This archive report was first published on 16 June 2020.
On June 16, 2020, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order aimed at reducing police violence in the country, a move that comes as the nation grapples with widespread protests over racial injustice.
The executive order, which was announced in a Rose Garden ceremony, encourages de-escalation training, better recruitment, and the sharing of data on police officers with bad records.
Trump also proposed ending choke holds 'except if an officer's life is at risk,' a move that was seen as a highlight of his proposals.
However, Trump's choice to keep the televised audience overwhelmingly white and male reinforced his message that racism has nothing to do with police violence.
Democrats and civil rights groups have criticized Trump's executive order, saying that it does not go far enough in addressing the issue of police violence.
"While the president has finally acknowledged the need for policing reform, one modest executive order will not make up for his years of inflammatory rhetoric and policies designed to roll back the progress made in previous years," said Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer.
