At a press conference Sunday, Donald Trump said that he thinks everyone should just “relax” when it comes to coronavirus because “it will all pass.”
This is a good reminder that we should not listen to Trump about, well, anything really but especially not when it comes to this global pandemic. There are other experts out there doing their best to keep the public healthy and informed. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, is on Trump’s coronavirus task force and he’s a great source of information and advice. Listen to people like him, not Mike Pence, not Jared Kushner, and definitely not Trump.
It makes sense why Trump would try to convince us that this virus is overblown. In addition to his fear of failure and the public embarrassment that comes from being the president overseeing such a total failure of emergency response, Trump also stands to lose a ton of money for himself and his friends.
Trump has used his Mar-a-Lago Florida resort not just as a frequent personal vacation destination during his time in office, but also as a spot to host diplomatic events, giving him a way to use the presidency to line his own pockets.
Except right now, Mar-a-Lago has become what Politico refers to as “a gilded petri dish.” At least three people who have visited the estate in the last ten days have tested positive for coronavirus. And what makes those cases special/extra terrifying is that because of the nature of Trump’s gatherings there, Mar-a-Lago is a political hub poised to spread the virus far and wide.
From Politico:
The handshakes, diplomatic huddles, cozy VIP photo-ops and meet-and-greets at Mar-a-Lago became a potential nexus for other cases — the mayor of Miami, Francis Suarez, tested positive after being in the same area as the Brazilian officials. Since last weekend, Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Giménez and several Republican lawmakers close to the White House — Rep. Matt Gaetz, Sen. Rick Scott and Sen. Lindsey Graham — all self-quarantined as a precaution.
So when Trump says the virus is “something we have tremendous control of” and insists “we’re all going to be great—we’re going to be so good” and that “it all will pass,” remember that none of those words are based on anything from reality.
That’s not to say we should be panicking. But there is a big difference between panic and being “overly aggressive” as a preventative measure, as Dr. Fauci recommends. One of these men thinks he should keep throwin parties at his private golf club and the other is encouraging “a dramatic diminution of the personal interaction we see in restaurants and in bars.”
One of those men is interested in our public health. The other is interested in his own ego and his wallet.
(image: JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images)
Want more stories like this? Become a subscriber and support the site!
—The Mary Sue has a strict comment policy that forbids, but is not limited to, personal insults toward anyone, hate speech, and trolling.—
