Former RNC Chair Michael Steele is sounding off on Donald Trump’s decision to haphazardly claim during Monday’s White House coronavirus briefing that the economy would resume “a lot sooner than three or four months.” The statement goes against what public health experts have said and is in sharp contrast to what local state officials like New York governor Andrew Cuomo have suggested.
His words also led Steele to tweet, “So at this point in this presser listening to Trump complain about the impact #Coronavirus is having on the economy and his rush now to “open the economy” (despite serious advice to the contrary”) one has a clearer sense of what he values. It ain’t us.”
Trump has often touted the health of the economy as an accomplishment to his presidency. In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, the commander in chief attempted to stabilize markets by saying that the illness would have little economic impact. He also falsely claimed that it was completely “under control” in the United States and that it would quickly “wash away” by April, as temperatures started to rise. Though he worked overtime to assure the American public that the novel coronavirus wasn’t an issue, it quickly became one for the stock market.
Last week the Wall Street Journal reported that since fears about coronavirus began to rip through markets, stocks have been in a free fall. The uncertainty has practically erased any gains that Trump made during his time in office. The former lieutenant governor of Maryland suggests that this is why he’s going against the advice of experts to open the economy back up.
“Trump must make every damn thing about him,” Steele later tweeted. “So insecure. So immature. Mindless ad hominem attack just now on the press (“angry”, “don’t like me”). Even your own Surgeon General is telling us “this is going to get worse” and to “take this seriously”. Why the hell can’t you?”
According to Trump, it’s because “we cannot let the cure be worse than the problem itself.” He said that in 15 days the administration will make a decision as to “which way we want to go!”
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