This time, Trump’s selfish fantasies will sicken even his fans
The President’s elderly base are among the most at risk from coronavirus, but he won’t stop feeding them his dangerous untruths
STANDING outside in the Florida night heat, waiting to pick up a takeaway this week, those in line – two metres apart – were discussing the spread of the coronavirus.
The fears expressed were no doubt the same as those in restaurant queues in the UK and around the world, until that one booming voice took over.
We all know how loud Americans can be. It’s like a primal instinct among many of the males to blast everything that comes out of their mouth so the whole world can hear. Over the years, I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve had to move tables so I can hear the person opposite speak as a whole restaurant is subjected to that one guy’s shouting.
And this week was no different.
As 20 or so of us waited, one alpha American male forced his way into the conversation.
“AS LONG AS WE’VE TRUMP IN CHARGE WE WILL BE THE ENVY OF THE WORLD,” he boomed before trying to get everyone to chant “U-S-A, U-S-A, U-S-A”.
It wasn’t until ‘Aaron’ launched into a rant about how Donald Trump’s “leadership” was saving millions of lives, one woman – no older than 25 I’d say – snapped. She produced a chronological list of Trump’s quotes since the outbreak began. Dressing him down, she began reeling off the President’s quotes.
“January 22: We have it totally under control. It’s one person coming in from China. It’s going to be just fine.”
“February 24: The Coronavirus is very much under control in the USA. Stock Market starting to look very good to me.”
“February 25: I think that’s a problem that’s going to go away… They have studied it. They know very much. In fact, we’re very close to a vaccine.” “February 26: The 15 (cases in the US) within a couple of days is going to be down to close to zero.”
“February 26: We’re going very substantially down, not up.”
“March 4: If we have thousands or hundreds of thousands of people that get better just by, you know, sitting around and even going to work – some of them go to work, but they get better.”
March 5: “I NEVER said people that are feeling sick should go to work.”
“March 6: I think we’re doing a really good job in this country at keeping it down. A tremendous job at keeping it down.”
“March 6: People are surprised that I understand it. Every one of these doctors said, ‘How do you know so much about this?’ Maybe I have a natural ability. Maybe I should have done that instead of running for president.”
“March 9: This blindsided the world.”
“March 17: I felt it was a pandemic long before it was called a pandemic.”
“Shall I go on?” the young woman finished as ‘Aaron’ stood in stunned silence looking like a scolded schoolboy.
Only on Monday Trump followed up his deluded dangerous behaviour with “if it was up to the doctors, they would keep it shut down, they would say ‘let’s shut down the entire world’,” as he supported sending people back to work by Easter. EASTER!
Today, as America’s cases and deaths to skyrocket, the World Health Organisation believes the US has the potential to become the new global epicentre of the pandemic. But not in Trump’s world.
His handling of the crisis has been nothing short of negligent, fuelled by one thing – his re-election.
By comparison, Brits should be thankful to have a Prime Minister who, whether you like him or not, is showing what leadership is about.
The twisted irony of Trump’s shameful handling of the virus, in putting the economy first, he is killing off the very base of supporters who elected him.
So let us just imagine what the President may say next.
April 1: “I spoke with the funeral homes, they tell me the profits are tremendous.
“And the coffins are beautiful. “Tremendous amount of timber coming from Alaska. The industry is booming .... Huge boost for the economy, my administration has done great work.
“We are making billions and billions of dollars. Winning again.”
Not only does the world need a vaccine from COVID-19, but it also needs one from Trump.