Ads Play on Fear As Trump Raises Tension in Cities

C M Y K Nxxx,2020-07-22,A,001,Bs-4C,E1 Late Edition Today, clouds and sunshine, show- ers, thunderstorms, humid, high 90. Tonight, thunderstorms, low 77. To- morrow, strong thunderstorms, humid, high 90. Weather map, Page C8. VOL. CLXIX . ...No. 58,762 © 2020 The New York Times Company NEW YORK, WEDNESDAY, JULY 22, 2020 $3.00 ADS PLAY ON FEAR AS TRUMP RAISES TENSION IN CITIES AN EFFORT TO TAR BIDEN Clashes With Protesters Used to Fuel Message of ‘Law and Order’ This article is by Maggie Ha- berman, Nick Corasaniti and Annie Karni. As President Trump deploys federal agents to Portland, Ore., and threatens to dispatch more to other cities, his re-election campaign is spending millions of dollars on several ominous television ads that promote fear and dovetail with his political message of “law and order.” The influx of agents in Portland has led to scenes of confrontations and chaos that Mr. Trump and his White House aides have pointed to as they try to burnish a false narrative about Democratic elected officials allowing danger- ous protesters to create wide- spread bedlam. The Trump campaign is driving home that message with a new ad that tries to tie its dark portrayal of Democratic-led cities to Mr. Trump’s main rival, Joseph R. Bi- den Jr. — with exaggerated im- ages intended to persuade view- PHOTOGRAPHS BY MASON TRINCA FOR THE NEW YORK TIMES ers that lawless anarchy would In Portland, Ore., federal officers in camouflage have used aggressive tactics like firing tear gas canisters against protesters, which included a peaceful line of mothers. prevail if Mr. Biden won the presidency. The ad simulates a break- in at the home of an older woman and ends with her being attacked while she waits on hold for a 911 Stimulus Plan Sent to Quell Unrest in Portland, Federal Agents Fan the Flames call, as shadowy, dark intruders flicker in the background. Bares Cracks Hyder uneasy about where things hem the protests have brought. So far, the campaign has spent By MIKE BAKER were headed. Resistance From a City, The city’s mayor, Ted Wheeler, de- almost $20 million over the last 20 “I am the face of ‘anarchy,’” Ms. spised by many of those in the days on that ad and two other sim- In E.U. Unity PORTLAND, Ore. — With a ski Hyder declared. “The people of and a Wall of Moms streets, has now been fighting to ilar ones, more than Mr. Biden has helmet and goggles on her head, the U.S. need to know that moms, have federal officers leave them spent on his total television budg- Allison Hyder recounted how she grandmas and nurses are out here alone. et in the same time frame, and a had told relatives that she planned By MATINA STEVIS-GRIDNEFF in the middle of the night demand- Amid the Gordian knot of frus- relatively large sum for this stage protests have persisted since and STEVEN ERLANGER to stand at the rear of protests in ing rights for everybody.” trations and escalations, most ev- of the race. Though the ads pre- downtown Portland. But in the George Floyd’s killing even as eryone seems to agree about one date the federal actions in Port- BRUSSELS — After nearly five The demonstrations that have early hours of Tuesday, the grand- Black Lives Matter demonstra- thing: The combative deployment land, they convey a common days of intense haggling, Euro- shuddered through Portland for mother of five found herself right tions have waned in many other of camouflaged federal agents has theme of lawlessness under Dem- pean Union leaders stepped up 54 consecutive nights have drawn up front, locking arms with other parts of the country. ocratic leadership. Tuesday to confront one of the out a complicated mix of griev- only made things worse. mothers dressed in yellow. ances, with a wide array of people But some leaders in the Black President Trump, in pushing a The focus of the Trump admin- gravest challenges in the bloc’s istration in recent days has been history, agreeing to a landmark Standing with a pack of other expressing them using a multi- community, grateful for a wide- law-and-order message for his re- Continued on Page A16 spending package to rescue their protesters, she chanted in front of tude of tactics to make sure they spread discussion on race, worry election campaign, has embraced economies from the ravages of the the boarded-up entrance to the get heard. that what should be a moment for a dark vision of Portland as a law- coronavirus pandemic. federal courthouse. She remained In Oregon, a state with a deep racial justice in Portland could be less place filled with “anarchists” The 750 billion euro ($857 bil- resolute even as some in the history of racism that included ra- squandered