Monday’s coronavirus briefing was troubling, to say the least. It was absolutely disgraceful, even by President Donald Trump’s standards.
First, he played what amounted to a campaign video attacking the media. It was full of half-truths, selective cuts and insane insinuations that were in no way based in reality. When asked where the video came from, he said that a group in the White House had created it. Why are our tax dollars funding the creation of blatant propaganda like this?
Second, when he was pushed on why he wasted valuable time to respond to the emerging outbreak in February, he attacked the reporter and ultimately did not respond appropriately. In what reality is that an acceptable response from an elected official?
Third, and most troubling, he said that his “authority is total” regarding when to reopen the economy. That is the definition of totalitarian sentiment, and it was frightening to see it declared so openly. The brazenness of his statements regarding his authority in no way resemble to the ideals that our country strives to uphold.
I understand that this behavior is old hat for Trump, but it was still shocking to see just how unprofessional and disturbing he was today. This is not the calm, steady leadership that we need right now — it is the direct opposite. It’s the behavior of a man who knows that he cannot attack his way out of the situation we are in.
Since our representatives are in Washington, D.C., to represent Utahns, we need them to step up and handle the pandemic while keeping democracy intact, regardless of party lines. At this point, we need someone that we can trust to do the right thing while providing hope to our country. Trump, as shown repeatedly throughout his presidency, is not that person.
Brandon Gauchay
Orem