International Longshore and Warehouse Union

International Executive Board

Vancouver, British Columbia

August 17 – 18, 2017

STATEMENT OF POLICY ON DONALD TRUMP

President Trump’s reaction to the protests and violence in Charlottesville, Virginia is so unacceptable, so beyond the bounds of human decency, and so revealing that it calls into question his suitability to continue as President of the United States. There can never be an acceptable reason to defend white supremacists, neo-Nazis, and racists KKK members and sympathizers. What President Trump has done with respect to the Charlottesville protests is no different from those who defended the Nazis in the 1930’s, except that it is coming from the President of the United States.

During the election, candidate Trump referred to Mexican immigrants as rapists and criminals, mocked a disabled reporter, bragged about groping women, and otherwise put women down because of their appearance and weight. He has tried to ban Muslims from immigrating to the US because of their religious beliefs.

To those looking at Trump for alternative leadership, he managed to explain away these bigoted statements through carefully crafted press statements. This gave Trump supporters the political cover to continue their support of him. His statements following the protests and violence in Charlottesville have to cause his supporters to re-examine their views of Trump and explicitly renounce his views.

After nearly seven months in office, Trump has clearly demonstrated his lack of ability to carry out the duties of the President of the United States for the benefit of all Americans — black, brown, women, LGBT community, Jews, and Muslims. His behavior has reached the point that he is not suitable to continue as President of the United States.