Elected Democrats are asking President Donald Trump to not visit Kenosha on Tuesday.
Trump is expected to meet with law enforcement and survey damage in the state’s fourth largest city, just over a week after the police shooting of Jacob Blake touched off protests — and destructive riots.
In a letter to the president Governor Tony Evers voiced concern that Trump’s presence might “delay . . work to overcome division and move forward.”
The Journal Sentinel reports Mayor John Antaramian says now is not the best time for the President to visit. “There is a lot of listening we need to do in Kenosha and I worry that a visit from the president will delay this important work,” the mayor said.
And Attorney General Josh Kaul, on his personal Twitter account wrote “a President should be coming . . . to help people, to listen, to condemn violence and vigilantism, and to lead. But we know that isn’t Donald Trump.”
Republicans in the Kenosha area were supportive of the president’s visit. “I think it’s important for any president to come here and come to any American city that’s been affected the way we’ve been in the last week,” Kenosha County Board Supervisor Zach Rodriguez told the Journal Sentinel.
“I think it might bring up the morale of the people of Kenosha,” said Erin Decker, chair of the Kenosha County Republican Party. “I’m so happy he’s coming by and that he cares enough about Kenosha to take time out of his busy schedule.”