Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey (D) lashed out early Friday morning at President Donald Trump for criticizing his handling of the riots in Minnesota following George Floyd’s death.
A transcript is as follows:
REPORTER: I have the president’s tweets here. He sent out two in the last couple hours–one personally attacking you.
MAYOR JACOB FREY: Can you read it?
REPORTER: “Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the military is with him all the way. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts.” This is the President of the United States tweeting just a little bit ago. What’s your reaction to that?
MAYOR FREY: What was the other tweet?
REPORTER: There was an earlier one calling you a radical leftist and a weak mayor, and to get things under control: “I can’t stand back & watch this happen to a great American City, Minneapolis. A total lack of leadership. Either the very weak Radical Left Mayor, Jacob Frey, get his act together and bring the City under control, or I will send in the National Guard and get the job done right.” That was the first of the two tweets from the president.
MAYOR FREY: Let me say this: Weakness is refusing to take responsibility for your own actions. Weakness is pointing your finger at somebody else during a time of crisis. Donald Trump knows nothing about the strength of Minneapolis. We are strong as hell. Is this a difficult time period? Yes, but you better be damned sure that we’re going to get through this.