Trump’s rhetoric “paints a picture that crime is out of control, even when it is not true, then blames the policies of Democratic lawmakers that are reform- and public safety-minded, and then claims that you have to step in and violate people’s rights or demand that reforms be reversed,” Wiley said.

The president's rhetoric echoed that used by conservative politicians going back decades who have denounced American cities, especially those with majority non-white populations, as lawless or crime-ridden.

Donald Trump appears to be pursuing a secondary aim with his federal takeover of law enforcement in Washington, one that paints Democrats as soft on crime.

The president signed an executive order this year ordering the removal of "improper ideology" from the museum system.

The White House is ordering a review of the Smithsonian museums to align content with President Donald Trump’s interpretation of American history