DONALD TRUMP believes that “generally speaking” the practice of police officers in the US using chokeholds should be ended.
Speaking in an interview with Fox News, the US President appeared conflicted on the subject, telling reporter Harris Faulkner that "the concept of chokeholds sounds so innocent and so perfect" in "one-on-one struggles".
"Sometimes if you're alone, and you're fighting someone who’s tough, and you get somebody in a chokehold... What are you gonna do now? Let go and say: 'Oh let's start all over again? I'm not allowed to have you in a chokehold'," he said.
"I think the concept of chokeholds sounds so innocent, so perfect. And then you realise if it's a one-on-one now if it's a two on one that's a little bit of a different story, depending on the toughness and strength... if a police officer is in a bad scuffle and he's got somebody...That does happen, so you have to be careful.
"With that being said, it would be, I think, a very good thing that, generally speaking, it should be ended," he added.
Trump on police chokeholds: "I think the concept of chokeholds sounds so innocent and so perfect." pic.twitter.com/3NbyFwX26R
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) June 12, 2020
A chokehold refers to the action whereby a police officer puts their arm around the neck of a suspect, cutting off their airwaves and disabling them in the process.
Mr. Trump’s remarks are unlikely to appease protestors demonstrating as part of the Black Lives Matter movement in the US, which was sparked into action following the death of George Floyd.
Demonstrations held in solidarity with those protestors were also witnessed across Ireland in cities like Dublin.
While Mr. Floyd was not placed in a chokehold, the 46-year-old African-American has emerged as a symbol of police brutality and racism after a white police officer was filmed kneeling on his neck.
The officer knelt on Mr. Floyd’s neck for almost nine minutes, during which time he stopped breathing and lost consciousness. He was declared dead an hour later.
Widely viewed as a symbol of police brutality, many police departments across the US have already moved to ban the practice, however it has yet to be banned nationwide.
The Fox News interview also saw Mr Trump repeat his claim that he has done more for the black community than any other president, going as far as to suggest that while Abraham Lincoln's might have been greater it was "always questionable".
Trump: I think I’ve done more for the black community than any other President and let’s take a pass on Abraham Lincoln because he did good but although it’s always questionable, you know in other words the end result
Harris: Well we are free Mr. President pic.twitter.com/advWPuSKwv— Acyn (@Acyn) June 12, 2020
"I think I've done more for the black community than any other president. And let's take a pass on Abraham Lincoln 'cause he did good, although it's always questionable. You know, in other words, the end result," he said.
