Defense Secretary Mark Esper opposes using Insurrection Act for George Floyd protest unrest, angering White House

Trump said he was taking “swift and decisive action to protect our great capital, Washington, D.C.,” adding, “What happened in this city last night was a total disgrace.”

“As we speak, I am dispatching thousands and thousands of heavily armed soldiers, military personnel and law enforcement officers to stop the rioting, looting, vandalism, assaults and the wanton destruction of property,” Trump said.

As the president spoke, riot police and military police outside the White House were using tear gas to clear protesters out of Lafayette Square, a public square in front of the president’s residence.

Once the protesters were forcibly cleared, Trump walked through the square with several members of his Cabinet, including Esper, as well as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff U.S. Army Gen. Mark Milley. The president then stood in front of the historic St. John’s Church holding a Bible and posing for photographs. He later motioned to members of his Cabinet to stand alongside him for more pictures.

Esper, who has previously said that he would preserve the U.S. military’s apolitical nature, entered the frame and stood alongside Trump for the photo-op.

In a Tuesday night interview with NBC News, Esper said, “I didn’t know where I was going” when he was asked about the intensely criticized photo opportunity. “I thought I was going to do two things: to see some damage and to talk to the troops,” he added.

Article source: https://www.cnbc.com/2020/06/03/esper-does-not-support-invoking-the-insurrection-act.html