A senior administration official told NBC News on Wednesday that President Donald Trump plans to speak out about police reform during a meeting with law enforcement and black leaders of faith communities in Dallas on Thursday. The senior official was not specific about what the president might discuss or what policies he may announce, however, the official did say that Trump is considering using an executive order to enact policy changes that would address race and policing.
Trump has been meeting with Congress, law enforcement representatives, and victims of police violence in attempts to come up with a proposal for police reform, NBC News reported. These meetings have all been private. The gathering in Dallas on Thursday will be the first public meeting where Trump plans to discuss potential reforms.
According to NBC News , since the death of George Floyd and the nationwide protests that followed, Trump has been relatively quiet about police misconduct, especially in the context of systemic racism. Trump has condemned the circumstances surrounding Floyd’s death but has not indicated that he believes they were the result of flaws within the policing system.
Trump has expressed his support for the police, and aides within the administration have said Trump is determined to introduce policing reforms that are supported by law enforcement.
The administration official told NBC News that a ban on chokeholds, a reduction in the use of “no-knock” warrants, and the creation of a national registry for police officers involved in misconduct are among the policy proposals being discussed. The aide stressed that the White House wants to propose “targeted things that people could get behind and could be enacted very quickly.”
The White House has yet to publicly reveal any proposals for police reform. Though the administration is in continuing talks with congressional Republicans about reforms, reaching a defined proposal has proven difficult. White House aides indicated that a proposal from the White House would likely not be revealed until late this week or early next week.
Last Congress, Republicans and Democrats worked hand-in-hand with @realDonaldTrump and the @WhiteHouse to pass historic criminal justice reform.
But rather than working together on police reforms, Democrats chose to draft a bill behind closed doors with no Republican input. pic.twitter.com/55cAlFW5oR
— Doug Collins (@RepDougCollins) June 10, 2020
Congress is also having trouble agreeing on legislation for police reform. House Republicans are reportedly delaying their proposed legislation . Sen. Tim Scott, the only black member of the Senate, has been working on proposed legislation as well. It’s currently unclear whether House Republicans will support Scott’s proposed legislation or write their own.
House Democrats unveiled their proposed police reform legislation on Monday, however, it seems the bill does not have the needed support from Republicans.
A Republican aide told NBC News that congressional Republicans aren’t planning to wait for the White House’s approval before proposing their own legislation. The aide said that Republicans are hopeful that Trump will support their proposed bill, and that they are in frequent communication with the White House.