by violence. Business who “hate our country.” His ad- TRUMP PIVOTS After downplay- lion) stimulus agreement, spear- crowd began prying at the wood cial-exclusion laws that extended owners supportive of change have ministration’s crackdown has ing the virus, the president now headed by Chancellor Angela affixed to the building, leaving Ms. into the 20th century, the Portland been left demoralized by the may- Continued on Page A18 says it’s getting worse. PAGE A7 Merkel of Germany and President Emmanuel Macron of France, Britain Accused Millions in U.S. Of Discounting May Soon Lose Russian Attacks A $600 Lifeline By MARK LANDLER By BEN CASSELMAN and STEPHEN CASTLE When millions of Americans be- LONDON — Russia has gan losing their jobs in March, the POOL PHOTO BY JOHN THYS mounted a prolonged, sophis- federal government stepped in European leaders on their ticated campaign to undermine with a life preserver: $600 a week fourth day of talks in Brussels. Britain’s democracy and corrupt in extra unemployment benefits its politics, while successive to allow workers to pay rent and sent a strong signal of solidarity British governments have looked buy groceries, and to cushion the even as it exposed deep new fault the other way, according to a long- economy. lines in a bloc reshaped by Brit- delayed report released on Tues- With economic conditions again ain’s exit. day by a British parliamentary deteriorating, that life preserver The deal was notable for its committee. will disappear within days if Con- firsts: European countries will From meddling in elections and gress doesn’t act to extend it. That spreading disinformation to fun- could prompt a wave of evictions raise large sums by selling bonds MARY TURNER FOR THE NEW YORK TIMES neling dirty money and employ- and inflict more financial harm on collectively, rather than individu- Robert Wood Johnson IV told colleagues he was asked to recommend the Trump Turnberry Resort. ally; and much of that money will ing members of the House of millions of Americans while fur- be distributed to the hardest-hit Lords, the Russians have tried to ther damaging the economy. nations as grants with no repay- co-opt politicians and corrode in- Even the threat of a lapse in ment needed — not as loans that stitutions, often with little resist- benefits could prove harmful, would swell their national debts. ance from law enforcement or in- Trump Pressured Envoy: Get Me the British Open economists warn, by forcing Those extraordinary steps re- telligence agencies that ignored households to make precaution- But Mr. Johnson apparently felt flected a difficult consensus years of warning signs. ary spending cuts. among members: that the scale of The report, in many ways hard- This article is by Mark Landler, Is Said to Have Pushed pressured to try. A few weeks lat- The benefits program, Federal the crisis facing the world’s big- er on British officials than the Lara Jakes and Maggie Haberman. er, he raised the idea of Turnberry Pandemic Unemployment Com- gest bloc of nations required Russians, did not answer the LONDON — The American am- His Own Golf Course playing host to the Open with the pensation, expires at the end of groundbreaking measures to en- question of whether Russia bassador to Britain, Robert Wood secretary of state for Scotland, July. But because of a quirk in the sure its legitimacy, stability and swayed one of the most conse- Johnson IV, told multiple col- David Mundell. calendar, workers in most states prosperity. quential votes in modern British leagues in February 2018 that ing to three people with knowl- In a brief interview last week, won’t qualify for the payments af- “Europe has shown it is able to history: the 2016 referendum on President Trump had asked him edge of the episode. Mr. Mundell said it was “inappro- ter this week. Most will be left break new ground in a special sit- leaving the European Union. to see if the British government The ambassador’s deputy, Lew- priate” for him to discuss his deal- with regular unemployment bene- uation. Exceptional situations re- But it was unforgiving about could help steer the world-famous is A. Lukens, advised him not to do ings with Mr. Johnson and re- fits, which total only a few hun- quire exceptional measures,” Ms. who is protecting British democ- and lucrative British Open golf it, warning that it would be an un- ferred to a British government dred dollars a week in many Merkel said in a news conference racy. tournament to the Trump Turn- ethical use of the presidency for statement that said Mr. Johnson states. Continued on Page A5 Continued on Page A11 berry resort in Scotland, accord- private gain, these people said.

Load more