Trump replied ‘White people are being killed too’ when asked why Black Americans are killed by cops [Video]

• President Donald Trump on Tuesday told CBS News’ Catherine Herridge that “more white people” are being killed by the police.
• Trump’s remark was made in an interview after he was asked why Black Americans are “still dying at the hands of law enforcement in this country.”
• Trump also said that “whether it’s Confederate flags or Black Lives Matter or anything else you want to talk about. It’s freedom of speech.”

President Donald Trump was interviewed on Tuesday by CBS News’ Catherine Herridge and was asked why Black Americans are “still dying at the hands of law enforcement in this country.”

Trump replied: “So are White people. So are White people. What a terrible question to ask.” He added: “More White people, by the way. More White people.”

The president is actually correct, according to a Harvard study published in late June. Between 2013 and 2017, the number of White people killed by the police was higher than any other demographic, the researchers found. The reason is that White people constitute a larger portion of the population than Black people.

The Harvard study also revealed that Black Americans were three times more likely to be killed by police officers than White people.

Another study published in 2018 found that Black men are about 3.5 times more likely to be killed by cops than White men. In a 2019 study, it was found that one in 1,000 Black men in the U.S. can expect to die at the hands of law enforcement over the course of their lifetimes.

In the interview, Trump said that Floyd’s death was “terrible”.

The president was also asked about the Confederate flag and statues of Confederate officials. Trump said he believed the debate over the flag is a freedom of speech issue.

“All I say is freedom of speech. It’s very simple. My attitude is freedom of speech. Very strong views on the Confederate flag… Like it, don’t like it, it’s freedom of speech,” Trump said.

Trump was then asked if would be “comfortable” with supporters displaying the Confederate flag at his campaign events.

“You know, it depends on what your definition is. But I am comfortable with freedom of speech. It’s very simple,” the president replied.

Herridge pressed the president on whether he understood “why the flag is a painful symbol for many people because it’s a reminder of slavery.”

“Well, people love it and I don’t view — I know people that like the Confederate flag and they’re not thinking about slavery. I look at NASCAR — you go to NASCAR, you had those flags all over the place. They stopped it,” he responded.

“I just think it’s freedom of speech, whether it’s freedom of speech, whether it’s Confederate flags or Black Lives Matter or anything else you want to talk about. It’s freedom of speech,” Trump continued.

Source: CBS News