Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) echoed President Trump’s threat to deploy the “unlimited power” of the military amid mounting protests over the death of George Floyd, during an interview on “Fox and Friends” on Monday.
After commending the President for saying that he will declare “ANTIFA” as a terrorist organization, Cotton said that he finds the video of Floyd’s death “deeply disturbing.” The Arkansas senator then called on the Justice Department to investigate Floyd’s death, insisting that “the anarchy, rioting and looting” needs to end tonight.
Cotton went on to add that “the riots and the anarchy” from recent protests “have nothing to do with” Floyd’s death. He urged the President to deploy military police to quell the violence that has emerged from the protests.
“What the President can do is say that justice will be done in accordance with law for George Floyd and we will always respect the right of peaceful protest as many of these cities saw in the daytime, but the rioting, the anarchy and the looting ends tonight,” Cotton said. “If local law enforcement is overwhelmed, if local politicians will not do their most basic job to protect our citizens, let’s see how these anarchists respond when the 101st airborne is on the other side of the street.”
Cotton, who’s known to be a Trump ally, reiterated his call to the President in a Monday tweet saying that he should do “whatever it takes to restore order.”
And, if necessary, the 10th Mountain, 82nd Airborne, 1st Cav, 3rd Infantry—whatever it takes to restore order. No quarter for insurrectionists, anarchists, rioters, and looters. https://t.co/OnNJmnDrYM
— Tom Cotton (@TomCottonAR) June 1, 2020
Watch Cotton’s remarks below:
Sen. Tom Cotton: "If local law enforcement is overwhelmed, if local politicians will not do their most basic job to protect our citizens, let’s see how these anarchists respond to the 101st Airborne that is on the other side of the street." pic.twitter.com/a5y7fInDdE
— Talking Points Memo (@TPM) June 1, 2020
