Fox News Contributor Slams Trump’s Church Photo Op Amid Ongoing Nationwide Unrest: ‘That’s Not the American Way’
Former Washington, D.C. detective and Fox News contributor Ted Williams lashed out at President Donald Trump’s divisiveness and lack of leadership amid the nationwide unrest and zeroed in on the staged photo-op conducted by the White House at St. John’s Church on the previous Monday.
Speaking with Fox News anchor Neil Cavuto by phone as images of George Floyd’s memorial service in Houston played on screen, Williams laid into the president for personally attacking D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser as well as the peaceful protestors in his hometown for the widely panned stunt of walking through the just-cleared street and church to briefly pose for photos with someone else’s Bible.
“The politics of it is always disturbing for me. I don’t think that a President of the United States should ever get down in the gutter and call a mayor of a city weak,” Williams said, alluding to Trump’s Twitter insults of Bowser. “When you look at the demonstrations that took place in Washington, D.C., if you have peaceful demonstrations, that’s the American way. You have to respect it. If it’s not peaceful, then you have to take the appropriate action. But it was very disturbing for me to see demonstrators peacefully demonstrating a all of a sudden, they are being hit across the head, gas canisters are being thrown in their direction, all for the President of the United States to go to church, hold up a bible upside down, and for a photo op.”
“This is serious business we are dealing within this country right now. We are a divided country,” Williams continued. “We need leaders from the president on down to bring us together and stop this division that’s going on in this country. Because I can tell you soon or later, it’s going to lead to a match being lit and this country is going to be on fire. That is something that I don’t want to see.”
Cavuto then asked if Williams thought any good came from Trump’s PR move.
“Absolutely not. We don’t need photo ops. We need a president to lead,” a clearly agitated Williams replied. “I’ve seen a Democratic president, Republican president who we have looked up to and respected. We don’t respect people who go out for photo ops. That’s not the American way. We need presidents, and I’m not talking about Democratic presidents or Republican presidents. I just want somebody to show leadership and that’s what’s lacking in this country right now.
“Ted Williams, very good having you, my friend,” Cavuto responded, before hinting at his solidarity with Williams’ condemnation. “Those are very powerful words. I’m not surprised by any of them.”
Watch the video above, via Fox News.
