Trump proposed “shooting in the legs” of protesters outside the White House, according to former Pentagon chief

former US president donald trump raised the possibility of “shooting in the legs” of protesters gathered outside the White House during the 2020 anti-racism protests, according to a book to be published by his former Defense Secretary, Mark Esper.

In excerpts obtained by the Axios information platform and published on Monday, the former head of the Pentagon between July 2019 and November 2020 affirms that apart from the demonstrations against racism in June 2020, the president, very irritated, said in the Oval Office: “Can’t you just shoot them? Shoot their legs or something.”

LOOK: Judge declares Trump in contempt and imposes a fine of $10,000 a day until he cooperates in the investigation

On June 1, 2020, there were demonstrations around the White House following the death days before of the African-American george floydin Minneapolis (north), at the hands of a white police officer, who kept his knee pressed on his neck.

The context, according to Mark Esperwas “surreal”, he wrote in his memoirs that will be published on May 10 in the United States, under the title “A Sacred Oath”.

In this file photo taken on May 15, 2020, US Defense Secretary Mark Esper stands with President Donald Trump. (MANDEL NGAN / AFP).

“The good news: it was not a difficult decision” not to follow the idea of ​​​​the Republican president, go on. “The bad: I had to find a way to push back Trump without making a fuss, which was what I was trying to avoid.”

In a book published in August 2021, the journalist Michael Bender already stated that the billionaire had repeatedly exclaimed: “shoot them” during those demonstrations.

Source: Elcomercio