Donald Trump Says Cops Need More Funding While Signing Executive Order On Police Reform

President Donald Trump made it clear on Tuesday that he didn’t support nationwide protests calling for defunding police departments. While signing an executive order aimed at addressing the excessive use of force, he praised the police, saying that they should receive more funding.

As video of the event filmed by USA Today shows, Trump took the podium at the White House to address the ongoing civil unrest across the country over the death of George Floyd. Floyd, an unarmed black man, died while in police custody in Minneapolis on May 25 after an officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes.

While giving his opening remarks, Trump memorialized several black people killed by law enforcement in recent years, including Everett Palmer Jr., Michael Dean, Jemel Roberson, Cameron Lamb, and Antwon Rose Jr. The president noted that he met with the families of these individuals and praised those who had been killed as “incredible” people. Floyd and Rayshard Brooks — two of the men who have become the focus of recent protests — were both absent from the list.

Trump added that he would fight for justice for those who lost their lives before turning to the topic of law enforcement in the country.

“I strongly oppose the radical and dangerous efforts to defund, dismantle and dissolve our police departments,” he said.

The president then praised law enforcement, saying it was “the least we can do, because they deserve it so much, they have to get our gratitude and we have to give them great respect for what they do.”

Trump then spoke about the officers killed and injured while on duty in the U.S., saying that “law and order must be further restored” in the country. He also repeated his offer to take federal action in Seattle to suppress protesters in the area.

“In many cases, local law enforcement is underfunded, understaffed and under [supported],” he said.

Trump then took the opportunity to take a shot at his predecessors on the topic of police reform.

“President [Barack] Obama and Vice President [Joe] Biden never even tried to fix this during their eight-year period. The reason they didn’t try is because they had no idea how to do it. And it is a complex situation.”

The president, who has faced dropping approval ratings over his handling of the civil unrest following Floyd’s death, then signed an order that would reward police departments with grants if they train and certify officers in updated law enforcement techniques that prioritize de-escalation over violence. The order also recommends the use of chokeholds only if an officer’s life is in danger, and creates a database to track complaints against officers for excessive use of force.