Fact check: Trump falsely claims 'insurance reasons' prevented him from entering St. John's Church

[Judi Lynn]

By Daniel Dale, CNN

Updated 10:37 AM ET, Sat June 20, 2020
The day police charged a peaceful protest for Trump's photo-op

Washington (CNN)More than two weeks after his controversial photo-op outside a Washington, DC, church, President Donald Trump offered a new explanation last week for why he didn't enter St. John's Episcopal Church. In an interview with the Wall Street Journal on Wednesday Trump said there were "a lot of insurance reasons" for why he couldn't go in.

That isn't true.

Facts First: "There were no insurance reasons" why Trump could not have entered St. John's Church, Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington told CNN on Friday. She said only a small room in the basement of the church, a nursery, had been damaged in a fire the day prior, and "the main sanctuary was not harmed at all."

Trump has faced criticism not only because police used force to clear peaceful protesters out of the way before the photo-op but because he merely brandished the Bible without opening it, offering a prayer, or going into the building.

Asked by the Wall Street Journal in a Wednesday interview why he didn't pray, Trump said it was "very, very noisy" outside because of the protesters. He added: "And I didn't think it was exactly the right time to pray. I'm on the sidewalk. And the church itself, I didn't want to go in because they had a lot of insurance reasons. You know, the church was boarded up."

More:
https://us.cnn.com/2020/06/20/politics/fact-check-trump-st-johns-church-photo-op-insurance/index.html

[underpants]

1. God could've heard ya

She hears everything

[genxlib]

2. Are we sure

Does the insurance company cover lightning strikes or spontaneous combustion?

[Laelth]

3. Pants on fire!

It’s a wonder we ever see Trump in pants that aren’t charred black.



-Laelth

[sheshe2]

4. His soul is. nt

[keithbvadu2]

5. He could have gone to a church that was open. Like his regular church? HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

He could have gone to a church that was open.

Like his regular church? HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

[RussBLib]

6. I wonder how long it will take....

Before we hear a Trumper claim that Trumpy could not go in St. John's for "insurance reasons."

Damn shame we have politicians, much less a president! that takes advantage of peoples ignorance and gullibility.