Donald Trump ‘wins’ police union with his support for officers
A US police union has endorsed Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump after the controversial politician had vowed to call for the death penalty for anyone killing a police officer.
The New England Police Benevolent Association had a closed-door meeting where Trump was discussed. While the controversial US politician is currently under fire for his proposal to ban Muslims from entering the country, most of the conversation involving him in the meeting was about his support for the police.
The NEPBA Executive Director Jerry Flynn said Trump was the only one to attend the meeting. Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush was unable to come despite responding to the invitation.
"At this point, those of us who are supportive of any party have to look at what is the best interest of our members," AP quoted Flynn as saying. He said the union had a clear message to consider what the next US president is going to do “to unite this country in an effort to save police officers.”
Trump has voiced strong support for police officers. "One of the first things I'd do in terms of executive order if I win will be sign a strong, strong statement that will go out to the country, out to the world, that anybody killing policemen, police woman, police officer, anybody killing a police officer, death penalty is going to happen, OK," Trump said after the meeting.
Trump is often accused of being a fascist in his political ideologies. However, Robert Paxton finds the term inappropriate for the Republican. "I don't think it helps very much to use this inflammatory term [fascism] about Trump,” Vox quoted the author of “The Anatomy of Fascism” as saying. “‘Populist demagogue' works fine."
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