Former Defence Secretary accuses Donald Trump of setting up 'false conflict' to divide US

As the protest over George Floyd’s death intensified, US’ former defence secretary Jim Mattis on June 3 denounced President Donald Trump's use of violence to quell the protest. Floyd, an African American citizen died the last week after a police officer knelt on his neck. His death has sparked protests across the United States which has now spread to parts of Europe. 

'Lack of mature leadership' 

Meanwhile, expressing his thoughts in an American magazine, Mattis accused his former boss of setting up a “false conflict” between military and civilian society.  He then went on the say that Trump was the first president in his life who "tries to divide instead of uniting American people”. Blaming the "appaling" protests on Trump, he wrote that the demonstrations were a  consequence of three years without “mature leadership”.

According to reports, Mattis had resigned from his office in 2018 after Trump decided to withdraw US troops from Syria. However, his remarks came as a total surprise as it was the first time he publically came out to slam the President. Trump, meanwhile, retaliated by calling Mattis as the "most overrated general" in the world. Taking to Twitter on June 3, the American leader wrote that he did not like Mattis adding that he was "glad" that Mattis was gone. 

Read: George Floyd's Death A Homicide; He Had COVID But Was Asymptomatic: Full Autopsy Report

Read: Democrats Prepare Police Reform Bills After Floyd's Death

Meanwhile, a full autopsy report of George Floyd was released on June 3. The 20-page report released by the Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Office came with the family’s permission and after the coroner’s office released summary findings that Floyd had a heart attack while being restrained by officers, and classified his May 25 death as a homicide.

The report by Chief Medical Examiner Andrew Baker spelt out clinical details, including that Floyd had tested positive for COVID-19 on April 3 but appeared asymptomatic. The report also noted Floyd’s lungs appeared healthy but he had some narrowing of arteries in the heart.

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Read: George Floyd's Death: Protesters Start Fire Near White House, See Pictures