Donald Trump likes to present himself on the campaign trail as a tough, “law and order” president who is always “on the green side.”
Almost each campaign stopHis pioneering group arranges law enforcement photo sessions and a central part of the his campaign the message is that he wants the law to be strictly enforced and is always on the side of the police.
After NYPD officer Jonathan Diller was shot and killed while on duty last month, Trump flew from Florida to New York City to attend a memorial service for the slain officer. His campaign arranged for Diller's family to pose for photos with the former president, while Trump complained that violence against police officers “happens too often and we won't let it happen.” go out”.
However, many of Trump's actions as president—and many of the actions he promised to take if he wins in November—direct contradiction pro-police image created by him.
His original budget was in 2017 seek to significantly cut funding for community policing and federal grants to train and equip local police agencies. His last three budgets sought to cut these programs in half or remove them completely. As Congress continues to fund these programs, Trump's DOJ refused to provide millions of dollars in funding to police agencies that he determined were not tough enough on immigration issues.
As president, Trump pardoned 237 people convicted of federal crimes, but ignored procedures that had been in place for 125 years to ensure pardons were fair and appropriate based on the facts and situation. Under previous presidents, the Justice Department's Office of Pardons reviewed the appropriateness of each application.
Trump ended that practice, bypassing the DOJ to pardon friends, political supporters, and well-connected friends—such as Roger Stone, Michael Flynn, Steve Bannon, Dinesh D' Souza, Paul Manafort, Michael Milken, Bernard Kerik, Charles Kushner and George Papadopoulos.
Trump also pardoned seven former Republican lawmakers who were accused of crimes including insider trading, conspiracy, wire and mail fraud, bribery, money laundering, extortion, insurance fraud and tax evasion. (Trump's law and order doesn't seem to apply to Republican politicians either.)
Only 25 of Trump's 237 pardons were recommended by the DOJ.
But if there was one aspect of Trump's 2024 campaign that clearly demonstrated that his “blues” posturing was a sham — it was his repeated promises of amnesty to The defendant was charged in connection with the January 6, 2021, attack on the United States Capitol, which he incited.
He called the rebels “patriots” who had been “treated very unfairly.” He never added any limiting or qualifying language to his pledge to establish “January 1.” 6 hostages” are free, so voters must assume he means all of them.
Many of the most notorious January 6 defendants—such as Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes and Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio—said that they are relying on received a pardon from Trump if he wins the election. Both were convicted of conspiracy to commit rebellion as organizers and leaders of the uprising. Rhodes was sentenced to 18 years in prison, Tarrio received 22 years.
Of the more than 1,300 people charged in connection with January 6, 439 were charged with assaulting or resisting police, and 129 of those were charged with using a weapon against an officer and causing injury. . At least 140 officers were injured.
Trump never visited any of these officers in the hospital. He never called them or their families. He never praised their heroism or service. According to Trump, the officers who defended the Capitol that day were not heroes — but those who beat and attacked them were “patriots.” That is a pretty disgusting piece of “pro-green” work.
While Trump continues to use police as political props in his campaign, his words and actions demonstrate that his support for police is superficial and insincere.
He used his pardon power as president abusively and unethically, flouting 125 years of U.S. government criminal justice policy to benefit his friends and his political friends. He has promised to use his amnesty power to pardon hundreds of people who have assaulted and injured police officers in the line of duty.
Like most things about Trump, his words and image as a candidate do not match his actions. And as he and his MAGA minions raise concerns about crime rates and public safety, never forget that when it comes to “law and order” and “supporting the greens”—like like most things in Trump's life—he is a fraud.
Ron Filipkowski is the Editor-in-Chief of MeidasTouch.com and host of the Uncovered podcast.
