Pittsburgh mayor: Our priority is funerals, not Trump’s visit

The mayor of Pittsburgh suggested that President Trump choose a different time to visit the city rather than the day of the first of 11 funerals for the victims of Saturday’s synagogue shooting.

Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto (D) told CNN’s Anderson Cooper on Monday that he tried to tell the White House that the city’s priority on Tuesday will be the first funeral — not Trump’s visit.

{mosads}“I do believe that it would be best to put the attention on the families this week and if he were to visit choose a different time to be able to do it,” Peduto said. “Our focus as a city will be on the families and the outreach they will need this week and the support they’ll need to get through it.” 

“Its not a day to show anger,” Tree of Life Rabbi Jeffrey Myers tells, @AndersonCooper, as he prepares the first two funerals. Its not a day to show bitterness, its a day to celebrate the lives of two wonderful decent human beings and for gratitude that they were in our lives.” pic.twitter.com/WFZqBElbCN

— Anderson Cooper 360° (@AC360) October 29, 2018

The president and first lady Melania Trump are scheduled to travel to Pennsylvania on Tuesday following the mass shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue.

Trump told Fox News host Laura Ingraham on Monday night that he was going to pay his respects.

“I’m also going to the hospital to see the officers and some of the people that were so badly hurt,” Trump said. “I really look forward to going. I would have done it even sooner, but I didn’t want to disrupt any more than they already had disruption.”

His visit to the city has been met with some backlash. A group of progressive Jewish leaders penned an open letter on Sunday telling the president he is not welcome until he denounces white nationalism.

More than 57,000 people have signed a petition as of Monday night from the group, the Pittsburgh affiliate of Bend the Arc: A Jewish Partnership for Justice, telling Trump he’s not welcome in the city.

The Tree of Life synagogue’s rabbi, however, said that Trump is “always welcome.”

“I’m a citizen. He’s my president. He is certainly welcome,” Rabbi Jeffrey Myers said Monday.

Eleven congregants were killed on Saturday after a gunman opened fire, reportedly yelling “All Jews must die.”

The Anti-Defamation League said the shooting was likely the deadliest attack on Jewish people in U.S. history.

The accused perpetrator is in custody and has been charged with 29 counts, including multiple hate crimes.