As you’re probably aware by now, a COVID-stricken President Trump departed Walter Reed on Monday and returned to the White House. In doing so, he posed for posterity after ripping off his mask — an act that left him gasping, huffing, and puffing for all the world to see. He entered the structure twice, reshooting the moment so that he could be filmed at the most optimal angle for a campaign video. And he dangerously tweeted (about a disease that’s killed over 210,000 in the U.S.), “Don’t be afraid of Covid. Don’t let it dominate your life. We have developed, under the Trump Administration, some really great drugs & knowledge. I feel better than I did 20 years ago!”
Well, COVID long-hauler Chris Cuomo (who sweated it out on his nightly show for weeks and is still feeling the virus’ lingering effects) is calling out these bizarre, choreographed actions, which Trump is carrying out less than a month before the general election. The CNN host is blasting Trump’s theatrics as “propaganda” as well as being blind to the fact that he had access to the best treatments and was still visibly struggling to breathe.
“Don’t be afraid of Covid? 10,000 have died in the last 13 days. Don’t be afraid of Covid? It just took down the most powerful and protected person in the world… his continued recklessness makes it impossible to be sympathetic.”
– @chriscuomo on Trump’s Covid-19 response pic.twitter.com/rtgoYVGkHh
— Cuomo Prime Time (@CuomoPrimeTime) October 6, 2020
Cuomo then speculated on what Trump was thinking: “I hold rallies, and I tell you to ignore masks. I’m going to rip mine off as I vanquish the virus because I am a leader!” Well, the host probably wasn’t too far off the mark, but then he got real. “What a bunch of bullsh*t,” Cuomo declared. “He didn’t just walk in the White House one time with no mask tonight. He had his video crew capture that stupid scene again so he could put out propaganda.”
Beyond the obvious staging of the situation, Cuomo also wished to clarify why Trump’s words are so reckless:
“Don’t be afraid of Covid? 10,000 have died in the last 13 days. Don’t be afraid of Covid? It just took down the most powerful and protected person in the world… his continued recklessness makes it impossible to be sympathetic.”
In case you missed Trump’s performance art on Monday, here’s the CNN broadcast.