In a call with state governors, President Donald Trump slammed those who let the recent riots escalate into looting and violence in their states.

Riots have erupted across the country recently following the death of George Floyd at the hands of a police officer in Minneapolis. Peaceful protests against the killing are practically non-existent; instead, the streets are currently full of violence, looting, and other grotesque scenes. On a call to the state governors, President Trump noted that the only times when this can happen and be “successful is when you’re weak, and most of [the governors] are weak.”

“You have to get much tougher or you’re going to get overridden,” the president said, encouraging the governors to call the National Guard to stop the violence. “We have all the men and women that you need, but people aren’t calling them up, you have to dominate, if you don’t dominate, you’re wasting your time, they’re going to run all over you and you’re going to look like a bunch of jerks.”

He argued that the governors are making themselves “look like fools” with their inaction. “You know, when other countries watch this, they’re watching this, the next day, wow, they’re really a pushover. And we can’t be a pushover,” he added.

The full audio of President Trump’s call on the riots was posted by The Daily Beast, which you can listen to below:

Brilliant Assessment From the President

I fully agree with the president’s assessment of the situation here! It looks terrible to see police not cracking down hard on these violent thugs who, as much as people on the Left want to claim are protesting racist police brutality, are simply nothing more than violent, opportunistic looters who want the newest flat-screen TV for themselves. Hopefully this is something that can be resolved soon—we cannot let America be subsumed by these riots!

This piece originally appeared in ThePoliticalInsider.com and is used by permission.

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