Pentagon boss regrets joining  Trump photo op

Pentagon chief Mark Esper distanced himself from US President Donald Trump and said Wednesday, June 3, that he disagrees with using the military to stem the massive wave of protest against racism and police brutality and  admitted that it was a mistake to pose alongside Trump for the bible “photo op:

Amid protests over the death of George Floyd, a black citizen who was suffocated by a white police officer in Minneapolis, Trump on Monday threatened to deploy the military to “quickly fix the situation,” sparking a wave of criticism.

On  Wednesday, the head of the Pentagon stated  that he is against the use of active military forces to stem the wave of protests.

“I do not support the use of the Insurrection Law,” said Esper, who thinks that active troops “should only be used as a last resort and only in the most urgent and serious situations.”

“I have always believed and continue to believe that the National Guard is better suited to provide internal support to civil authorities in these situations,” the defense secretary said at a press conference, referring to the contingent of reservists.

Esper also spoke about the controversy after Trump on Monday suppressed a peaceful rally in front of the White House to clear the area and pose with a bible in front of a church that was damaged on the sidelines of a rally over the weekend.

The action has been condenmned by former generals and church leaders.