Trump Visiting the Shooting Survivors and Families Pennsylvania Shooting
(CNN)President Donald Trump paid a solemn visit Tuesday to grieving Pittsburgh, where some local officials said his presence was unwelcome and where shouts of protestation could be heard in the distance as he viewed memorials to the murdered victims.
Trump went unaccompanied by a slate of elected leaders who declined invitations to bring together him. Instead he traveled alongside the first lady and prominent Jewish members of his administration -- including daughter Ivanka and son-in-police Jared Kushner -- to somberly lay stones atop the 11 Star of David markers planted in the ground outside the Tree of Life synagogue. The traditional Jewish practise was in remembrance of the victims of Saturday's shooting spree, the worst anti-Semitic attack in American history.
Trump was greeted at the scene by the congregation'south rabbi, Jeffrey Myers, and Israeli Ambassador to the US Ron Dermer. He lit candles in the synagogue's entryway, but did not venture into the sanctuary, which is yet considered a criminal offence scene.
Trump spent effectually three hours on the footing, and fabricated no public remarks. He appeared reverent while in public view, quietly placing small stones taken from the White House grounds on the white stars, while his wife placed single white rosebuds. Others in his entourage, including Ms. Trump, grew tearful, though the President remained stoic.
As he walked down the row of makeshift memorials, he was overheard ruminating on the tragedy at hand
"Very sorry. Very very sad," he said. "Hopefully we will larn a lot from what happened."
Within the University Pittsburgh Medical Center, the President spent roughly eighty minutes meeting with police force enforcement officials wounded while responding to Saturday'due south attack. He too spoke with the hospital's care team, according to Dr. Donald Yealy, the hospital's chair of emergency medicine.
Yealy said the President also spoke with some other patient in their infirmary room and a family fellow member of someone who had died at the shooting scene, though Yealy did non specify who. He added that the patients seemed grateful for the President's involvement and visit.
Outside the synagogue and hospital, aroused neighbors formed a march most where the President was paying his respects. Several carried signs objecting to Trump's visit, bearing slogans like "Words Affair," "Strength through Unity," "Watch Your Words" and "Hate does not work in our Neighborhoods."
It was a sign that Trump'southward presence in the city was non welcomed past many residents and local officials, who said they asked the White House to delay a visit until later on the victims of the set on were cached.
The President went ahead with the stop anyway, joined by his Jewish daughter and son-in-law and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.
Just most other officials who were invited to participate did non attend. Senate Bulk Leader Mitch McConnell, House Speaker Paul Ryan, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi were all asked to join the President merely did not take part in the visit, co-ordinate to ii congressional sources. Through their offices, McConnell and Ryan both cited scheduling conflicts.
Pennsylvania's 2 US senators were too non planning to join Trump in Pittsburgh. Sen. Pat Toomey, a Republican, was invited to join the President simply declined, according to a spokesman, citing previous commitments in another part of the state. Democratic Sen. Bob Casey was not invited by the White Firm, co-ordinate to his communications director. Casey will attend a acuity for the victims in southeastern Pennsylvania.
Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto -- who said this week Trump should forestall a visit while burials begin -- likewise did non appear with Trump.
"Mayor Peduto's sole focus today is on the funerals and supporting the families," said Tim McNulty, Peduto's communications managing director.
McNulty said "there has been communication with the White House" well-nigh the President'southward visit, only added officials did not become final word well-nigh the timing of the trip until information technology was fabricated public.
The timing
With an 11-rally entrada itinerary set to begin later this week, there is little flexibility in the President's schedule. The President has insisted that his rallies for Republican candidates non be canceled following the shooting and has told aides he is itching to hit the trail.
On Mon evening, Peduto said on CNN that he advised Trump'southward aides that a visit on Tuesday was too early.
"Nosotros did effort to get the message out to the White House that our priority tomorrow is the first funeral," Peduto told CNN's Anderson Cooper.
A White House official said on Tuesday there was a word well-nigh scheduling the visit later in the calendar week -- perchance on Wednesday or Thursday -- just the optics of visiting Pittsburgh on the same solar day every bit 1 of the President's campaign rallies weren't viewed equally ideal.
And, the official said, the President was insistent on visiting Pittsburgh because he said he would on Saturday, long before anyone knew almost objections from local officials.
Trump is scheduled to be in Florida on Midweek night and Missouri on Th night, followed by 2 rallies a day on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Finally, on Monday, he has 3 rallies.
The White Firm Role of Public Appointment, which is a liaison to local authorities officials and groups, is taking the lead on the Pittsburgh trip. An official says they all the same believe the trip can work by visiting constabulary enforcement officials and mayhap the wounded officers still in the hospital.
All presidential travel comes with heavy security and logistics concerns; in the past, the White House has said visiting the sites of tragedies or disasters must come with consideration for events on the basis.
In addition to helping protect the President in Pittsburgh, police forces were besides tasked Tuesday with guarding the funerals for victims began on Tuesday.
Political rhetoric
Trump'due south visit comes amidst a widening national debate over the President'south rhetoric, including the angry and at times violent letters he espouses during entrada rallies.
In Pittsburgh, some progressive Jewish leaders have encouraged the President to stay domicile. In an open alphabetic character to the President, members of the city'southward "Bend the Arc" organization, a progressive group, wrote that his words and policies over the by three years "accept emboldened a growing white nationalist movement," and that he is not welcome until he "fully (denounces) white nationalism."
But Myers, who was leading services at Tree of Life during Saturday's shooting, said on CNN'due south "New Day" Monday that "the President of the United States is always welcome."
"I'thousand a citizen. He'south my President. He is certainly welcome," he said.
When Trump has met with victims' families after mass shootings or natural disasters in the past, he has conveyed a mode of empathy that can sometimes feel stilted, particularly when compared to the freewheeling style he employs in most settings. He has nevertheless to deliver a eulogy at a memorial service honoring the memories of Americans slain in gun violence or other attacks.
When Trump met with family members of the Parkland, Florida, loftier school shooting earlier this year, he was photographed clutching a notecard with handwritten prompts similar "I hear yous" and "What would you most want me to know about your feel?" -- a signal, at minimum, that some aides worried the usual signals of empathy may non come up easily to him.
CNN's Julia Jones and Leslie The netherlands contributed to this study.
Source: https://www.cnn.com/2018/10/30/politics/donald-trump-pittsburgh-visit-shooting/index.html
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