Donald Trump, the FBI, and the Department of Justice announced on Wednesday that the Trump administration had completed a “historic operation” involving the arrest and indictment of several MS-13 gang members and leaders. They also said it was the first time than a member of MS-13 has been charged with terrorism-related offenses.
“We believe the monsters who murder children should be put to death,” Trump said during the briefing in the oval office. “These people murder children and they do it as slowly and viciously as possible. We will not allow these animals to terrorize our communities. And my administration will not rest until every member of MS-13 is brought to justice.”
Back in in August 2019, the Trump administration announced their initiative targeting MS-13 would be called Joint Task Force Vulcan.
It would take a whole book to explain the political implications of these statements, how MS-13 originated, and unpack the effectiveness of Trump’s approach to the gang—so we won’t go there.
However, many took advantage of an opportunity to call Trump out for making this dramatic announcement during the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. Others chose to point out that coronavirus has killed many more Americans than MS-13.
“Trump said monsters who murder children should be put to death,” one Twitter user wrote. “I hope everyone remembers this when schools reopen.”
Check out more reactions to the announcement below.
