Kenney says he respects The Office of the President, doesn’t understand Trump

Mayor Jim Kenney says he was never asked to greet President Trump at the airport, as city officials have been asked to do in the past for President Obama. 

“That’s something that’s requested. President Obama came in a number of times and didn’t have people greet him,” Kenney said. “I watched it on television. I don’t think and Republican elected officials greeted him either. So there may have not been a request for it. I’m not sure.”

Mayor Kenney says Trump is hard to figure out.

“I don’t know. I don’t have any idea. It’s one of the most bizarre periods of time I have experienced in my lifetime, not knowing from day to day what is going to happen,” he said.

Kenney did say he was disapointed about how the president inaccurately said the city’s murder number was increasing.

Trump made this statement during his apparance at the congressional retreat: “Just look at the 30 largest cities. In the last year alone, the murder rate has increased by an estimated 14 percent. Here in Philadelphia the murder rate has been steady, terribly increasing.”

In fact, Philadelphia’s homicide rate was down to 277 in 2016 from 280 the year before. Kenney says he’s disappointed in the president for his statement.

“To say completely untrue things about our city is really a shame at the same time our Philadelphia Police are out here protecting him,” Kenney said.

The mayor says he still respects the office of president and would speak to Trump if a request is made.