Trump urged military to 'crack skulls' while suppressing George Floyd protests at White House: book

On Thursday, CNN reported that an upcoming book on former President Donald Trump by Wall Street Journal reporter Michael Bender alleges he demanded that military and law enforcement groups "crack skulls" during efforts to control the George Floyd protests last summer.

"Titled "Frankly, We Did Win This Election: The Inside Story of How Trump Lost," the book reveals new details about how Trump's language became increasingly violent during Oval Office meetings as protests in Seattle and Portland began to receive attention from cable new outlets," reported Zachary Cohen. "The President would highlight videos that showed law enforcement getting physical with protesters and tell his administration he wanted to see more of that behavior, the excerpts show."

"That's how you're supposed to handle these people," Trump is quoted as telling officials. "Crack their skulls!" He added that he wanted them to "beat the f**k" out of the civil rights demonstrators — although when military officials and then-Attorney General William Barr pushed back, he said, "Well, shoot them in the leg — or maybe the foot."

Trump drew furious protests after he posed with a Bible at the church near the White House as police were tear-gassing protesters, although a recent inspector general report claimed that the attacks on protesters weren't directly tied to Trump visiting the church.