Former New York City Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik on Tuesday slammed news organizations and President Donald Trump's critics for taking his comments on arresting suspects last week and turning them "into a negative."
"Anyone who was in that audience knew that the president was playing to the crowd and was joking," Kerik, who oversaw the city's forces during the 9/11 attacks, posted on Facebook.
"Only the press and his political critics, police chiefs, and politicians alike, could turn his extremely inspirational and motivational remarks into a negative.
"For the first time in nearly a decade, there's a president in the White House who unequivocally supports our local, state, and federal law enforcement community," added Kerik, who attended Trump's speech.
"It's sickening that there are political leaders in this country who can't stand it."
President Trump spoke to officers Friday at Suffolk Community College on Long Island in New York on his administration's efforts to destroy the violent street gang MS-13.
He said officers should not be "nice" to suspects by shielding their heads as they are lowered, handcuffed, into police cars.
"Please don't be too nice," Trump said, eliciting laughter from officers.
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The White House later said the remark was a joke.
Trump's comment brought strong rebukes from groups ranging from the NAACP Legal Defense Fund to the International Association of Chiefs of Police to the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives.
Acting Drug Enforcement Administration administrator Chuck Rosenberg told employees to disregard Trump's remarks in an email Saturday.
In his post, Kerik noted President Trump received a standing ovation after he was introduced by GOP Rep. Peter King, saying "no one in the news covered" it.
"No one, NOT ONE cop in the entire auditorium sat down for the entire length of his remarks," he said.
"No one moved, no one sat.
"They stood during his entire speech — in a reception that I haven't seen for any politician in this country in years.
"The president came to New York to thank our local, state, and federal law-enforcement community for going after MS-13 and for putting their lives on the line to keep our communities safe.
"That's what really counts."
Kerik also took to Twitter:
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