In the White House Rose Garden on Monday, President Donald Trump threatened to deploy US military troops to stop protests over the death of George Floyd.
As Trump made his remarks, a crowd of peaceful protesters was tear-gassed outside of the White House.
The tear-gassing was to clear the way for Trump to walk to nearby St. John's church and be photographed in front of it, holding a Bible.
According to Business Insider, videos showed demonstrators being pushed, struck with batons, and sprayed with chemicals.
Numerous scholars have long said that Trump has authoritarian tendencies.
They're alarmed at how Trump has exploited both the coronavirus pandemic and the nationwide protests over George Floyd's death for political gain.