In a Sunday morning tweet, President Trump stated that “Radical Left anarchists, agitators, looters or protestors” would be prevented from destroying or damaging memorial buildings to former presidents, and that they will get an “automatic 10 years in prison” if they try.
Setting aside his call to circumvent the criminal justice system, Trump didn’t explain how “protesters” would be able to get significant construction equipment on to the National Mall to dismantle the 555-feet, 88,000-ton Washington Monument or other buildings in DC.
No, Radical Left anarchists, agitators, looters or protesters will not be knocking down or harming the Washington Monument, the Lincoln or Jefferson Memorials, or just about any other Federal Monumrnt or Statue. If they even try, an automatic 10 years in prison. Sorry!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 12, 2020
This week, Trump commuted the prison sentence of Roger Stone, a man who was convicted of seven felonies in relation to undermining US elections and judicial processes; Trump’s claim that vandals would face greater punishment than Stone was mocked by conservative pundit Bill Kristol.
Not to be too earnest, but may I say that the real Washington monument and the true Lincoln memorial is our free system of government, to which your presidency has done real damage, and to which your re-election would do far more? https://t.co/9OLd554sUQ
— Bill Kristol (@BillKristol) July 12, 2020
It also led to a number of humorous memes about the efforts of “looters” and others to knock down the Washington Monument.