Trump Posed With Fake Kenosha Camera Shop Owner After Real Owner Declined

A business owner in Kenosha, Wisconsin has revealed that he turned down a photo-op with Donald Trump, only for the former owner to do it instead. 

WTMJ-TV Milwaukee reports that Rode’s Camera Shop, owned by Tom Gram, burned down during the recent civil unrest in Kenosha. Gram was reportedly offered to meet with Trump during his tour on Tuesday, and when he said “no” he later found out John Rode III, the former owner of the business and current owner of the building, met with Trump this week as part of a televised interview in which he was called the owner of the shop.

“I think everything he does turns into a circus and I just didn’t want to be involved in it,” Gram told the Milwaukee station. When Trump introduced Rode III on Tuesday, he called him, “John Rode III, owner of Rode’s Camera Shop.”

“I just appreciate President Trump coming today, everybody here does,” Rode told reporters. “We’re so thankful we got the federal troops here. Once they got here things did calm down quite a bit.” Trump, who was standing by Rode’s side, added, “A day earlier would have saved his store.”

Gram has expressed his frustration with the “deceptive” interview, and said that he’s disappointed Rode made it appear as though the current ownership of the store was pro-Trump. “I think he needs to bring this country together rather than divide it,” said Gram. “I think there’s a lot of good people in this community and to say that only law enforcement is correct is not the message we need to hear right now.”