Rep. Bryan Steil (R-Wis.), the Congressional representative for Kenosha, Wisconsin, weighed in with his thoughts on President Donald Trump’s visit to the embattled city.
On Tuesday morning, Steil took to Twitter just hours ahead of the president’s visit to Kenosha.
“President Trump answered my call when help was needed in Kenosha,” Steil said in a statement on Twitter. “Now he wants to thank the men and women who helped restore public safety in our community of Kenosha.”
He added, “It’s positive he is coming to thank them and to help begin the process of healing and rebuilding our community.”
My statement on President @realDonaldTrump’s visit to Kenosha: pic.twitter.com/dV8oBtZTL6
— Bryan Steil (@RepBryanSteil) September 1, 2020
Steil’s support of Trump’s visit to Kenosha comes amid heightened concerns from state and local officials and community leaders as the civil unrest continues.
Over the last week, protests and riots have erupted in Kenosha following the officer-involved shooting of Jacob Blake, Jr. Amid the unrest, two protesters were also fatally shot in Kenosha last week.
Although Steil believes Trump’s presence will help the community to move in the right direction, Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers (D) argues otherwise.
On Monday, Evers even penned a letter to Trump asking him to reconsider visiting Kenosha at a different time.
“I, along with other community leaders who have reached out, are concerned about what your presence will mean for Kenosha and our state,” Evers wrote. “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.”
Wisconsin’s lieutenant governor, Mandela Barnes, also echoed similar sentiments. As he noted the Republican National Convention’s focus, Barnes admitted he is unsure how the president’s visit will be helpful.
“They centered an entire convention around creating more animosity and creating more division around what’s going on in Kenosha,” Barnes told CNN. “So I don’t know how, given any of the previous statements that the president made, that he intends to come here to be helpful, and we absolutely don’t need that right now.”
