‘Very, very protected metropolis’: Trump visits Washington restaurant for dinner amid federal police crackdown; watch
US president Donald Trump stepped out for dinner on Tuesday night time at a restaurant close to the White Home, as he continued to advertise his determination to deploy the Nationwide Guard and place Washington’s police power below federal management. Vice chairman JD Vance, conflict secretary Pete Hegseth and secretary of state Marco Rubio have been additionally with Trump. His brief motorcade trip to Joe’s Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab, got here after weeks of him boasting that federal motion had turned the capital into “a protected zone.” Talking to reporters throughout the uncommon outing, Trump mentioned, “It is a protected metropolis and I simply wish to thank the Nationwide Guard… The result is actually spectacular. We’ve a capital that is very, very protected proper now.”Trump advised reporters final week that eating out was one thing he needed to attempt, “I like the White Home meals, however after some time, I may see going to a pleasant restaurant. It’s protected.”Because the crackdown started on August 7, some eating places have reported fewer reservations, and protests have damaged out in a number of neighbourhoods. Elevated patrols have at occasions led to standoffs between residents and authorities, based on information company Related Press. The White Home has mentioned practically 2,200 arrests have been made in Washington for the reason that crackdown began. Related strikes have already been carried out in Los Angeles, and Trump has threatened to ship troops to different Democratic-run cities comparable to Baltimore, New Orleans and Chicago. On Saturday, Trump posted a parody picture of Apocalypse Now exhibiting helicopters over Chicago’s skyline, writing: “I like the odor of deportations within the morning. Chicago about to search out out why it’s known as the Division of WAR.” The submit adopted his govt order to rename the Defence Division because the Division of Battle, a change that also wants Congress approval. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker responded by calling Trump a “wannabe dictator,” becoming a member of different officers and residents who say a federal crackdown in Chicago just isn’t wanted.