‘They Continue to Put Others at Risk’: An Incensed Jake Tapper Gives Blow-by-Blow of Trump WH’s ‘Wanton Disregard for Human Life’

CNN anchor Jake Tapper called out the Trump White House’s reckless behavior over the past few days, offering a blow by blow account of President Donald Trump’s movements and the “wanton disregard for human life” it exhibited even after top Trump aide Hope Hicks tested positive.

As Tapper opened his Friday show, he ran through the growing list of those infected who have had recent contact with the president and the White House. He then stitched together a chronology of Trump’s travels since Tuesday’s debate in a damning indictment of risky and arrogant conduct.

The CNN host began by offering hopes for a speedy recovery for the president, the First Lady, and other staffers and politicians that have linked to the outbreak in the Trump inner circle. But

“But we must acknowledge,” Tapper then said, before alluding to one of the president’s bizarre, anti-mask comments at the debate. “President Trump has refused to abide by his own administration’s health experts about how to avoid contracting this disease. In recent months and as recently as the debate Tuesday night, the president has mocked those who wear masks even though the CDC director has said masks may be more effective than a vaccine when it comes to saving lives.”

“Serious questions have been raised about the wanton disregard the Trump team has shown,” Tapper continued, noting that Trump’s family refused to wear a mask as they sat in the audience at the presidential debate in Ohio. “Some Trump guests, in fact, were offered masks by a Cleveland Clinic doctor only to be turned down. Now, there is evidence of disregard for the health and safety of others even after at least some in the White House learned that Trump aide Hope Hicks had tested positive and was in fact showing symptoms. She felt ill. Even after that, President Trump flew to New Jersey where he held a fundraiser.”

Gathering steam, Tapper also pointed out that the Trump camp failed to alert the Biden campaign of the possible Covid risks after it learned of the positive tests amongst its team.

“And now again this morning at the White House, which really, to be frank, is a potential hot zone of the virus, some of the president’s advisers continued to not wear masks,” an incredulous Tapper noted. “We all sincerely wish the best for everyone at the White House battling this cruel and potentially deadly disease. But they continue to put others at risk not only by setting bad examples, not only by failing in the pandemic response, but now quite literally as carriers of the virus. Exposing not just fellow officials and senators or journalists or donors, but exposing the flight crews of Air Force One and Marine One, members of the military, or the waiters and support staff at Bedminster in New Jersey. Make no mistake, this was not just reckless behavior, this was a demonstration of a wanton disregard for human life.”

“President Trump now in quarantine has become a symbol of his own failures,” the CNN host concluded. “What’s still not clear, how many other people in Trump’s orbit have been infected?”

Watch the video above, via CNN.