Washington – Local government representatives in major American cities have spoken out to reject President Donald Trump's accusations that Democrat-controlled urban areas are being ruined by a wave of protests and violence.
In statements and interviews, mayors and police officials in multiple cities insisted that the actual situation is not as severe as the president described, and accused the White House of exaggerating events for political purposes.
Trump had repeatedly claimed that cities run by Democrats are engulfed in riots, with property destroyed and public safety threatened. The president also raised the possibility of deploying federal forces to intervene.
However, local officials said the vast majority of protests have been peaceful, that violent incidents have been isolated and have been dealt with. They stressed that deploying federal forces without the consent of state and local authorities is unnecessary and could further complicate the situation.
Some mayors also criticized the use of inaccurate images and figures to describe conditions in their cities, calling it an act that sows public confusion and erodes trust in local government.
The development shows tensions continue to mount between the Trump administration and Democrat-led cities amid ongoing protests against racial injustice and police violence in many places.
