Canadian Prime MinisterJustin Trudeau took his sweet time — about 20 seconds — to find the right words to answer a question about President Donald Trump and ?? ?? ??his call for military force to be used against the widespread anti-racism protests in the United States.
Eventually, Trudeau did muster an answer.
"We all watch in horror and consternation what's going on in the United States," he said on Tuesday. "It is a time to pull people together but it is a time to listen, to learn what injustices continue despite progress over years and decades."
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Here's the video of the 20-second pause, which is probably even longer than you imagine. Seriously, at times it seems like maybe the video feed froze.
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As the questioner mentioned in the video, Trudeau has been hesitant to comment on Trump. When asked for further comment, he added: "My job as a Canadian Prime Minister is to stand up for Canadians."
Trudeau might also be hesitant to talk about the protests for reasons beyond his fraught relationship with the Trump administration.
Trudeau was the center of a massive racism scandal — and, of course, the U.S. protests are centered on police brutality and the killing of George Floyd, a black man who died in police custody after one officer kneeled on his neck for nearly 9 minutes. Back in September 2019, a racist photo of Trudeau in brownface surfaced from his time as a student at West Point Grey Academy.
If you'd like to help support protesters fighting for justice for George Floyd, here is a helpful resource.