[ad_1]
US President Donald Trump has visited Kenosha, the city in the state of Wisconsin, where there have been protests against police violence since a police officer shot an African-American seven times in the back on 23 August.
The visit was highly controversial: Trump criticized the protesters, but defended the counter-protests of his followers. The Governor of Wisconsin and the Mayor of Kenosha had asked him not to visit them. According to American expert Sarah Wagner, the fact that the American president was not deterred has to do with the local electorate.
SRF News: Donald Trump had the conflict beforehand in Kenosha reinforced with his statements. How were you now during your visit?
He re-emphasized this trend. Trump traveled to Kenosha primarily to meet with people whose homes and businesses had burned down in the wake of the protests and, of course, to express his support for the local police and National Guard.
The hot phase of the electoral campaign has begun. Trump now wants to produce photographs for the suburbs too.
His focus was clearly on the material, not the people. For example, he did not meet with the relatives of Jacob Blake, including the relatives of the protesters who were killed or injured.
Trump has presented himself as a president who can guarantee security. Why are you so firmly committed to “law and order” in this election campaign?
The hot phase of the electoral campaign has begun. Trump now also wants to produce images for the suburbs to create a contrast to Joe Biden. Trump is primarily concerned with white voters, whom he lost to Democrats in the midterm elections. He is counting on the fact that he will be seen as a “Law & Order” candidate and that his support for “Black Lives Matter” will wane. Describes an apocalyptic situation that only he can control. He suggests that chaos, protests, violence are spreading to the suburbs and that he is the only one who can put an end to it.
Is security really the issue that people are most concerned about?
It’s a bit early to assess that. But it is your traditional recipe for success. It is based on distraction, delegitimization, and heated rhetoric. You can see that in his speeches, in his tweets. But according to polls, the biggest concern of Americans is the corona pandemic. The lack of leadership, the financial situation and health insurance are, for example, issues that concern them.
As always, it is aimed at your constituency, not all Americans.
At the same time, Trump does not have great competition on the issue of racism and pacification. So it’s a balancing act for Trump to score here. But, as always, it is aimed at his constituency, not all Americans.
In the state of Wisconsin, Trump was only able to get a very fine victory in 2016. Is that one of the reasons why Trump just traveled there?
Absolutely. Along with states like Minnesota and Michigan, Wisconsin is a very important piece of the puzzle for Trump’s electoral success. That means, of course, that he came here again in person to show that I am here on the spot. I worry while Joe Biden, who has made a speech clearly against the violent protests, is not there.
Interview by Roger Aebli.
