You can count among Donald Trump's supporters the executive board of the New England Police Benevolent Association, a union that represents police and corrections officers. The New England police union endorsed Trump for president in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, on Thursday night, and Trump returned the favor by promising to allow local police departments to start acquiring castoff military vehicles and equipment, and promising that "one of the first things I'd do in terms of executive order if I win will be sign a strong, strong statement that will go out to the country, out to the world, that anybody killing policemen, police woman, police officer, anybody killing a police officer, death penalty is going to happen, okay?"
The executive board of the NEPBA, which represents almost 5,000 people in 200 locals in New England, met behind closed doors to decide on whom to endorse. Trump's proposal to ban all Muslims from traveling to the U.S. did come up briefly, said union executive director Jerry Flynn, but the board decided on Trump because of his past verbal support of police. "Listen, our message [is] very clear: It's what is the next president of the United States going to do to unite this country in an effort to save police officers?" Flynn said. "Because it’s open season on police officers." He added that the NEPBA had invited several candidates to attend the board's meeting, including Jeb Bush, but Trump was the only one who showed up. You can watch parts of his speech to the union below. Peter Weber
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Could U.S. Tomahawk missiles help Ukraine end the war?Today's Big Question Or is Trump bluffing?
-
Political cartoons for October 17Cartoons Friday's editorial cartoons include Tomahawk missile talk, the price of red meat, and the bestest boy reports from the Pentagon press room
-
The ‘swag gap’: are you better than your partner?In The Spotlight The viral terminology sheds light on power dynamics in modern relationships
-
Pentagon reporters turn in badges after refusing rulesSpeed Read They refused to sign a restrictive new press policy imposed by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth
-
Supreme Court points to gutting Voting Rights Actspeed read States would no longer be required to consider race when drawing congressional maps
-
Trump says he authorized covert CIA ops in VenezuelaSpeed Read He is also considering military strikes inside the country
-
‘Vile, racist’ leaked chats roil Young RepublicansSpeed Read Leaders of Young Republican groups made racist, antisemitic and violent comments in private chats
-
Trump ties $20B Argentina bailout to Milei votesspeed read Trump will boost Argentina’s economy — if the country’s right-wing president wins upcoming elections
-
News organizations reject Pentagon restrictionsSpeed Read The proposed policy is Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s latest move to limit press access at the Pentagon
-
Trump declares end to Gaza war, ‘dawn’ of new MideastSpeed Read Hamas freed the final 20 living Israeli hostages and Israel released thousands of Palestinian detainees
-
Trump DOJ indicts New York AG Letitia JamesSpeed Read New York Attorney General Letitia James was indicted as Trump’s Justice Department pursues charges against his political opponents
