Trump Shifts Focus Of WH Coronavirus Briefing To Fighting Drug Cartels

April 1, 2020
President Donald Trump speaks during the daily briefing on COVID-19 in the Brady Briefing Room at the White House on March 31, 2020. (Photo by MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images)
|
April 1, 2020

President Trump oddly kicked off Wednesday’s White House coronavirus task force briefing by focusing on the war on drugs.

Shortly after Trump announced the launch of “enhanced counter narcotics operations in the western hemisphere” to protect Americans from “the deadly scorch of illegal narcotics,” special guest Attorney General Bill Barr argued that although the coronavirus crisis has taken center stage, it’s important for law enforcement and national security to protect Americans from “the full array of threats” posed by Mexican cartels.

After Trump found a way to brag about the wall, which he says is “stopping everybody cold,” he praised the President of Mexico for “really helping us a lot.”

“27,000 soldiers, remember that the caravans coming up: 15,000 people,” Trump said. “They were marching through Mexico and that is not happening anymore.”

Scroll down for our full coverage the briefing:

More Less

President Trump oddly kicked off Wednesday’s White House coronavirus task force briefing by focusing on the war on drugs.

Shortly after Trump announced the launch of “enhanced counter narcotics operations in the western hemisphere” to protect Americans from “the deadly scorch of illegal narcotics,” special guest Attorney General Bill Barr argued that although the coronavirus crisis has taken center stage, it’s important for law enforcement and national security to protect Americans from “the full array of threats” posed by Mexican cartels.

After Trump found a way to brag about the wall, which he says is “stopping everybody cold,” he praised the President of Mexico for “really helping us a lot.”

“27,000 soldiers, remember that the caravans coming up: 15,000 people,” Trump said. “They were marching through Mexico and that is not happening anymore.”

Scroll down for our full coverage the briefing:

Notable Replies

  1. I know he sees this as free advertising that the media gobbles up, like 2016 (and up to today). But how does he see this as positive at this point? Rome burns, Nero fiddles. That’s what the majority are seeing, I would imagine.

    (Besides after every one of these shitmesses, I’m left with a sense of doom that carries me well into the night).

  2. Somebody put this slime bag out of his misery or he’s going to make us all more nuts. It was horrible enough hearing from him through tweets in the “NOrMaL” times. We just don’t need this.

  3. They watch, so we don’t have to.

    Questions: how many nets will actually broadcast this? When will most of them cut away for repeats of Wheel of Fortune, lest they lose their viewership? How many nets will simply refuse to spend one minute of their airtime on this?

  4. I’m only here for the comments.

  5. Media. You need a 12 step program. Stop covering these in real time.

Continue the discussion at forums.talkingpointsmemo.com

768 more replies

Participants

Avatar for ghost Avatar for mattinpa Avatar for cervantes Avatar for becca656 Avatar for inversion Avatar for chelsea530 Avatar for ralph_vonholst Avatar for danny Avatar for 26degreesrising Avatar for left_in_washington_state Avatar for esva Avatar for leftcoaster Avatar for moreyampersand Avatar for darrtown Avatar for pshah Avatar for tena Avatar for daulphin Avatar for asturcot Avatar for cub_calloway Avatar for drtv Avatar for dougsanders Avatar for zillacop Avatar for rwseattle Avatar for kadymud

Continue Discussion
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Deputy Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: