NOW: @realDonaldTrump opens briefing by noting that #coronavirus is in 148 countries, which he calls “unbelievable.”
It would not be so unbelievable to him had he listened to the people in his own administration who tried to warn him.
It would not be so unbelievable to him had he listened to the people in his own administration who tried to warn him.
Trump now rehashing the border announcements from the other day and talking about the 12,000 small business owners (read: supporters and donors) he claims to have spoken to on a call yesterday.
Trump now touting @Walmart CEO’s support. Keep in mind that eight days ago in the Rose Garden, he promised that there’d be drive through testing in Wal-Mart parking lots, which was a blatant lie.
Trump now rehashing yesterday’s tax day announcement and HUD’s mortgage/eviction suspension announcement.
Trump now rehashing his fake Defense Production Act announcement, still claiming he has invoked it when he hasn’t. Yesterday he couldn’t name a single company which had been ordered to produce anything under the DPA, today he says @Hanes is making masks, unclear if its voluntary
Now @realDonaldTrump talking about distilleries voluntarily making “tremendous amounts” of hand sanitizer “at a very high level,” whatever that means.
“I think we’re really going to change the way our country functions medically and in many other ways” because of #coronavirus, @realDonaldTrump says re recent telemedicine rule relaxation.
“We’re going to be celebrating a great victory in the not too distant future,” @realDonaldTrump says before introducing @VP to begin the actual briefing.
.@VP notes that US is 6 days into the “15 days to slow the spread,” even though many experts (including Dr. Fauci, who’s standing behind him) has said all this will probably go on for much longer.
.@VP clarifies that the masks @realDonaldTrump bragged about @Hanes making won’t be available for weeks.
“State-run drive throughs are expanding across the country,” @VP says re testing, though this doesn’t include the non-existent @walmart parking lot tests @realDonaldTrump claimed would be available at last friday’s rose garden event.
First mention of @SecretaryCarson by name from @VP re: @HUDgov actions.
So strange to see a once world-renown physician sidelined from talking about medicine because he was sent to HUD.
So strange to see a once world-renown physician sidelined from talking about medicine because he was sent to HUD.
.@VP says he doesn’t need to be tested because he wasn’t directly exposed to infected staffer, but he and @SecondLady will be tested anyway (despite there still being a shortage of tests and prior controversy about asymptomatic VIPs getting tests during shortage w/o need)
Pence basically said that despite lack of need, he and his wife will be tested because he’s important.
Admiral Girior notes that “there are still priorities” for testing, incl health workers, symptomatic people, etc, MOMENTS AFTER @VP SAID HE DID NOT NEED TO BE TESTED BUT HE AND HIS WIFE WERE GETTING TESTED ANYWAY BECAUSE HE IS IMPORTANT.
Unbelievable.
Unbelievable.
Fauci says mitigation strategies to date are having effect but can’t be quantified right now.
“Not every single person in the United States needs to get tested,” Fauci says, noting that unneeded tests (like VP’s) consume masks and gowns and PPE needed for people who really need it.
.@fema head says over $100mil has been obligated (not distributed) to states, etc, and “buy American” requirements don’t apply under the Stafford Act (except DC/PR), says supplies should be bought on open market (again, this shows how POTUS defense production act order was BS)
A world renown doctor, @SecretaryCarson, is talking about suspensions of mortgage payments.
The former Director of Pediatric Neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital is talking about Section 8 vouchers during a worldwide pandemic.
Asked by @markpmeredith what people who’ve lost their jobs or are about to lose their jobs should do, @realDonaldTrump says “keep receiving their paychecks”
.@KellyO asks why @realDonaldTrump hasn’t actually used Defense Production Act, @realDonaldTrump says companies are shifting production voluntarily (eg @hanes), says he wants states to compete with each other on open market for scarce supplies.
“There’s never been a thing like this in the history of the world,” @realDonaldTrump says of #coronavirus
“I’m the one who has to approve the different things and the recommendations of the different things,” @realDonaldTrump says, apparently ignorant of the constitution’s Presentment Clause and the SCOTUS ruling in Clinton v. City of New York.
