Trump: Protesters Defying Stay-At-Home Orders ‘Seem To Be Very Responsible’

President Donald Trump speaks during the daily briefing of the White House Coronavirus Task Force at the White House on April 17, 2020. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)
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President Trump didn’t back away from his tweets to “LIBERATE” protesters defying stay-at-home orders in Michigan, Minnesota and Virginia during Friday’s White House Coronavirus Task Force briefing.

On Friday morning, Trump tweeted “LIBERATE MINNESOTA,” followed by “LIBERATE MICHIGAN,” then “LIBERATE VIRGINIA,” which appeared to be in response to all three states seeing protests against the stay-at-home orders issued by Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D), Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D), and Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam (D) during the COVID-19 crisis.

Trump seemed to double down on his calls during last night’s White House Coronavirus Task Force briefing when asked about how critics such as Washington Gov. Jay Inslee (D) said that he was “fomenting rebellion” with his tweets.

“I think we do have a sobering guidance but I think some things are too tough,” Trump said, before slamming Northam for the “horrible thing” he did with the Second Amendment — which is presumably about his recent signing of a bill to expand background checks for firearm sales — and saying that the Virginia governor is “under a cloud to start off with.”

Trump then added that Michigan, Minnesota, and Virginia have done “too much” with social distancing before denying that he’s concerned about protestors potentially spreading the coronavirus.

“No, these are people expressing their views,” Trump said. “I see where they are and I see the way they’re working. They seem to be very responsible people to me, but they’ve been treated a little bit rough.”

Watch Trump’s remarks below:

Notable Replies

  1. These are clearly the cousins of “the very fine people on both sides.”

  2. Avatar for grack grack says:

    They seem to be very responsible people to me

    Well you are responsible for them so you’re kind of right.

  3. I hope that all Trump supporters get sick.

  4. Avatar for tao tao says:

    States with no stay at home orders are spiking the most cases. Trump supporters insist on peeing on the electric fence.

  5. “I think we do have a sobering guidance but I think some things are too tough,” Trump said,

    So saving lives is too tough?
    Properly preparing for a pandemic is too tough?
    Making sure the National Stockpile is full with non expired equipment is tough?

    All of this is because the only thing Trump could run on is the economy. An economy that he didn’t help build. So since the country/world is shut down Trump’s only move is to kill off as many voters as he can. He knows the state Republican leaders have his back on the suppressing the vote front.

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