Sen. Tim Scott Criticizes Trump for Clearing Lafayette Square for a Photo-Op

President Donald Trump is receiving criticism from both sides of the political aisle after law enforcement cleared peaceful protesters from the area in front of the White House ahead of the curfew on Monday.

After the president delivered remarks on violent demonstrations that have swept the nation, he walked through Lafayette Square — where protesters were gathered before his speech — to the historic St. John’s Church where he posed with a Bible.

Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) told Politico on Tuesday that Trump should not have cleared the peaceful protesters for the moment, “If your question is, should you use tear gas to clear a path so the president can go have a photo-op, the answer is no.”

Trump’s decision to clear Lafayette Square comes after days of violent demonstrations erupted across the country in the wake of 👤George Floyd’s death.

Floyd died in police custody on May 25 after a Minneapolis police officer pinned him to the ground by placing his knee on Floyd’s neck. That officer has been charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter.

Many protests across the country have been peaceful, and in some instances, police officers have