Former President Donald Trump somberly told reporters that it was “an honor” to attend the wake of slain New York City Police Officer Jonathan Diller on Thursday and declared the United States must “get back to law and order.”
Meanwhile, President Joe Biden skipped the wake in favor of a glitzy fundraiser in New York City with former Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, as well as celebrities. None of the “three stooges,” as Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung called them in a statement to Breitbart News, attended Diller’s wake.
Trump spoke with reporters briefly after attending the wake for Diller, who was fatally shot below his bulletproof vest at a traffic stop on Monday, and meeting with his family, including Diller’s widow, Stephanie.
“What happened is such a sad, sad event; such a horrible thing, and it’s happening all too often; and we’re just not going to let it happen,” Trump said.
Authorities have identified Guy Rivera, 34, as Diller’s shooter, as Breitbart News reported. ABC News notes Rivera has 21 arrests on his rap sheet.
“The police are the greatest people we have; there’s nothing, and there’s nobody like them,” he said.
“I just visited with a very beautiful wife that now doesn’t have her husband. Stephanie was just incredible. Their child, brand new, beautiful baby sitting there–innocent as can be and doesn’t know how his life has been changed,” Trump added.
JUST IN -- President Trump arrives at the wake of slain NYPD officer Jonathan Diller. pic.twitter.com/JCLAY26568
— Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) March 28, 2024
Trump declared the United States must restore “law and order” and emphasized it was his “honor” to pay his respects to Diller and his family.
Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman (R) thanked Trump for attending the wake and said he was a “comfort” to the family in the face of tragedy:
It was very comforting for them. It was very warm inside, and people were very… blessed to have someone like President Trump, who cared so much, spent a lot of time with the family, and was again, a tremendous comfort to the family in probably the most difficult time this family has ever had.
Blakeman added, “We are going to help raise” Ryan, Diller’s son, “because he’s only one-year-old, and he’s going to grow up without a dad, but he’s going to have thousands of dads that are gonna look after him.”
