Trump doesn't have plans to meet with Blake's family in Kenosha, White House says

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden decried the leadership of President Trump during the civil unrest in Kenosha, Wisconsin. He blamed Trump for trying to "scare America" instead of protecting the country.

Biden also accused the President of not being able to stop the violence because for years "he's fomented it."

"Fires are burning, and we have a President who fans the flames rather than fighting the flames. But it must not burn. We have to build. This President long ago forfeited any moral leadership in this country. He can't stop the violence because for years he's fomented it," he said.

"It isn't about my brand. It is about you, the American people. We can do better. And we have to do better. I promise you this. We will do better. You know, the road back begins now," Biden said.

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden began his remarks in Pittsburgh by declaring that President Trump "is incapable of telling us the truth, incapable of facing the facts. Incapable of healing."

He went on to condemn violent protestors.

Biden said those who do it "should be prosecuted, plain and simple" and added that violence does not bring change.

White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said on Monday that there are not plans currently for President Trump to meet with the family of Jacob Blake while he’s in Kenosha, Wisconsin tomorrow. 

Following up, asked if there are currently no plans to meet with Blake’s family, McEnany added, “Not currently.” 

McEnany told another reporter that Trump was not willing to weigh in more on the incident involving Blake, adding that the investigation is ongoing. Nor would McEnany say whether Trump would take a side on the incident involving Kyle Rittenhouse, adding that an availability with reporters would take place with the President this afternoon. 

President Trump on Twitter this morning claimed "there would be no Kenosha right now" had he not insisted on activating the National Guard.

The tweet came a day before Trump is expected to travel to the city, where 29-year-old Jacob Blake was shot by police last week.

What we know about what's happening in Kenosha: Protests have raged in Kenosha following Blake's shooting. Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers on Tuesday declared a state of emergency, deployed members of the Wisconsin National Guard to Kenosha and implemented an 8 p.m. CT curfew. Buildings and cars in Kenosha have been set on fire, and two people were killed and a third was seriously wounded in a shooting during a protest.

On a call with reporters Monday, the Trump Campaign sought to prebuttal remarks expected later from Vice President Joe Biden in Pittsburgh where Biden is expected to argue President Trump “can’t stop the violence” in American cities “because for years he has fomented it.” 

The call, which was led by Trump Campaign Communications Director Tim Murtaugh, also featured Senior Adviser to the campaign Jason Miller, New York Police Benevolent Association President Pat Lynch, and Butler County Sheriff Michael Slupe. Slupe opened the call with the explosive claim that the people that are protesting now are not President Trump supporters but rather Joe Biden supporters.

Miller kicked off his portion of the call telling reporters, “I'd like to start out by pointing out the Joe Biden is clearly rattled after months of hiding in his basement and failing to stand up for the radical left wing mob that's taking over his campaign.”

“Biden has got his poll numbers tanking and his allies are panicking there's several good stories on this today, the Hill, Politico and others, and this is the only reason why finest leaving his Delaware basement,” Miller continued. “But Joe Biden's trapped. He can't condemn the radical left wing mob and groups like Antifa even the ‘Defund the Police’ movements because they're his political base.” 

Murtaugh closed the call with a full-throated defense of the president’s supporters, following a series of tweets that seemed to indicate the president’s support for acts of violence against protesters in Portland. 

“The President has never condoned violence of any kind, in American cities, American on American violence is unwarranted, uncalled for, and should be condemned wholly and fully,” he said.

The President has yet to condemn a 17 year old supporter who allegedly shot and killed two protesters last week in Kenosha, Wisconsin. 

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden plans to blame President Trump for civic violence and racial unrest in a speech today in Pittsburgh as he begins to travel to swing states two months before the election.

Biden will say that Trump "makes things worse, not better" and "sows chaos rather than providing order," according to excerpts provided by his campaign ahead of the afternoon speech.

The former vice president's speech will be framed around a question he plans to pose: "Does anyone believe there will be less violence in America if Donald Trump is reelected?"

In recent weeks, Trump and his allies have cast the President as having no responsibility for what happens in Democratic-led cities. Biden on Monday will argue that Trump is to blame for the crises gripping the nation.

He plans to hammer Trump for the coronavirus pandemic and the economic collapse it caused, a reckoning over race and police violence and "emboldened white nationalists" — and say that Trump is "the common thread."

The speech comes at a fraught moment, ahead of Trump's Tuesday trip — against the wishes of Wisconsin's Democratic governor, Tony Evers — to Kenosha, a city wracked with violence following the police shooting of a 29-year-old Black man, Jacob Blake, the property damage and looting that followed, and the killing of two protesters there.

Read more about Biden's speech here.

It's been a little over a week since police in Kenosha, Wisconsin, shot Jacob Blake, a 29-year-old father.

The shooting has sparked protests in Wisconsin and across the country. Here's what you need to know about the case and its aftermath:

The Kenosha Police Department said officers arrested a total of 175 people last week, according to a statement on the department's activity since last Monday.

In the statement posted to Twitter, the department emphasized that this number included people from 44 different cities and that 102 people "listed addresses from outside Kenosha." 

At least 69 arrests were for curfew violations and 34 more arrests were for curfew violations as well as an additional charge "ranging from carrying concealed weapons, burglary, and possession of controlled substances," the statement said.

Additionally, Kenosha Police say that more than 20 firearms were taken and 3 vehicles were towed as part of active investigations.

President Trump is still planning to visit Kenosha, Wisconsin, this week after Democratic Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers wrote him a letter urging that he reconsider as the city continues to grapple with racial unrest following the police shooting of Jacob Blake.

"President Trump looks forward to visiting on Tuesday and helping this great city heal and rebuild."

The statement came hours after Evers wrote a letter to Trump outlining his concern about what the President's presence "will mean for Kenosha and our state."