People across the United States have been demanding police overhaul in the wake of George Floyd's death, but just when it looked like the Trump administration is turning a deaf year to their pleas, Kayleigh McEnany said the president will be taking action on police reform via executive order. In an interview with Fox News' Fox & Friends, the White House Press Secretary said the president has been going through proposals on police reforms.
McEnany also noted that Trump's advisers got in touch with Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) to talk about plausible legislation on June 9. The meeting with Sen. Scott proved to be productive and it looks like they will come up with a proactive policy law soon, either in the form of an executive order or legislation, McEnany explained.
Keeping details about the measures reviewed in the White House under wraps, McEnany confirmed that a considerable amount of work is being done on the matter. Congress and Trump are under tremendous pressure to overhaul law enforcement and eliminate racism in the police departments amid the ongoing protests over George Floyd's death at the hands-on a white police officer in Minneapolis.
On June 8, House Democrats unveiled all-encompassing police reform legislation and on June 9, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell used Scott to spearhead a Republican senators' working group and draft legislation to amend police. Scott met deputy director of the Office of American Innovation Ja’Ron Smith, chief of staff Mark Meadows and Senior White House adviser Jared Kushner on Capitol.
U.S. President Donald Trump is applauded as he attends a roundtable discussion with members of the faith community, law enforcement and small business at Gateway Church Dallas Campus in Dallas, Texas, U.S., June 11, 2020.
The Democrats’ legislation will officially forbid chokeholds at the federal level, restrict the qualified immunity concept that protects police officers from lawsuits, make using body cameras mandatory across the nation and create a database that comprises names of police officers with a history of abuse and several other things, The Hill reported.
Earlier this week, McEnany told reporters that the immunity proposal proved to be a non-starter. During a press briefing, she told reporters the White House is expected to release proposals soon but remained tight-lipped about the reforms Trump is likely to support.
McEnany said for the last ten days the president has been quietly and diligently working on proposals to address the concerns that demonstrators have raised across America. She also confirmed that the body of working is reaching its concluding edits and will be produced to the public in the coming days.
Trump, on the other hand, continues to remain mum about the potential reforms, providing support for police and insisting on law and order while American people continue demanding racial equality through largely peaceful protests. In some cities including Washington, D.C, these protests turned violent and led to looting.