Boorstein (@mboorstein) June 2, 2020
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