.@vp says N95 mask supply “has been greatly increased” because of rule changes allowing industrial masks to be used, but this doesn’t do anything for the scarcity of supply that currently exists for both medical and industrial masks.
.@realDonaldTrump seems to think “the throwing away of the masks right away” (which is done to prevent spread of disease) is dumb, says people are starting to “sanitize” used masks with “liquids” as if that is a good thing.
.@JDiamond1 reading quotes from doctors about lack of masks, asks @realDonaldTrump why this wasn’t resolved weeks ago.
@realDonaldTrump (who has been office for THREE YEARS) responds by blaming previous administrations and claiming other people are saying good things re masks.
@realDonaldTrump (who has been office for THREE YEARS) responds by blaming previous administrations and claiming other people are saying good things re masks.
“We started with very few masks...now we are making tens of millions,” @realDonaldTrump lies, adding that (probably fictitious) doctors cant believe all he is doing, brags about his China travel ban again.
Admiral Giroir jumps in, says Strategic National Stockpile mask supplies are being distributed and being replaced for new orders. “Masks are going out on a daily basis as they’re being requested through the FEMA system.”
Fauci says “we’re not making things up.”
Well, not *him* at least.
He adds that “we’re going to try and make it days” until more masks get out.
@realDonaldTrump (who was advised of a potential pandemic) says “nobody thought something like this could happen.”
Well, not *him* at least.
He adds that “we’re going to try and make it days” until more masks get out.
@realDonaldTrump (who was advised of a potential pandemic) says “nobody thought something like this could happen.”
.@realDonaldTrump says “we’re going to pray to god” that untested drug combination works, says he feels good about it but notes that doctors like Fauci would like proof.
.@realDonaldTrump says “I don’t know” when asked if the @Trump organization would ask for government assistance/ bailout. Says “I’m going to have to do what everyone else is doing” after bragging about donating salary.
“I’ve learned a lot” —@realDonaldTrump
.@realDonaldTrump tells @OANN reporter “I love whoever you’re with” after she prompts him to attack the @washingtonpost over stories describing how he ignored intel reports and his own advisors, says of China kicking reporters out: “I guess that’s ok, it’s what they do.”
.@realDonaldTrump now boasting of having # banned Chinese nationals from entering country as if it made a difference. “That was the ultimate act, it was the biggest act.”
“I didn’t act late, I acted early,” he says.
“I didn’t act late, I acted early,” he says.
“At some point, this is going away and we’re going to end up with a big oversupply,” @realDonaldTrump says, now bragging about the Mercy-class hospital ships that won’t be leaving port for weeks because they’re both in maintenance.
.@realDonaldTrump says “we have large portions of the country...middle America...with very few people,” when asked if more states need to adopt measures like New York or California.
.@realDonaldTrump says “I’m going to negotiate a very large transaction” on Capitol Hill after saying earlier that he wasn’t going.
Trump blames China after @steveholland1 asks when he learned #Coronavirus was going to a pandemic, even though multiple news outlets have reported that he ignored intel reports and preferred to listen to what his dictator friend Xi told him.
Asked by @JDiamond1 about his prior praise of Xi, @realDonaldTrump says “I just wish they could have told us earlier” even though he had advisors like @SecAzar and others trying to warn him when Xi was lying to him.
.@VP says there will be an announcement on ventilator availability on Monday.
.@realDonaldTrump now buck passing again about “inheriting an obsolete system,” then says he’s leaving to conduct negotiations he said he wasn’t attending earlier today.
One true statement @realDonaldTrump made? He called @KellyO “very intelligent.”
Oh, my. @BetsyDeVosED to appear at a future briefing, per @VP
.@VP now talking about @realDonaldTrump’s medication recommendations tweets as based on anecdotal evidence, says federal government is working with one state (NY?) to set up a clinical trial.
(He and Fauci also called the lectern a podium).
(He and Fauci also called the lectern a podium).
“I’m not totally sure what the President was referring to,” says Dr. Fauci.
We’re done.
