Donald Trump photo op at St. John's Church

"Trump bible controversy" redirects here. For controversies surrounding the bible endorsed by Trump, see God Bless the U.S.A. Bible § Criticism.

Donald Trump photo op at St. John's Church
President Donald Trump, dressed in a dark blue suit with a light blue tie and white dress shirt, holds a copy of the Bible in front of Ashburton House, a former private residence which now serves as the priory house of St. John's Episcopal Church just north of Lafayette Square. St. John's is popularly known as the "Church of the Presidents" because every president since James Madison has attended services there at least once, typically on the day of their inauguration.
President Donald Trump holding a Bible in front of Ashburton House, the parish house of St. John's Episcopal Church
DateJune 1, 2020 (2020-06-01)
Time7:06–7:11 p.m. EDT
VenueLafayette Square, St. John's Episcopal Church, and Ashburton House
Coordinates38°54′01″N 77°02′09″W / 38.9003°N 77.0358°W / 38.9003; -77.0358
TargetProtesters in and around Lafayette Square
Filmed byNews media, protesters, bystanders
ParticipantsU.S. government, news media and protesters
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On June 1, 2020, amid the George Floyd protests in Washington, D.C., law enforcement officers used tear gas and other riot control tactics to forcefully clear peaceful protesters from Lafayette Square, creating a path for President Donald Trump and senior administration officials to walk from the White House to St. John's Episcopal Church.[1][2][3] Trump held a Bible and posed for a photo op in front of Ashburton House (the church's parish house), which had been defaced by graffiti and damaged by a fire set during protests the night before.[4][5]

The clearing of demonstrators from Lafayette Square was widely condemned as excessive force and an affront to the First Amendment right to freedom of assembly.[6][7] Just before visiting the church, Trump delivered a speech in which he urged the governors of U.S. states to quell violent protests by using the National Guard to "dominate the streets," or he would otherwise "deploy the United States military and quickly solve the problem."[8][9][10]

Former military leaders, current religious leaders, and elected officials from both major political parties condemned Trump for the event,[11] though some of Trump's fellow Republicans defended the actions.[12] The event was described by The New York Times as "a burst of violence unlike any seen in the shadow of the White House in generations" and possibly one of the defining moments of the Trump presidency.[7] Civil liberties groups filed a federal lawsuit against Trump, U.S. Attorney General William Barr, and other federal officials, alleging they violated protesters' constitutional rights.[13] General Mark A. Milley, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, later apologized for his role in the photo op.[14]

A June 2021 Interior Department Inspector General review of U.S. Park Police actions found that Park Police cleared Lafayette Square as part of a plan to erect fencing.[15][16][17] The Park Police incident commander was reportedly stunned when Barr informed him of Trump's impending visit.[18] That report also confirmed the use of tear gas by D.C. Metropolitan Police, revealed Park Police did not request deployment of Bureau of Prisons to the park, and reported that it was not known why U.S. Secret Service had deployed ahead of schedule, advancing on protesters before the Park Police had a chance to warn protesters to disperse.[19][20][17]: 15  The report also indicated that Park Police commanders could not identify who gave the order to deploy.[17]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference Bakarat was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference Johnson was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference Natanson was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Barnes, Sophia (June 1, 2020). "Historic Church Near White House Damaged Amid Unrest; Leaders Pray for Healing". WRC-TV. Archived from the original on October 5, 2020. Retrieved June 3, 2020.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference lawlessness was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Epps, Garrett (June 2, 2020). "Trump's Grotesque Violation of the First Amendment". The Atlantic. Archived from the original on June 3, 2020. Retrieved June 2, 2020.
  7. ^ a b Baker, Peter; Haberman, Maggie; Rogers, Katie; Kanno-Youngs, Zolan; Benner, Katie (June 2, 2020). "How Trump's Idea for a Photo Op Led to Havoc in a Park". The New York Times. Archived from the original on September 19, 2020. Retrieved March 18, 2023.
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference Irish News 2020-06-02 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ Colvin, Jill; Superville, Darlene (June 2, 2020). "Tear gas, threats for protesters before Trump visits church". Associated Press. Archived from the original on June 3, 2020. Retrieved June 3, 2020.
  10. ^ Cite error: The named reference CBS June 2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  11. ^ Cite error: The named reference Collinson was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  12. ^ Cite error: The named reference RajuTop was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  13. ^ Cite error: The named reference Hsu was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  14. ^ Cooper, Helene (June 11, 2020). "Milley Apologizes for Role in Trump Photo Op: 'I Should Not Have Been There'". The New York Times. Archived from the original on June 11, 2020. Retrieved February 20, 2023.
  15. ^ Cite error: The named reference Jackman was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  16. ^ Cite error: The named reference Wild was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  17. ^ a b c Review of U.S. Park Police Actions at Lafayette Park. Office of Inspector General (Report). United States Department of the Interior. June 8, 2021. 20-0563. Retrieved February 20, 2023.
  18. ^ Klasfeld, Adam (June 9, 2021). "'Are You Freaking Kidding Me?': Inspector General Says Police Commander Was Stunned by Trump Photo Op, Turning Lafayette Square Narrative on Its Head". Law & Crime. Retrieved February 20, 2023.
  19. ^ Dilanian, Ken (June 9, 2021). "Police did not clear D.C.'s Lafayette Square of protesters so Trump could hold a photo op, new report says". NBC News. Retrieved June 9, 2021.
  20. ^ Cite error: The named reference NPR Montarano was invoked but never defined (see the help page).