Lafayette Square Tear Gas Incident for Bible Photo Op

The Clearing of the Square

On the evening of June 1, 2020, approximately 30 minutes before a 7:00 PM curfew was set to take effect in Washington, D.C., federal law enforcement officers began forcibly clearing peaceful protesters from Lafayette Square, the park directly in front of the White House. Officers from the U.S. Park Police, Secret Service, and National Guard used tear gas, flash-bang grenades, pepper balls, and rubber bullets against demonstrators who had gathered to protest the killing of George Floyd. The protesters, including clergy members from nearby St. John’s Church, were pushed back with force as they chanted and held signs.

The Photo Op

Minutes after the area was cleared, President Trump walked from the White House through Lafayette Square, flanked by a retinue that included Attorney General William Barr, Secretary of Defense Mark Esper, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley, who was wearing combat fatigues. Trump approached St. John’s Church, which had sustained minor fire damage the previous night, and posed for photographs holding a Bible aloft. He did not pray, enter the church, or speak with its clergy. When asked if it was his Bible, Trump responded, “It’s a Bible.”

The Backlash

The incident provoked widespread outrage. The Right Reverend Mariann Budde, the Episcopal bishop of Washington, said she was “outraged” that Trump had used the church “as a backdrop for a message antithetical to the teachings of Jesus.” Former Secretary of Defense James Mattis broke his long public silence to denounce Trump, writing that he was “angry and appalled” and that Trump was the first president in his lifetime “who does not try to unite the American people.” General Milley later publicly apologized for his participation, saying his presence “created a perception of the military involved in domestic politics.”

Investigations and Findings

An Inspector General report released in June 2021 found that the Park Police had planned to clear the square before Trump’s walk was announced but also concluded that the operation was poorly planned and executed without adequate warnings to protesters. However, witnesses and video evidence showed that the clearing was timed to coincide with Trump’s walk, and Attorney General Barr was personally present in the square before the operation began and gave verbal approval. The incident became a defining image of the Trump presidency — a demonstration of the willingness to use force against American citizens exercising their First Amendment rights for the sake of a political photo opportunity.