rioters protesters fire
© REUTERS/Nicholas PfosiProtesters pose for photos in front of a burning building near the fifth police precinct during the fourth day of protests after the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S. May 29, 2020.
The violent protests engulfing many US cities are being staged by Antifa and the radical left, US President Donald Trump has said, claiming they just want to cause trouble and the riots have little to do with George Floyd's death.

"It's ANTIFA and the Radical Left. Don't lay the blame on others!" Trump insisted as he sent a barrage of tweets about the violent outbreaks across the country.


Those who clashed with law enforcers, set police vehicles on fire, looted shops and destroyed property in Minneapolis, New York, Atlanta, Portland and other cities, were "'Organized Groups' that have nothing to do with George Floyd," Trump stated.

The US has seen several days of riots after African American man George Floyd died in police custody in Minneapolis. Even the White House went into partial lockdown late on Friday due to protests nearby.

The president praised the Secret Service for how they handled the demonstrators who, he said, "were just there to cause trouble."





CNN blames 'RUSSIA, RUSSIA, RUSSIA' for George Floyd riots because they 'Can't blame China' - Trump

With riots sweeping America, a CNN guest suggested that Russia may be responsible for stoking anti-police anger in the US. President Trump ridiculed the "sick losers" at the network for their 'Russiagate' obsession.

"Here we go again," Trump tweeted on Saturday. "Fake News @CNN is blaming RUSSIA, RUSSIA, RUSSIA. They are sick losers with VERY bad ratings! P.S. Can't blame China because they need the cash?"


Earlier, National Urban League president and former New Orleans Mayor Marc Morial appeared on CNN, where he suggested that the riots in Minneapolis - now in their fourth day - were provoked by Russian agents and "white supremacists."

Morial wasn't the first liberal pundit to suggest Moscow's meddling, and not the actions of police officer and suspected murderer Derek Chauvin, may have triggered the riots. A host of 'Russiagate truthers' flooded social media with Kremlin conspiracies on Friday, as protesters in the Minnesota city looted stores and torched police stations.

However, accusations of outside meddling have also come from top officials in Minnesota. Governor Tim Walz has accused white supremacists and drug cartels of inflaming the violence, while Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison have all suggested the involvement of outside forces in the riots.

Notably, every one of these officials has been criticized for allowing the violence to flourish in recent days. Mayor Jacob Frey in particular has been targeted by President Trump for his apparent failure to "get tough and fight," after his police force abandoned two stations in as many days to arsonists.

Trump too has accused infiltrators of directing the violence. Rather than blaming the Kremlin, however, Trump has pointed the finger at "ANTIFA and the Radical Left." His Attorney General William Barr appears to agree. At a press conference on Saturday, he accused "outside radicals and agitators" of "exploiting the situation to pursue their own separate and violent agenda."

"The violence is planned, organized, and driven by anarchic and left extremist groups," Barr claimed.



Comment: There doesn't seem to be any evidence of this so far. The vast majority of rioters who have been arrested are locals.


Get tougher with protesters or federal government will send military, Trump warns 'liberal governors & mayors'

President Donald Trump has warned states and cities if they don't get "much tougher" on protesters, the federal government will get involved using the military, which has indicated it's on extraordinary four-hour recall status.

"Liberal Governors and Mayors must get MUCH tougher or the Federal Government will step in and do what has to be done, and that includes using the unlimited power of our Military and many arrests," Trump tweeted.


Comment: Unlimited power? Trump is trolling again:




He earlier lambasted Democratic officials in Minnesota for failing to tame the riots over the death of African American George Floyd, which occurred as white cop Derek Chauvin held him to the ground.

The Pentagon confirmed that its military units are on a four-hour recall status in case Minnesota's governor requests them.

Despite the curfew, protests have been raging for several days in Minneapolis and other cities, ranging from peaceful demonstrations to clashes with police. Many buildings were set on fire and businesses were looted. The National Guard has already been mobilized in the state.

Protests broke out throughout the country over the last few days, with one mob destroying businesses in California.

Trump won't mobilize US federal troops to quell George Floyd riots for now - National security advisor

The US president will not invoke federal authority over the National Guard as of yet, National Security Advisor Robert O'Brien has said. The decision to call in the troops rests with states' governors, he added.

"We're not going to federalize the Guard at this time," Robert O'Brien said, as quoted by Reuters.

Governors and mayors will remain in charge of making law enforcement decisions amid the ongoing mayhem over the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minnesota police.

President Donald Trump has previously warned that state and city authorities should employ tougher tactics while dealing with the nationwide riots. Otherwise, the federal government will use the "unlimited power of our military" and make "many arrests."

"Federalizing" means placing National Guard members - sometimes called citizen-soldiers - under the operational command of the Pentagon and the commander-in-chief, with an active-duty military officer assuming the chain of command.

The US National Guard was previously federalized for the purposes of Washington's interventions abroad, including the 2003 Iraq War and the invasion of Afghanistan. At home, the scheme was also used in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina back in 2005.