Trump congratulates himself for the 'overwhelming force' and 'domination' law enforcement officials used against protesters in Washington, DC, and Minneapolis

• President Donald Trump said Tuesday that Washington, DC, "had no problems last night" after the city's curfew went into effect, and congratulated himself for law enforcement cracking down on protesters demonstrating against racism.
• "Many arrests," Trump tweeted. "Great job done by all. Overwhelming force. Domination. Likewise, Minneapolis was great (thank you President Trump!)."
• The president's tweet comes after riot police and National Guard troops fired tear gas and flash grenades at peaceful protesters near the White House to clear the way for a Trump photo op.
• Tuesday marks the eighth day of nationwide protests after the death of George Floyd, a black man who was killed last week while pleading with a white police officer that he couldn't breathe as the officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes.
• Peaceful demonstrations have taken place in more than 75 cities, though some have spiraled into chaos and deadly violence as law enforcement officials use heavy-handed crowd control tactics.

President Donald Trump said Tuesday that Washington, DC, "had no problems last night." He went on to congratulate himself for law enforcement officials cracking down on protesters demonstrating against racism.

"Many arrests," Trump tweeted. "Great job done by all. Overhwhelming force. Domination. Likewise, Minneapolis was great (thank you President Trump!)."

Tuesday marks the eighth day of nationwide protests against police brutality following the death of George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man who was killed in Minneapolis last week while pleading with a white police officer that he couldn't breathe as the officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes.

Peaceful demonstrations have taken place in more than 75 cities, though some have spiraled into chaos and deadly violence as law enforcement officials use heavy-handed crowd control tactics.

On Monday evening, riot police and National Guard troops fired tear gas and rubber bullets at peaceful protesters outside the White House gates in Washington, DC, while Trump delivered remarks in the Rose Garden saying he was "an ally to all peaceful protesters."

Demonstrators were also forced out of Lafayette Square that evening before the city's curfew began at 7 p.m.

Washington, DC, mayor Muriel Bowser expressed anger at Trump's decision, telling CNN that she and other city officials were "very shocked, and quite frankly outraged, that people who were not violating the curfew and who did not seem to have provoked attack were attacked and moved out by federal law enforcement officials to clear the way for the president."

Multiple protesters were also arrested after the city's curfew went into effect, and NBC's Washington affiliate reported that Metropolitan Police Department officers in riot gear began clearing demonstrators from the streets near the White House after using tear gas and flash grenades to clear Lafayette Square and establish a perimeter.

Several social-media posts have shown other instances of violence linked to the recent demonstrations, including:

• Police cruisers ramming into protesters in New York City.
• Protesters in Denver being hit with a car whose driver was accused of deliberately trying to run someone over.
• Protesters and officers clashing in Chicago.
• A riot in Dallas in which one video appeared to show a can of tear gas being thrown inside a woman's car while she was in it.
• Police in Louisville, Kentucky, spraying pepper bullets at protesters. Officers reportedly also shot them at a reporter and cameraman covering the scene.

Trump and some Republican lawmakers, meanwhile, have repeatedly suggested using violence and deploying the US military to tamp down the demonstrations.

On Monday, a helicopter with US Army markings was seen flying low over Washington, DC, in a "show of force" against protesters. The New York Times reported that the helicopter descended to rooftop level, kicked up dirt and debris, and snapped trees that narrowly missed several people.

Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida suggested earlier in the day that protesters demonstrating against police brutality are part of antifa and should be hunted down like terrorists.

"Now that we clearly see Antifa as terrorists, can we hunt them down like we do those in the Middle East?" Gaetz tweeted. Twitter later flagged the post for violating its rules against glorifying violence but left it up because it determined it was in the "public interest" for the tweet to still be accessible, though users cannot like, retweet, or reply to it.

Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas also advocated for using military force against protesters and indicated that they should be shown no mercy.

"We need to have zero tolerance for this destruction," Cotton wrote, calling protesters "Antifa terrorists."

"And, if necessary, the 10th Mountain, 82nd Airborne, 1st Cav, 3rd Infantry — whatever it takes to restore order," he added. "No quarter for insurrectionists, anarchists, rioters, and looters."

"No quarter" is a military term that means a commander will not accept the lawful surrender of an enemy combatant and suggests the captive will instead be killed. The practice is a war crime under the Geneva Conventions.

Trump also called for forcefully subduing the protesters just before describing himself as an "ally" to peaceful demonstrators.

"If you don't dominate, you're wasting your time," the president said on Monday during a phone call with governors and law-enforcement officials. "They're going to run over you. You're going to look like a bunch of jerks. You have to dominate."

At one point, South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster said, "We have to be careful, but we've got to be tough."

Trump responded: "You don't have to be too careful, and you have to do the prosecutions."

"When someone's throwing a rock, that's like shooting a gun," the president said. "We've had a couple of people badly hurt with no retribution. You have to do retribution, in my opinion. You have to use your own legal system. But if you want this to stop, you have to prosecute people."