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Trump Issues Forceful Call To 'Liberate' Virginia, Michigan and Minnesota

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President Donald Trump issued calls to “liberate” Virginia, Michigan and Minnesota in a series of tweets Friday morning.

The president’s first tweet read: “LIBERATE MINNESOTA!”

Protesters gathered outside of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz’s residence in St. Paul on Thursday, ahead of another protest planned on Friday, urging Walz to reopen the state amid the coronavirus pandemic, KSTP-TV reported.

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The protest used the slogan “Liberate Minnesota” and the Facebook event page said, “It is not the governor’s place to restrict free movement of Minnesota citizens.”

Trump then tweeted, “LIBERATE MICHIGAN!”

Do you think the governors in these three states are handling the pandemic poorly?

Thousands of protesters gathered in Lansing, Michigan, on Wednesday to oppose the extended stay-at-home order Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced last week.

Although the “Operation Gridlock” Facebook event told people to stay in their cars and protest with signs, many people gathered on the steps of the Michigan State Capitol building.

The final state Trump called to liberate was Virginia.

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Protesters had also gathered in Richmond, Virginia’s Capitol Square on Thursday to protest restrictions Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam had put on the state during the coronavirus pandemic, according to The Washington Post.

In the midst of the pandemic, Northam had also signed gun control measures into law to increase background checks, limit purchases of handguns and implement a “red-flag” law, USA Today reported.

Trump had weighed in on the issue in a January tweet as 20,000 gun owners and gun rights supporters gathered in Richmond to oppose the proposed gun restrictions.

In his Friday tweets, Trump also criticized New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and said he should “spend more time ‘doing’ and less time ‘complaining.'”

“Get out there and get the job done,” he tweeted.

“Stop talking!”

Trump on Thursday talked about those protesting coronavirus restrictions at their state capitols, saying “they listen to me” and “seem to be protesters that like me.”

“They all want to open. Nobody wants to stay shut, but they want to open safely. So do I, but we have large sections of the country right now that can start thinking about opening. There’ll be some mitigation and they’ll keep it going for a period of time,” he said at the daily coronavirus briefing.

“So, that will be a governor’s choice and we’ll have no problem with it.”

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Erin Coates was an editor for The Western Journal for over two years before becoming a news writer. A University of Oregon graduate, Erin has conducted research in data journalism and contributed to various publications as a writer and editor.
Erin Coates was an editor for The Western Journal for over two years before becoming a news writer. She grew up in San Diego, California, proceeding to attend the University of Oregon and graduate with honors holding a degree in journalism. During her time in Oregon, Erin was an associate editor for Ethos Magazine and a freelance writer for Eugene Magazine. She has conducted research in data journalism, which has been published in the book “Data Journalism: Past, Present and Future.” Erin is an avid runner with a heart for encouraging young girls and has served as a coach for the organization Girls on the Run. As a writer and editor, Erin strives to promote social dialogue and tell the story of those around her.
Birthplace
Tucson, Arizona
Nationality
American
Honors/Awards
Graduated with Honors
Education
Bachelor of Arts in Journalism, University of Oregon
Books Written
Contributor for Data Journalism: Past, Present and Future
Location
Prescott, Arizona
Languages Spoken
English, French
Topics of Expertise
Politics, Health, Entertainment, Faith




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