Trump Blasted for Comments at CDC Presser: ‘Among the Most Frightening Trump Appearances’

President Donald Trump made a number of comments during Friday’s press conference at the CDC about voronavirus that have been getting a lot of criticism on social media.

MSNBC’s Chris Hayes in particular went on a tear about the president’s comments about the overall numbers, in reacting to the cruise ship where 21 people have tested positive:

This is tinpot dictator bullshit and Redfield has more to answer for than almost anyone. https://t.co/Oi72RssnxV

— Chris Hayes (@chrislhayes) March 6, 2020

Ok, the CDC appearance was the most disturbing one yet from Trump. He literally said experts were telling him to take sick Americans off a cruise ship but he doesn't want to do it because it WILL MAKE THE NUMBERS GO UP and it "wasn't our fault." Holy Jesus.

— Chris Hayes (@chrislhayes) March 6, 2020

He's right that the original CDC tests were "perfect" the way his Ukraine phone call was "perfect." As in: a disaster https://t.co/9CpPrrPr4u

— Chris Hayes (@chrislhayes) March 6, 2020

"I like the numbers being where they are." EVEN IF THEY'RE WRONG. HE'S ADMITTING IT. https://t.co/V2JVe0bpAn

— Chris Hayes (@chrislhayes) March 6, 2020

After weeks of the Federal Government dragging its feet on COVID-19 testing, Trump just admitted in front of the cameras he wants to manipulate the measurement of the outbreak for his personal political benefit.

— Chris Hayes (@chrislhayes) March 6, 2020

The president was criticized for other comments he made too, including a tangent on Fox News’ ratings:

We are all going to die. https://t.co/aqkBThKuG0

— Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) March 6, 2020

This is so staggeringly stupid.

And it's just a couple of weeks after Japan made that cruise ship outbreak so much worse by refusing to evacuate passengers to medical facilities. https://t.co/EecMDQx7lh

— Joshua Holland ? (@JoshuaHol) March 6, 2020

The “virus is contained” reminds me of “Mission Accomplished” (cc: @AriFleischer).

But more importantly, to channel @PaulBegala, it looks more likely the administration’s is bungling this. That will fall at the feet of Mike Pence, meaning “Hi @NikkiHaley”.

— Bakari Sellers (@Bakari_Sellers) March 6, 2020

The less Trump knows, the more he thinks he knows.

The more he fails, the more he says he succeeds. https://t.co/wqHZgshtVE

— Windsor Mann (@WindsorMann) March 6, 2020

The CDC presser was among the most frightening Trump appearances I’ve ever seen, on the level of Charlottesville — a horrifying and surprising (even for him!) callousness in the face of death and suffering, an inability to see anything through a lens other than his own ratings

— Farhad Manjoo (@fmanjoo) March 6, 2020

He pretty much says here that he knows more than the doctors & the scientists.

America, we have one job, and one job only: DEFEAT THIS ASS IN NOVEMBER. https://t.co/uJVdr3lMtx

— Joe Walsh (@WalshFreedom) March 6, 2020

This entire thread is an SNL skit that the entire country is trapped in. https://t.co/FJEBcTOcGF

— Michael Grunwald (@MikeGrunwald) March 6, 2020

Trump asking about his Fox News town hall ratings during a coronavirus briefing at the CDC has a very distinct George W Bush "now watch this drive" feel to it.

— Sam Stein (@samstein) March 6, 2020

But the first priority is still protecting the nation from Coronavirus, right… https://t.co/K9Ysl6EOzR

— Chris Murphy (@ChrisMurphyCT) March 6, 2020

look at the expression of the cdc director as he tries to keep his jaw from hitting the floor https://t.co/bl7YNMMVHT

— George Conway (@gtconway3d) March 6, 2020

I repeat. Everything. Is. A. Rating. https://t.co/qtxViaU2KW

— James Poniewozik (@poniewozik) March 6, 2020

FALSE: @realDonaldTrump, while visiting CDC, just said, “Anyone who wants a test can get a test.” That’s the govt guidance, but across US health care providers say they don’t have tests to administer. VP Pence said yesterday there are not enough tests to meet demand. #coronavirus

— Paula Reid (@PaulaReidCBS) March 6, 2020

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