WATCH: MSNBC Cuts Off Briefing, Fmr. NY Times Boss Calls it ‘One of the Most Astonishing Acts of Disinformation’ Since Vietnam

Following a stunning attack on the media and the airing of a campaign-style commercial touting his decision making on the coronavirus outbreak, MSNBC cut away from President Donald Trump’s Monday briefing, and then threw to the former top editor of The New York Times — who issued a thorough condemnation of what had just aired.

Ari Melber broke in shortly after 6:00 p.m. to announce to the MSNBC audience that the network would not show any more of the briefing until the president and the coronavirus task force delivered topical information.

“We are going to avoid airing any more of this White House briefing until it returns to what it was supposed to be — which was the coronavirus task force providing medical information,” Melber said. “What we just saw — I want to be clear with viewers — was a video the White House put out which suggests they are spending their precious time right now making videos that defend the president’s record and tenure, rather than provide the much-needed emergency medical information that was promised at these daily briefings.”

Melber then introduced Howell Raines — the former executive editor of The New York Times — and sought his perspective.

“I’m curious, as a journalist, what you think it’s important that viewers know when the White House basically takes over what was promised to be a coronavirus task force briefing, and does some kind of backward-looking, edited video propaganda instead,” Melber said.

Raines completely denounced the president’s news conference.

“Ari, I think this is one of the astonishing acts of disinformation we’ve seen from a White House since the Vietnam era and the 5:00 follies of the Lyndon Johnson administration,” Raines said. He added, “What we are seeing here, I think, is a kind of imploding presidency. And with an implosion, you have to have a black hole at the center. And I think what we have here is a black hole that consists of two elements: President Trump’s extremely fragile ego, and his distrust of government experts.”

Raines observed the behavior of Dr. Anthony Fauci — who snapped at a reporter for implying that he was speaking against his will when making comments seemingly designed to placate the president.

“[Fauci and the other medical experts] remind me of nervous parents trying to cope with a 3-year-old on a sugar high,” Raines said. “This is a very grim moment.

Watch above, via MSNBC.