By — Associated Press Associated Press By — Joshua Barajas Joshua Barajas Leave a comment 0comments Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/watch-trump-calls-for-death-penalty-for-anyone-who-kills-a-cop Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter WATCH: Trump calls for death penalty for anyone who kills a police officer Politics Dec 15, 2017 12:56 PM EDT WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump is calling for the death penalty for anyone convicted of killing a police officer. Trump, while speaking at the FBI National Academy in Virginia on Friday, pledged to support law enforcement officers and condemned those who attack them. During the presidential campaign, Trump pledged to sign an executive order as president that would demand capital punishment for cop killers. He has yet to do so. The president was warmly received by the crowd of local law enforcement officers who cheered his calls for a crackdown on gangs and an end to chain migration. The president painted a dark picture of a nation under siege by crime, at one moment wondering aloud “What the hell is going on in Chicago?” The crowd laughed. In an April speech to law enforcement officials, Trump was dismissive of officers who sought to protect suspects’ heads while putting them in police squad cars. “You can take the hand off,” the president said to cheers. Critics, including some police chiefs across the country, pushed back on the comments, which they saw as encouraging police brutality. WATCH: Trump says FBI handling of Clinton probe was ‘really disgraceful’ By — Associated Press Associated Press By — Joshua Barajas Joshua Barajas Joshua Barajas is a senior editor for the PBS NewsHour's Communities Initiative. He also the senior editor and manager of newsletters. @Josh_Barrage
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump is calling for the death penalty for anyone convicted of killing a police officer. Trump, while speaking at the FBI National Academy in Virginia on Friday, pledged to support law enforcement officers and condemned those who attack them. During the presidential campaign, Trump pledged to sign an executive order as president that would demand capital punishment for cop killers. He has yet to do so. The president was warmly received by the crowd of local law enforcement officers who cheered his calls for a crackdown on gangs and an end to chain migration. The president painted a dark picture of a nation under siege by crime, at one moment wondering aloud “What the hell is going on in Chicago?” The crowd laughed. In an April speech to law enforcement officials, Trump was dismissive of officers who sought to protect suspects’ heads while putting them in police squad cars. “You can take the hand off,” the president said to cheers. Critics, including some police chiefs across the country, pushed back on the comments, which they saw as encouraging police brutality. WATCH: Trump says FBI handling of Clinton probe was ‘really disgraceful’