Trump claims tear gas was not used to disperse protestors.

The police used pepper spray to clear protestors, which is a type of "tear gas" or "riot control agent" according to the CDC.

The police used pepper spray to clear protestors, which is a type of "tear gas" or "riot control agent" according to the CDC.President Trump's reelection campaign claimed that the media and protestors were falsely reporting that the police used tear gas to disperse protestors. The incident took place on June 1st when the U.S. Park Police tried to clear out protestors in Lafayette Square before Trump's speech at the Rose Garden. The U.S. Park Police stated that officers used "pepper balls" not "tear gas". Although pepper balls have a different chemical make-up, the CDC classifies pepper balls as a type of "tear gas" or "riot control agent". In fact, a senior advisor for the Physicians for Human Rights, Dr. Ranit Mishori, explained that both tear gas and pepper balls belong to a class of chemical irritants, and have similar effects on people despite a different chemical makeup. The effects include burning sensations on the skin and in the eyes, tearing, coughing, sneezing, difficulty breathing, nausea, vomiting, disorientation. When addressing this issue, neither Trump nor his campaign mentioned the use of pepper balls.