President Trump breaks his silence on dead Colts linebacker
One of the narratives that President Donald Trump detractors try to peddle is that he’s a soulless and petty racist.
While it’s impossible to know what’s truly in someone’s heart, there is mounting evidence to suggest otherwise.
Take, for example, the tragic death Sunday of 26-year-old Indianapolis Colts linebacker Edwin Jackson.
We know that the NFL and Trump are hardly allies.
At a rally in September, Trump railed against the league and its players who protested the national anthem.
The league responded with mass protests during the national anthem from nearly every team.
Even teams that had never knelt for the anthem before, such as the Buffalo Bills, Baltimore Ravens and New England Patriots, all participated in sending a message to Trump.
The president could’ve easily remained mum on the death of Jackson. He was not a household name by any stretch.
Nobody would’ve thought anything about Trump’s silence on the matter.
Instead, Trump came out to offer his condolences to the Colts linebacker affectionately referred to as “Pound Cake.”
My prayers and best wishes are with the family of Edwin Jackson, a wonderful young man whose life was so senselessly taken. @Colts
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 6, 2018
Vice President Mike Pence also chimed in on Twitter. Pence is from Indiana.
On my way to Alaska. I was very saddened to hear of the passing of Indianapolis @Colts linebacker Edwin Jackson. This was a senseless & avoidable tragedy. This is a great loss for the entire Indiana community. My prayers are with his family in their time of grief. https://t.co/JKkzxakfmE
— Vice President Mike Pence Archived (@VP45) February 6, 2018
Trump also tried to raise awareness for one of his big platforms, immigration reform, as more details emerged about the circumstances surrounding Jackson’s death.
So disgraceful that a person illegally in our country killed @Colts linebacker Edwin Jackson. This is just one of many such preventable tragedies. We must get the Dems to get tough on the Border, and with illegal immigration, FAST!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 6, 2018
Jackson and his Uber driver, Jeffrey Monroe, were both killed after Manuel Orrego-Savala allegedly drove into them on the side of the highway.
Orrego-Savala had a blood alcohol level of .239, almost triple the legal limit of .08, per the Indianapolis Star.
To make matters worse, Orrego-Savala was also in the United States illegally.
Orrego-Savala has had three prior run-ins with the law, with two of the incidents getting him deported to Guatemala.
In 2005, Orrego-Savala was arrested for driving under the influence in Redwood City, California.
In 2006, Orrego-Savala was arrested by ICE in San Francisco for being in the country illegally. That led to his first deportation to Guatemala.
In 2009, Orrego-Savala was again arrested by immigration officers, prompting his second deportation.
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