Mayor Lori Lightfoot says he’s “deepening the despair that so many people feel.”
Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle calls it a “terrible idea.”
Gov. J.B. Pritzker says he “should stay home.”
Leading Illinois Democrats aren’t rolling out the Welcome Wagon for President Donald Trump, arguing the Republican president must skip his Tuesday consult with to Kenosha, Wis.
At an unrelated information convention, Lightfoot stated she used to be considering Trump’s consult with as a result of he “exploits tensions” and creates “division” — each are “the very last thing Kenosha wishes after the taking pictures of Jacob Blake.
“If I believed that he would come with a message of healing and unity that would be one thing,” Lightfoot stated, pronouncing she agreed with Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers who prompt the president to not consult with.
“We need to figure out how we can build bridges to each other, we need to get rid of the divisive rhetoric,” Lightfoot stated. “All that’s doing is deepening the despair that so many people feel.”
Trump is scheduled to reach within the space Tuesday afternoon.
The White House has now not launched an in depth itinerary for Trump’s consult with, however the president informed newshounds on Monday, “I’m going to a place where we moved very quickly — you know that — in Wisconsin. And we moved very, very quickly. And as soon as we moved, that was the end of that. It was very well behaved.”
President Donald Trump speaks at a information convention within the James Brady Press Briefing Room on the White House on Monday.Andrew Harnik/AP
Apparently relating to National Guard troops, Trump stated he deliberate “to see the people that did such a good job for me. And we’re meeting with numerous people. And we have tremendous support in the state of Wisconsin. So I promised them, when it all gets taken care of, we’ll go.”
Asked if he had issues his consult with would building up tensions and violence, Trump stated “Well, it could also increase enthusiasm and it could increase love and respect for our country. And that’s why I’m going, because they did a fantastic job.”
During the Republican National Convention ultimate week, Trump put Kenosha on a listing of “Democrat-run cities,” together with Chicago, that he criticized for his or her dealing with of “rioting, looting, arson and violence” over the summer season.
Last week, Trump made no point out of Blake, a 29-year-old Black guy, who used to be shot seven occasions within the again by way of a white police officer, known by way of government as Rusten Sheskey, on Aug. 23.
On Monday, the president stated he spoke to the Blake circle of relatives pastor, however would now not be assembly with the circle of relatives right through his consult with, as a result of “they wanted to have lawyers involved, and I thought that was inappropriate, so I didn’t do that.”
A video of the taking pictures sparked day by day protests and a few violent confrontations between Black Lives Matter supporters and a defense force staff.
One evening of unrest left two folks useless and some other wounded.
Preckwinkle stated with the “volatile situation there” she didn’t see how “the president’s presence contributes to peace and harmony.”
“I think it’s a terrible idea, but I have no influence on the president’s decision making,” Preckwinkle stated.
Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle in 2019. Colin Boyle/Sun-Times report
Some of Illinois’ best Republicans — together with the chair of the Illinois Republican Party, Timothy Schneider; state House Republican Leader Jim Durkin and state Sen. Bill Brady — weren’t instantly to be had for remark.
Sean Morrison, chair of the Cook County Republican Party, stated he helps the president visiting Kenosha as a result of “offering empathy and support to the business owners and those left jobless as a result of the violence is certainly a very human thing.”
In a commentary, Pritzker stated “Trump has performed not anything however inflame…