On Wednesday morning, Boris Epshteyn, the Strategic Advisor for Coalitions on President Trump’s 2020 campaign, posted two videos on Twitter that presented misleading information on what the country could like under a Joe Biden presidency. Ironically, he used videos taken under the current administration’s leadership.
This would be @JoeBiden’s America.
It’s a very scary place.pic.twitter.com/CokumE7uPG
— Boris Epshteyn (@BorisEP) July 22, 2020
Another example of terrible liberal leadership.
This would be all of America under @JoeBiden.
That America would be a SCARY place.pic.twitter.com/dbg6gn7z3C
— Boris Epshteyn (@BorisEP) July 23, 2020
Epshteyn’s videos were met with backlash and criticized for perpetuating propaganda that has contributed to the excessive policing of peaceful protestors in cities like Portland, Chicago, Albuquerque and Kansas City.
This is quite literally Trump’s America https://t.co/VkKjHiH4oC
— Zack Bornstein (@ZackBornstein) July 23, 2020
This is Trump’s America.
Wow. Unbelievable scenes out of Portland tonight.
pic.twitter.com/pHSJ7qKHaX— Koko (@Kokomothegreat) July 23, 2020
This is *literally* Trump’s America & caused by Trump’s failures to lead w/justice. https://t.co/6bzH3a5pgU
— Qasim Rashid for Congress (@QasimRashid) July 23, 2020
Epshteyn also painted Joe Biden as an “anti-policer” who welcomed chaos and disorder and he also condemned the “liberal Democrats” for creating destruction and violence.
This, of course, is a contradiction. In Portland, Trump sent federal officers to police the streets, protect public property, and quell protests, which has actually generated more chaos and violence. Peaceful protesters have been arrested, thrown into unmarked vehicles, and threatened. The presence of these federal troops has garnered scrutiny from government officials and civilians who point out that policing protests with such force is a violation of the First Amendment.
With the mission of protecting protesters in Portland, a group of women, affectionately referred to as the “Wall of Moms,” banned together to create a physical barrier between law enforcement and protesters by linking arms and singing lullabies.
The moms’ peaceful and intentional allyship was met with rubber bullets and tear gas by Trump’s coalition of special agents.
The Wall of Moms is back in front of the Justice Center in downtown Portland, and they brought reinforcements. pic.twitter.com/7B26bCyBN6
— Nathaniel St. Clair (@NatStClair) July 20, 2020
Calling all moms. We need the wall of moms all across America to fight back against the fear-mongering demagogue in the White House. Walls of moms everywhere, every city. We stand behind our moms and fight for equality of all, amongst all. Black lives matter. Fuck Trump’s America
— ♻️ Christopher Zullo (@ChrisJZullo) July 23, 2020
Wall of Moms, Justice Center Portland. 7/18/20. #wallofmoms #resist #blacklivesmatter pic.twitter.com/Q575eb9niP
— Julia Peattie (@repeattie) July 19, 2020
With the harsh treatment and deaths of Black and Brown people perpetuated by law enforcement daily and the subsequent violent response against protesters, it is time to beg the question: is Trump’s America truly safe?
