This archive report was first published on 8 August 2019.
US President Donald Trump Visits Grieving Cities ¶
On Wednesday, US President Donald Trump visited El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio, two cities that were recently hit by mass shootings.
During his visit, Trump called for unity in the wake of the attacks, but his trip was met with protests and criticism over his rhetoric and lack of action on gun control.
Protesters in El Paso carried signs saying 'racist, go home' and 'Trump hatred, racism not welcome here', while supporters of the president also took to the streets.
Trump's visit to El Paso was met with a mixture of emotions, with some people expressing gratitude for his presence, while others were critical of his policies and rhetoric.
El Paso Mayor Dee Margo and Texas Governor Greg Abbott met Trump at the airport, but the city's Democrat congresswoman, Veronica Escobar, refused to meet him, citing his 'racist and hateful words and actions'.
Escobar and Democratic presidential hopeful Beto O'Rourke, an El Paso native, attended a rally where O'Rourke said the president was 'vilifying' immigrants.
Trump has been criticized for his response to the shootings, with some accusing him of using divisive rhetoric and failing to take action on gun control.
On Monday, Trump said 'in one voice, our nation must condemn racism, bigotry and white supremacy', but his words were met with skepticism by many.
White House spokesman Hogan Gidley said it was 'ridiculous' to blame Trump for the El Paso shooting, but healthcare professionals have criticized attempts to link the shootings to mental illness.
The American Psychiatric Association warned against stigmatizing mentally ill people, saying 'the overwhelming majority of people with mental illness are not violent and far more likely to be victims of violent crime than perpetrators of violence'.
