Trump: If Biden's Tuning in to Briefing, 'He Doesn’t Understand What He’s Watching'
President Donald Trump mocked Democratic presidential contender and former Vice President Joe Biden during Saturday’s coronavirus task force briefing at the White House.
During the briefing, Trump was asked about a Twitter post Biden published earlier Saturday.
“Donald Trump is not responsible for the coronavirus, but he is responsible for failing to prepare our nation to respond to it,” Biden wrote.
Donald Trump is not responsible for the coronavirus, but he is responsible for failing to prepare our nation to respond to it.
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) April 4, 2020
“Well, he didn’t write anything. Well, he has professionals from the Democrats writing,” Trump said when told of the tweet.
A reporter then read the tweet.
“He didn’t write that. That was done by a Democrat operative,” Trump said.
“He doesn’t write. He’s probably not even watching right now. And if he is, he doesn’t understand what he’s watching.”
Earlier, Trump said the often-inarticulate Biden has admitted that Trump’s initial response to the virus was correct.
“You had breaking news last night, you know that you saw that, where I think the probable presidential candidate for the Democrats will be Joe Biden, and he agreed that I was correct when I stopped people from China very early, very, very early, from coming into our country,” Trump said.
“Dr. Fauci said that was a really big moment, because it would be a much different picture we have right now had we allowed thousands and thousans of people from the specific area — I don’t have to go into it — from China to come in highly infected. It would have been a very different thing.”
“I appreciate the fact he did,” Trump said, referring to Biden. “Because I was called xenophobic, racist. I was called things when I did that very early.”
Earlier, only minutes into the briefing, Trump said that the coming week will be “the toughest week” in the battle against the virus.
He then chided some elements of the media for its reporting on the virus.
“It’s therefore critical that certain media outlets stop spreading false rumors and creating fear and even panic with the public,” Trump said about the 4-minute mark.
“It’s just incredible. I could name them but it’s the same ones. Always the same ones. I guess they’re looking for ratings. I don’t know what they’re looking for. So bad for our country. So bad, the people understand it. Look at the levels and approval ratings, they’re the lowest they’ve ever been for media,” he said.
“So bad for our country, so bad for the world. Put it together for a little while. Get this over with and then go back to your fake news,” Trump said.
Also during the briefing, Trump voiced his wish that churches could be open for Easter, while admitting it would not be possible.
“Palm Sunday, tomorrow,” he said, about the 1:15:40 mark. “Think of it. We’re not going to churches on Palm Sunday. But think of next Sunday: Easter.
“And I brought it up before, I said, maybe we could allow a special for churches. Maybe we could talk about it. Maybe we could allow them with great separation outside on Easter Sunday. I don’t know, it’s something we should talk about. But somebody did say, ‘Well, then you’re sort of opening it up to … do we want to take a chance on doing that when we’ve been doing so well?’
“But Easter Sunday? Palm Sunday, I’m going to be watching tomorrow live from Riverside, California – great church – but I’m going to be watching on a computer. On a laptop. I think on Easter maybe I’ll be watching on a laptop. How sad is it that we have Easter, Palm and Easter Sunday and people are watching on laptops and computers?
“It’s sad. But the job that this whole country has done is amazing.”
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