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'No Games!': Trump Says Nat'l Guard Has Been Released In Minneapolis, Should Have Been Used '2 Days Ago'

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO/AP) -- President Donald Trump is weighing in as the Minnesota National Guard mobilizes in the Twin Cities Saturday night.

On Saturday night, not long after curfew began at 8 p.m. in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Trump issued a tweet, saying the National Guard "has been released in Minneapolis" to do the job that the "Democrat Mayor" couldn't do.

"Should have been used 2 days ago & there would not have been damage & Police Headquarters would not have been taken over & ruined," he wrote.

He ended the tweet by saying "great job" to the National Guard, and "no games!"

Trump was previously under fire for using the term "when the looting starts, the shooting starts" in regards to riots and unrest following George Floyd's death. Twitter quickly flagged the tweet as violated rules against "glorifying violence."

RELATED: 'Tonight Will Be Different': Tear Gas, Rubber Bullets Used To Clear Crowds Defying Curfew

Trump later said his comments were misconstrued.

"Frankly it means when there's looting, people get shot and they die," he said.

RELATED: Latest News On Unrest After George Floyd's Death

Trump's explanation did little to satisfy hundreds of protesters who gathered outside the White House into early Saturday, shouting "No justice, no peace" as well as an obscene chant directed at the president.

Trump's whiplash comments came after protesters torched a Minneapolis police station on Thursday night, following three days of searing demonstrations over the death of George Floyd, who was captured on video pleading for air as a white police officer knelt on his neck for over eight minutes.

(© Copyright 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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