Cuomo: Trump ‘wants to make it a reality TV show of God and country’

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) said Monday that President Trump wants to make the protests over George Floyd’s death “a reality TV show of God and country.”

The New York governor condemned the president’s move to visit St. John’s Church after law enforcement in Lafayette Square used tear gas to forcibly remove protesters from the area.

“The president wants to make it a reality TV show of God and country,” Cuomo told CNN following the dispersal. “‘Call out the military and then I go to church and hold up a Bible.'” 

.@NYGovCuomo: “The protesters themselves have been making a very valid point: wake up America, we’re killing people based on the color of their skin … POTUS wants to make it a reality TV show of God & country. ‘Call out the military & then I go to church & hold up a Bible.'” pic.twitter.com/czmZR2G1QU

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) June 1, 2020

The governor said he understands who Trump is trying to appeal to with the move, but added “that’s not what’s happening in this country today.”

Cuomo later blasted Trump in a Twitter statement, saying he is “calling out the American military against American citizens.”

“He used the military to push out a peaceful protest so he could have a photo op at a church,” Cuomo tweeted. “It’s all just a reality TV show for this president. Shameful.”

The president is calling out the American military against American citizens.

He used the military to push out a peaceful protest so he could have a photo op at a church.

It’s all just a reality TV show for this president.

Shameful.

— Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) June 1, 2020

Cuomo added on CNN that the protesters are “making a very valid point.”

“‘Wake up America. We’re killing people based on the color of their skin.’ And it is a real issue.”

Earlier, the governor announced a curfew for New York City starting Monday night from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. the following day.

The president headed to the church that was set on fire during Sunday demonstrations after he had promised to mobilize the military in response to the protests over Floyd’s death across the country.

Floyd, a 46-year-old African American man, died after being detained by police in Minneapolis last week. Former officer Derek Chauvin was shown in a bystander video kneeling on Floyd’s neck for about nine minutes as Floyd said he couldn’t breathe and became unresponsive.

Chauvin has been charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter and was fired from the police department.