MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski unloaded on President Donald Trump for trying to bluff his way through a public health crisis.
Trump asked last week whether household disinfectants might be used to treat coronavirus patients, but then claimed he was only joking when he was universally mocked — and the “Morning Joe” co-hosts excoriated the president.
“These people that were once, quote, movement conservatives, are nothing more than a Trump cult, personality cult,” Scarborough said. “That’s why they can’t even admit that this president is unfit for his office and that people are going to die in the future because of this, unless somebody figures out a way to get him to focus, be serious, and put seniors first, put people with pre-existing health conditions first, put this nation’s health and safety and well-being first.”
Brzezinski pushed back against critics who say she and Scarborough have been overly wrought in their response.
“A lot of the president’s pawns, whether they’re in the media or whatever, will say, ‘Oh, Joe and Mika, so upset,’” she said. “I want to point out something you said on your Instagram live this weekend. You would love to see the president be competent in this crisis. Unfortunately, that’s not what we’re getting, and people are dying. If you see a lot of emotion coming from this show, it’s because we are frightened for the American people at this point, given the fact that the White House has shown zero competence in this crisis.”
Trump insisted over the weekend that he was only joking when he suggested shooting sunlight inside of a person’s body to treat coronavirus, and bizarrely claimed he wasn’t even speaking to Dr. Deborah Birx — when video shows he was.
“He is putting her in a terrible position with a quack idea, and forcing her to talk about heat and light,” Brzezinski said. “She has to grasp for an answer and explain to him that maybe a fever, but no. No, you’re an idiot. You’re a moron is what she’s thinking, okay? You can see it on her face. I’m sorry, Mr. President, you put her in that position. This really reputable, credible, prepared woman, who spent her entire life getting ready for a crisis like this. You’re a joke. You try to make a joke of the entire situation.”