President Trump held his first indoor campaign rally in months on Sunday, when an estimated 5,000-plus people gathered inside a manufacturing facility in Henderson, Nevada--and the state's Governor Steve Sisolak had some choice words about it for the President.
In an epic eleven-part Twitter thread, Sisolak laid into the President for holding the rally, which is in contravention of his own administration's rules for handling the ongoing pandemic.
Beginning his thread just as the rally was kicking off, Sisolak called the President out for endangering the lives of those attending.
Tonight, President Donald Trump is taking reckless and selfish actions that are putting countless lives in danger here in Nevada.
— Governor Sisolak (@GovSisolak) September 14, 2020
Sisolak left no stone unturned in criticizing the President's decisions, starting with pointing out that the rally violates his own government's mandates and efforts and local ordinances in Nevada, which has forbidden gatherings of more than 50 people since May.
"Despite reports from his own White House, despite local officials in Southern & Northern Nevada reiterating to the venues the existing restrictions in State emergency directives, tonight, the President is knowingly packing thousands into an indoor venue to hold a political rally."
Sisolak also called out Trump's lack of a coherent national response to the pandemic, instead punting the job to state and local governments--the very directives of which he ignored in order to hold his rally.
To put it bluntly: he didn't have the guts to make tough choices -- he left that to governors and the states. Now he's decided he doesn't have to respect our State's laws. As usual, he doesn't believe the rules apply to him.
— Governor Sisolak (@GovSisolak) September 14, 2020
Sisolak called this open flouting of Nevada's rules an "insult" and a "threat."
"This is an insult to every Nevadan who has followed the directives, made sacrifices, and put their neighbors before themselves. It's also a direct threat to all of the recent progress we've made, and could potentially set us back."
The rally in Henderson is the first indoor rally since Trump's disastrous rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma on June 20.
That event, which was intended for more than 20,000 people but only drew around 5,000 attendees, was nonetheless responsible for a spike in virus cases in the local area. It is also believed by many to have resulted in the death of prominent pro-Trump Republican Herman Cain, who died of complications with the virus on July 30 after attending the Tulsa rally.
At a rally held the previous evening in Minden, Nevada, Trump gloated from the stage about Sisolak's efforts to shut down his rallies.
"He tried to stop us. He couldn't."
The city of Henderson also issued a warning to the event's organizers and the leadership of the company that hosted it, Xtreme Manufacturing, threatening a $500 fine and suspension or revocation of the company's business license.
Trump referenced this during the rally, telling the crowd the business owner was angry about the rules and urging the attendees to appeal to Sisolak.
"...[T]ell your governor to open up your state."
On Twitter, many people seemed just as angry about the rally as Sisolak.
Turn the power off to the place man.
— Henrynathanmia (@henrynathanmia) September 14, 2020
SUE THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN!
The president of lawlessness & disorder could not care less about the people of Nevada. That Trump is going forward with this indoor rally in the middle of a pandemic is yet more evidence of his absolute recklessness & irresponsibility. Take legal action!
— MURRAY 🇺🇸🗽 (@murray_nyc) September 14, 2020
Attendees should have been identified and a list printed in every paper cautioning the public that they're a potential health risk
— Sonia M. Herda (@SoniaHerda) September 14, 2020
And many pointed out the multiple layers of hypocrisy.
If he were anyone else, ANYONE else, he would be arrested for intentional endangerment or worse. We are witnessing a complete sociopath in action. Will no cabinet members summon a bit of sanity and take action?
— LM Langhammer (@lmlanghammer) September 14, 2020
👏 Trump & his supporters can't call themselves "law & order" when they blatantly disregard rules/laws they don't like. They're not about "blue lives" when more police/first responders will die as of a result of COVID. They're not pro-life when they don't care abt 200,000 killed
— EM (@savedemocracy18) September 14, 2020
Laugh out loud. From XTREME Manufacturing's website. pic.twitter.com/EwulluQ8k5
— Brent Enarson 🇺🇸 (@benarson) September 14, 2020
Others pointed out the danger the rally posed to people who didn't even attend it.
Not all of those who become ill will have attended the rally. They will be innocent victims infected by others. Trunp's actions leave our state in case escalation, sickness, and in time, more deaths! As our Governor stated, this was reckless and selfish!!
— Teelix 🌊 🌊🆘 (@Lvteelix) September 14, 2020
If they were only putting themselves at risk, it would be just fine. But they will be going to work tomorrow and sending their children into schools tomorrow and it puts everyone else at risk. But they just don't care, just like the President doesn't care.
— Kim Nash (@Montaname1) September 14, 2020
And many saw the rally as yet another example of Trump's unfitness for the Presidency.
As someone who lived in Vegas for 13 years through the 2008 Recession, I know, firsthand, how fragile city's economy is. Everyone needs 2 remember on Nov 3rd when they can't return 2 work & tourists cannot experience Vegas, whose fault it is. Donald Trump's.
— Sandy R (@imuasandy) September 14, 2020
Trump has no respect for:
The constitution
The rule of law.
Service to country
Our lives.
The only thing that matters is him.
— Melissa Stone (@onlytruthhere) September 14, 2020
Every single day, he makes the conscious decision to lie to the American public which leads to a thousand dead Americans every single day. 198,520 and counting. pic.twitter.com/eLh0oiZ3Oi
— MizFrizz 🇺🇲🌊 (@MizFrizz) September 14, 2020
While the Trump campaign said it would provide masks to attendees, it was reported that most attendees were not masked, and it did not appear as if social distancing was being enforced in any way at the rally.