Another press conference from President Donald Trump has resulted in criticism. On Monday, Trump delivered a number of remarks from The White House Rose Garden, where he advised the public that more disruption and death as a result of coronavirus are likely to come as the administration attempts to get the outbreak under control.
The source of today’s blowback comes from the fact that he brought a number of CEOs to the press conference. It’s similar to a move he pulled on March 13, when he officially declared coronavirus as a national emergency. However, today’s conference included MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell, among others, who used their time at the podium to talk about their respective companies. Which some thought amounted to little more than sponsored infomercials amid a global pandemic.
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Even though MyPillow has joined a growing number of companies that have begun to manufacture much-needed medical equipment, the repeated praise that he and other CEOs lavished on Trump rubbed many the wrong way. As did Lindell’s sudden pivot to speaking about religion, where he said that “God had been taken out of our schools and lives, a nation had turned its back on god.”
As expected, many took to Twitter to vent their frustrations.
Nearly 10 minutes of today’s coronavirus briefing was taken by six company executives who alternately gave shout outs to their own products, called for a return to the Bible, and praised Trump’s leadership.
— Chris Jansing (@ChrisJansing) March 30, 2020
I’m watching Trump’s press conference so you don’t have. Instead of watching, please let all networks know we don’t want a pathologically lying politician’s spin on coronavirus. We want doctors talking about facts and science. Period. No more Trump propaganda. #StopAiringTrump
— Scott Dworkin (@funder) March 30, 2020
The president also took the time during the coronavirus briefing to discuss his own hair.
Trump makes it obvious hat he cares more about companies than people when he does briefings where he need mentions the Corona dead but highlights CEOs from companies that are making masks.
— Touré (@Toure) March 30, 2020
Trump brought the MyPillow CEO, who has converted his factory to makin 50K masks/day, to speak at 45’s press conference.
— Pierrot of Color 🔞 (@DiscoPierrot) March 30, 2020
While that’s great that MPCEO did that, I would’ve much rather seen a doctor, an infectiologist, a member of the pandemic team that Trump got rid of in 2018—
“My hair is blowing around. And it’s mine,” Trump said. “The one thing you cannot get away with. If it’s not yours, you gotta problem if you’re president.”
So…let me get this straight. Now his press conference consists of corporate CEOs giving ads and praising Trump for his “leadership “. Oh, HELL NO. #StopAiringTrump #TrumpLiesPeopleDie #StayAtHome
— Linda Cox (@LindaCo19521981) March 30, 2020
The #MyPillow CEO is now on the corona task force. I feel like we’re watching a Mel Brook Presidential parody movie and this could be his best yet. #TheLockdown #corona #melbrooks #parody #COVID19 #trump
— Bob Ross (@SweetBobRoss) March 30, 2020
Trump’s handling of the near-daily coronavirus briefings has been a sore spot for many, evening leading to several rallying around a hashtag calling for ‘doctors only press conferences,’ seeing it as the best solution to get factual information the public can use.
Bro…
— Bernard Brethren, Inc. (@bluepilltv) March 30, 2020
MyPillow?
Trump brought on the goddamn MyPillow CEO to give a statement during his presser??
We are so screwed
Turned on TV. Saw My Pillow guy and Trump. Turned off TV. #TrumpPressConference
— bbqcornnuts (@ctpdenver) March 30, 2020
As a result, people have turned to Dr. Anthony Fauci for information. Fauci is director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and a member of the federal coronavirus response team.
Let the medical people take the lead in all of this. This is not a politicians area of expertise. Trump works as a team with Dr. Birx and Dr. Fauci and he needs to! Trump will get after the supplies and coordinate with the states!
— Jody Johnson (@iamwith45) March 30, 2020
These idiots are who Trump is listening to. This is a disaster. Why are Fauci and Birx completely ignoring the already proven drug combo that has stunning success in treating COVID19? What is going on with them?
— Razzledazzle2020 (@Razzledazzle204) March 30, 2020
Fauci has been an outspoken member of the task force, and even gave four interviews on the coronavirus outbreak last week, including The Daily Show, which were carefully selected to reach a diverse audience.
Now that Trump did his PR stunt with the “My Pillow” guy, I wonder how the rest of the company CEOs feel after gushing about the “great leadership” to the millions of us gagging on the other side of the television screen?
— 🍑🌎Rally all Resisters 🌍🍑 (@tctess2) March 30, 2020
i dont know man trump does worse at press conferences than i do on presentations i didn’t know about until the day of
— dumb of ass (@24hrnosebleed) March 30, 2020
Along with becoming the de-facto face of the coronavirus response force, Fauci also achieved viral fame when he failed to take his own advice and facepalmed during a press conference on March 20.
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