President Trump on Monday berated the nation’s governors during a conference call, describing them as “weak” in the face of growing racial unrest and urging them to take an aggressive stand against unruly protests.

Trump told governors that if they don’t take back the streets and use force to confront protesters they would look like “fools,” alarming several governors on the call as they communicated privately.

“You have to dominate. If you don’t dominate, you’re wasting your time,” he said. “They’re going to run over you. You’re going to look like a bunch of jerks.”

The call followed nights of unrest and mass protests in cities across the country over the death of another black man in police custody, George Floyd in Minneapolis on May 25. Many of the protests have featured violent clashes with police, as well as the destruction of private property and looting.

Trump has faced criticism from liberals and conservatives for remaining mostly silent on the issue beyond his Twitter account, where he has at times sent out messages that were more inflammatory than calming during the unrest.

The president struck a belligerent tone during the call, frequently urging governors to get tougher and use the National Guard if protesters begin to damage property or loot stores.

Trump told the governors that “you have to use the military” and “we have a wonderful military.” He also mused about the Occupy Wall Street movement, calling it a “disgrace” that was ended by governors and mayors being tough.

The president said that people arrested at the protests should serve 10-year prison sentences.

“But you’ve got to arrest people, you have to try people, you have to put them in jail for 10 years, then you’ll never see this stuff again,” he said. “And you have to let them know that.”

At the call’s outset, Trump noted that Gen. Mark A. Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was also present and that the president had “just put him in charge” of managing the unrest in dozens of cities.

At a briefing later in the day, White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany declined to offer details on Milley’s role or say why a top military leader would be in charge of overseeing domestic law enforcement issues.