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During a recent interview with CBS's Catherine Herridge, President Trump was asked "why are African Americans still dying at the hands of law enforcement in this country?"
President Trump took offense to the question, replying:
"So are white people. So are white people. What a terrible question to ask. So are white people. More white people, by the way. More white people."
President Trump tells @CBS_Herridge that “more White people” are dying at the hands of police than Black people. Wa… https://t.co/GcIOuXU2Et— CBS News (@CBS News)1594758050.0
While President Trump is technically correct, this oft-cited statistic is incredibly misleading and often used by individuals arguing in bad faith to discredit anti-racism movements.
Though more White people are killed annually by police, studies show this is simply because there are so many more White people than Black people in the United States.
Black people are killed by police at a highly disproportionate rate.
Pres. Trump responds to question about police violence against Black people by saying cops also kill white people.… https://t.co/uCh0KAwIgZ— NBC Politics (@NBC Politics)1594765809.0
Context for President Trump saying more white people are killed by the police: Despite only making up 13 percent of… https://t.co/iT9XgNImhI— Yamiche Alcindor (@Yamiche Alcindor)1594758267.0
“What a terrible question to ask” — Donald Trump reacts to George Floyd’s killing by suggesting to CBS that systemi… https://t.co/Syvev3g9Mq— Aaron Rupar (@Aaron Rupar)1594758450.0
While unnecessary police violence is a universal concern, it affects Black Americans far more than it does White Americans.
A Black person interacting with a police officer is far more likely to be hurt or killed.
Every day I see people share the Post's Fatal Force database and claim police shootings do not disproportionately k… https://t.co/4njVqckk2S— ☕🦊 (@☕🦊)1591109094.0
Studies show Black people are more likely to die during interactions with police than white people. In one study:… https://t.co/MOUF45L1Mo— POLITICO (@POLITICO)1594765194.0
TRUMP, apparently seeking to minimize police killings of Black people, notes that "more white people" are killed by… https://t.co/HaIQZi3RsQ— Kenneth P. Vogel (@Kenneth P. Vogel)1594758591.0
Trump's answer to Herridge's question was only meant to distract from anti-racism movements seeking police reform.
If the President was truly concerned about police violence against any race (even White people), he would surely be taking action of some kind. That is not the case.
Overall, Black Americans are several times more likely to be killed in police shootings than white Americans are. https://t.co/lD5l0REkqb— snopes.com (@snopes.com)1594758910.0
- Polls have consistently shown about 75% of the country supported protests after George Floyd’s killing by police.… https://t.co/8ZKqZ9a9Y2— Adrian Carrasquillo (@Adrian Carrasquillo)1594758558.0
While polls have shown Americans stand behind the protests calling for an end to police violence, the President went out of his way to distance himself from progress in that same interview.
Trump made these remarks during an interview today: – More white people are killed by police than Black people –… https://t.co/qmbfuNsmCN— POLITICO (@POLITICO)1594764566.0
“You understand why the Confederate flag is a painful symbol because it's a reminder of slavery?" Trump:”People lo… https://t.co/Odk130gNao— Rula Jebreal (@Rula Jebreal)1594762471.0
Most Americans on Twitter didn't trust their own President to understand the basic concepts of math needed to grasp this problem.
@NPR The concepts of rate and proportion or in this case disproportion are way over the heads of the racist in chie… https://t.co/1Svgia3DNz— Michael Armstrong (@Michael Armstrong)1594768929.0
@NPR It’s not just the killing; it’s the systematic treatment, hunting down and lack of concern for the citizens th… https://t.co/IkgqgtpVjd— Betina Frisone (@Betina Frisone)1594769304.0
@NPR Even if it were true, which it isn’t, why is acceptable for police to be killing any citizens at such rates?!?!— Leslie Lewis (@Leslie Lewis)1594769568.0
While the President argues with reporters, the problem of police violence in America remains unsolved.
And as long as he is President, Donald Trump has made it clear he has no intention of changing that.