White House censors coronavirus briefing. Twitter implodes.

  • 03/04/2020 9:34 pm ET • Samantha Weller
The White House

Source: Pixabay

On Tuesday, The Trump administration announced Mike Pence would hold a coronavirus briefing in the White House briefing room. When journalists showed up, they discovered they were prohibited from taking any video or audio recordings and were limited to taking still photos, according to the HuffPost.

However, it seems the reason for this is because Trump does not trust scientists or health officials.

1. The new policy

White House censors coronavirus briefing. Twitter implodes.

Source: Canva

A report from the New York Times says the White House is developing a strict policy that requires reporters to confirm public appearances or reportings with Pence because Trump complained that the media was exaggerating about the virus.

Michael Halpern, a deputy director of the Center for Science and Democracy, says Trump is “muzzling” scientists, which is extremely concerning for the public.

2. Gross incompetence

Donald Trump Grimace

Source: Flickr/Roy_17

In a blog post from the Union of Concerned Scientists, he warns that:

“If this censorship and retaliation trend continues, we can expect more gross incompetence in handling the virus’ spread.”

3. No news is not always good news

Trump urges sick people to go to work—directly contradicting CDC’s coronavirus advice

Source: Wikimedia

As the coronavirus fears continue to grow, so do fears that the White House will prevent the public from simply receiving crucial news about the pandemic.

Besides, this administration has already botched their response at every turn.

4. Ignoring the CDC

Cruise Ship Boat Ocean Travel Virus

Source / Pixabay

The Trump administration disregarded the advice given by the CDC when they flew Americans home from the quarantined cruise ship.

The Diamond Princess cruise ship contained 328 American passengers, some of who had tested positive for coronavirus. Those passengers were flown back home, even though the CDC advised against it.

5. Sticking it to Obama

Virus Pandemic CDC

Source: Pixabay

The country does not have a pandemic response team—because Trump fired them in an effort to further erase Obama’s legacy.

Trump got rid of the entire global health security unit within the NSC that was created to combat the Ebola crisis, and to ensure the U.S. could handle any future global outbreaks.

The President fired the entire team in 2018 and never replaced a single person.

6. Pence in charge

Mike Pence Vice President

Source: Flickr/Gage Skidmore

Vice President Mike Pence has been chosen to lead the country through the coronavirus outbreak.

Pence is the same guy that led the state of Indiana to the worst HIV outbreak in its history while he was governor. He made cuts to public health funding and his opposed a needle exchange program against the advice of health experts.

7. It’s a ‘hoax’

Washington Homeland Security facility closes after employee became infected with coronavirus

Source: Canva

Trump has been blaming Democrats and complaining that they are simply trying to hurt his reelection by pushing a “new hoax.”

8. Making stuff up

Trump Rally

Source: Flickr/The Epoch Times

Since the first person fell sick in Wuhan, Trump has been making up his own coronavirus facts. First, it was assurances that everything was fine, and then it was saying the virus would disappear by April.

Then there was the “hunch” that “hundreds of thousands of people” will recover from coronavirus while going about their normal lives and even while continuing to go to work. These comments directly contradict the advice given by the CDC.

9. The czar gets handsy

Greta Thunberg's Best Responses 4

Source: Pixabay

Vice President Mike Pence visited Sarasota Military Academy in Florida where he shook hands with a bunch of students and cadets.

It was later reported that a student at the Academy was quarantined because his mother was in contact with a coronavirus-infected patient. Let’s hope Pence was keeping up with his handwashing like the CDC advises.

10. Hard to understand

"Make you better, quicker?": Trump doesn't know what a vaccine is

Source: Screenshot/C-SPAN

Trump really does not understand how vaccines work.

In a coronavirus conversation with Dr. Leonard Schleifer, CEO of biotech company Regeneron,  Trump asked:

“This would be a combination of a vaccine and also it will—put it in a different way—make you better, quicker?

Once the good doctor explained viruses to the President, he then tried to get the pharma executives to agree to push out a vaccine in a few months.

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