Trump Defends His Looting Tweet as Cautionary, Not Threatening
- President attempts to clean up remarks after intense criticism
- Trump says he spoke to family of black man who died in custody
A tweet by U.S. President Donald Trump with a rule-violation notice that includes the phrase "when the looting starts, the shooting starts" is displayed on a smartphone on May 29.
Photographer: Andrew Harrer/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
President Donald Trump defended a tweet that appeared to threaten an armed response to violence in Minneapolis after the death of a handcuffed black man in police custody, saying that it was actually a caution about protests getting out of control.
At an evening meeting with business leaders at the White House, Trump tried to explain why he tweeted “when the looting starts, the shooting starts.” The tweet, sent shortly before 1 a.m. Friday, re-ignited a debate over his views on racial issues and social-media conduct.