The effects of the Coronavirus outbreak in terms of both public health and the economy are only just beginning to reverberate, but President Donald Trump is already resorting to his angry ranting. At a Friday press conference, he flipped out when one reporter, NBC’s Peter Alexander, asked him the simple question of what message he had for Americans who were scared. Apparently, the mere notion of Americans feeling fear felt like a threat to his greatness or whatever because he railed in response that Alexander was a “terrible” reporter. That same afternoon, Trump attempted a “clean-up” Twitter spree with info updates — but it’s not like it erased what he’d just done.
Peter Alexander's colleague just died of Covid-19 and he asked the president about his message to Americans who are worried about their loved ones. Trump responded by viciously attacking him. Not really sure where "tone" factors in to that equation. https://t.co/zchz0wGFFo
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 20, 2020
His posts included a re-up of a video message admonishing viewers to avoid crowds of ten or more people, frequently and thoroughly wash their hands, and take other similar steps to help curtail the spread of the Coronavirus.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 20, 2020
He also retweeted a slew of video clips including one featuring the announcement of a closure of “non-essential” travel between the U.S. and Mexico and another featuring praise for the restrictions on Chinese travel that Trump implemented towards the start of the outbreak — although there’s a whole list of other steps that Trump has failed to take, no matter how many times he climbs up on the travel ban soapbox to spout his xenophobia.
.@SecPompeo announces that the United States and Mexico have agreed to restrict non-essential travel across the U.S.-Mexico border. pic.twitter.com/kqlHcoJwq6
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) March 20, 2020
President @realDonaldTrump's early, decisive travel restrictions slowed the Coronavirus' spread to our shores—and we are doing more. pic.twitter.com/SVGavJ15e5
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) March 20, 2020
Across the country, some of the latest steps to combat the spread of the Coronavirus have included orders for Californians to stay at home apart from “essential” trips out and a demand for all of New York’s “non-essential” workforce to, similarly, stay home. Officials have been bracing for health care systems to be overwhelmed by a tidal wave of Coronavirus cases.
Check out Twitter’s response to Trump…
