Trump will arrive in the city on Tuesday, even after Wisconsin governor Tony Evers and Kenosha mayor John Antaramian expressed concern over the visit. Rioters have burned businesses to the ground and faced off against local police and National Guard members after a Kenosha officer shot Blake seven times during an arrest.
The rioting has died down after over 1,000 National Guard members were deployed to the city.
“The White House has been humbled by the outreach of individuals from Kenosha who have welcomed the President’s visit and are longing for leadership to support local law enforcement and businesses that have been vandalized,” White House spokesman Judd Deere said on Sunday night. “President Trump looks forward to visiting on Tuesday and helping this great city heal and rebuild.”
Governor Evers had written that the president’s presence would not help the city at the current time.
“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 said. “Now is not the time for elected officials to ignore armed militants and out-of-state instigators who want to contribute to our anguish.”
Local Republicans, meanwhile, have welcomed the president’s visit.
“Nobody said Evers coming to Kenosha was political. I think [Trump’s visit] might bring up the morale of the people of Kenosha,” Erin Decker, a Kenosha County board supervisor and chairwoman of the local Republican Party, said on Sunday. “I’m so happy he’s coming by and that he cares enough about Kenosha to take time out of his busy schedule.”
