For the first time in more than 50 years, a sitting U.S. president visited Key West.
President Donald Trump came to the Southernmost City on Thursday to visit Joint Interagency Task Force South. The task force combines military and civilian agencies to stop the smuggling of drugs into the U.S. from the Caribbean and Latin America.
Trump didn’t make any public appearances in the Keys, but lots of people turned out along the route of his motorcade between the Navy airfield on Boca Chica Key and downtown Key West.
Trump reportedly said he had “never seen anything like” the crowds lining the roads and that it was “inspirational.”
Ruth Antonowich said Trump has inspired her - to be in the Key West Women’s March last year and to protest in Tallahassee for gun control. She’s 80 years old.
“I’ve always voted. But this has brought the rebel spirit out in me,” Antonowich said. “We have to protect our democracy.”
At City Hall there was also a much smaller group of Trump supporters. One of them was Jorge Mesa, who came to the U.S. from Cuba seven years ago and says he voted for Trump.
“Trump is the best for America,” Mesa said. “Trump helped my country.”
Trump responded to a question about Cuba when he arrived at the Navy base.
Just arrived @NASKeyWest! Heading to a briefing with the Joint Interagency Task Force South, NORTHCOM and SOUTHCOM. pic.twitter.com/r906IXnBcG
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 19, 2018
He said, “we love Cuba” and “we’re taking care of Cuba.”
Many of the protesters at City Hall said they felt it was important to register their opposition to the president when he showed up in their town.
Letitia Lawson said Trump’s positions and policies conflict with the city’s official motto - One Human Family.
“We believe in all of these things that he doesn’t believe in. That people are equal. That black lives matter. That women have rights,” Lawson said. “All of those things and more.”
