Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers Urges Trump Not To Visit After Police Shooting

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers (D) wrote to President Donald Trump on Sunday, urging him to “reconsider” his plans to visit Kenosha, Wisconsin, in the wake of the police shooting of Jacob Blake.

Evers wrote in a letter to the White House that Trump’s visit could “hinder” the community’s attempts to heal, following protests after a video showed Kenosha police shooting Blake seven times in the back, leaving him paralyzed from the waist down.

“I, along with other community leaders who have reached out, are concerned about what your presence will mean for Kenosha and our state,” he wrote. “I am concerned your presence will only hinder our healing. I am concerned your presence will only delay our work to overcome division and move forward together.”

Evers added: “I am likewise concerned that an in-person visit from you will require a massive re-direction of these resources to support your visit at a time when it is critical that we continue to remain focused on keeping the people of Kenosha safe and supporting the community’s response.”

Trump plans to visit on Tuesday, to “survey” the damage and meet with law enforcement. He confirmed his plans to travel to Kenosha in a tweet Monday, after he had received the letter.

“I want to thank Law Enforcement and the National Guard,” Trump tweeted. “I will see you on Tuesday!”

Kenosha’s mayor on Sunday echoed Evers in requesting that the president do not visit.

“Realistically, from our perspective, our preference would have been for him not to be coming at this point in time,” Mayor John Antaramian (D) told NPR.

He continued: “All presidents are always welcome and campaign issues are always going on. But it would have been, I think, better had he waited to have for another time to come.”