Trump will present another WH stunt-presser today at 4pm EDT that won’t start on time. It’s meant to divert attention from the now burgeoning COVID-19 contagion within the WH, and assure people that IMPOTUS* is “in charge”.
It is unclear whether there will be a specific announcement at the briefing.
Monday’s appearance will mark Trump’s first formal press briefing in two weeks. The president has scaled back what used to be regular briefings by the White House coronavirus task force, replacing them with more structured events spotlighting efforts to reopen the country’s economy amid the pandemic.
The presser is in the Rose Garden so there is the likelihood of more stunts including doubling down on the Michael Flynn tactic, as well as an appearance of Mike Pence. There could be also corporate toadies to praise Trump. The problem lies with running out of non-quarantining medical personnel from the taskforce, although Deborah Birx seems not to have been exposed to anything yet.
More likely there will be some announcement of the first Trump rally since his last rally in February happened while ignoring the pandemic. There definitely will be a few anti-China screeds. The largest pro-Trump PAC is already calling Joe Biden “Beijing Biden.”
Apparently all these beach strolls and armed demonstrations are a rite of passage for Trumpists where firearms are fetish-proxies for demonstrating immunity (and eugenic superiority). Those firearms demonstrations are sure convincing, just like anti-vaxxing resistance. Does the GOP believe that surviving COVID-19 is like sacrificing virgins to volcanoes.
If I die of COVID you have my permission to wing my dead body at Trump during a press conference like that guy who threw a shoe at Bush
— Zack Bornstein (@ZackBornstein) May 8, 2020
Climate deniers and some conservatives are promoting fringe claims that the death toll from the #coronavirus is being inflated. They’re finding an audience in the White House. https://t.co/x5nsetEpy8
— Critical Reading (@CriticalReading) May 10, 2020