On Thursday, April 23, President Donald Trump told the press his task force was looking into injecting disinfectant and UV light as possible remedies to the viral pathogen behind the global pandemic.
The next day he claimed he was being "sarcastic," but fooled literally no one.
Everyone who's seen video of Trump's remarks know his rationale of "sarcasm" makes no sense.
Many celebrities criticized President Trump utilizing similar methods of verbal irony.
I just want to make it clear that when I said that President Trump was mad ( in the English sense of demented, unba… https://t.co/6T37RtCOWf— John Cleese (@John Cleese) 1587762816.0
I would like to announce that when I gave wrong answers on Jeopardy, I was being sarcastic.— Ken Jennings (@Ken Jennings) 1587752616.0
C’mon, Biff. You know you were being filmed when you said it, right? In no way whatsoever were you: A. Being sar… https://t.co/zFSnS1EopU— Chris Evans (@Chris Evans) 1587751815.0
In Trump's world, it's better to claim you were being sarcastic in the midst of a global pandemic than to admit the truth.
Trump speaking off the cuff about medicine or science doesn't know what he's talking about.
I don’t know man, I think a world leader being “sarcastic” to troll reporters during a public briefing on a pandemi… https://t.co/Q8jnAasuuF— Matthew Lewis (@Matthew Lewis) 1587750017.0
Was this him being sarcastic too? https://t.co/xjDhsivopB— Alyssa Milano (@Alyssa Milano) 1587777167.0
“50,000 Americans dead! I know what the country needs — sarcasm!” You rock, Donald! https://t.co/vhh9jQfXXu— Patton Oswalt (@Patton Oswalt) 1587749848.0
President Trump has failed to lead the country at every opportunity.
Trump says he was joking about a disease that’s killed 50,000 Americans. You don’t joke about a thing like that. If… https://t.co/O4HfWHMfIN— Stephen King (@Stephen King) 1587770203.0
"I was asking the question sarcastically to reporters like you just to see what would happen." is my favorite quote… https://t.co/s1plbRmVct— Mark Hamill (@Mark Hamill) 1587754215.0
Politicians also condemned Trump's defense, noting how dangerous his misstatements could be during a global health crisis.
I want this to be clear. When I said @realDonaldTrump is the worst possible president we could have in a pandemic,… https://t.co/H0xGgY5vvC— Rep. Eric Swalwell (@Rep. Eric Swalwell) 1587750220.0
Dear @realDonaldTrump: When you speak on TV, you are talking directly to the people. I rewatched your statements to… https://t.co/FKognXk6PJ— Ted Lieu (@Ted Lieu) 1587752147.0
It's not hard to follow the President's thinking concerning this mistake.
Trump says something REALLY dumb. He watches coverage saying he is dumb. A hapless, reflexively lying press secty s… https://t.co/PuEafmApCU— Jennifer 'pro-voting' Rubin (@Jennifer 'pro-voting' Rubin) 1587749748.0
Even if we were to accept that Trump was employing sarcasm in suggesting cleaning product as a curative for coronav… https://t.co/i86w9hjrK9— David Simon (@David Simon) 1587750662.0
Even official dictionary Twitter accounts weighed in on Trump's "sarcasm."
📈'Sarcasm': a sharp and often satirical or ironic utterance designed to cut or give pain https://t.co/DR9F4F3q3h— Merriam-Webster (@Merriam-Webster) 1587751820.0
Sarcasm has 🚀 in searches on https://t.co/OeJELgPEQj today. Do you know what it means? https://t.co/Lo3NRVOcTJ— Dictionary.com (@Dictionary.com) 1587759475.0
Even "friends" of President Trump, like conservative talk show host Piers Morgan, had to speak out against him in this case.
Trump's 'sarcasm' now having very real consequences >>> https://t.co/AVxFE2JUKu— Piers Morgan (@Piers Morgan) 1587750998.0
I think the middle of a pandemic is the perfect time for sarcasm from a world leader.— Sara Morrison (@Sara Morrison) 1587750717.0
1) He wasn't being sarcastic. 2) He wasn't talking to reporters, but to his own experts. 3) Even if he was being sa… https://t.co/ovBp8oYLqN— Mehdi Hasan (@Mehdi Hasan) 1587749718.0
President Trump is not living up to the importance of his office.
To be fair, I have referred to Trump in the past as "the president", but I was being sarcastic.— Charlotte Clymer 🏳️🌈 (@Charlotte Clymer 🏳️🌈) 1587751383.0
My favorite part of the president's sarcasm was when he asked the health professional to weigh in on his idea, took… https://t.co/dxQZReEj4b— Kevin M. Kruse (@Kevin M. Kruse) 1587751446.0
then he should have used the sarcasm font— Benjamin Dreyer (@Benjamin Dreyer) 1587748294.0
This is far from the first time President Trump has spread ridiculous conspiracy theories and untruths from the White House podium.
Sure. Just like the weeks of promotion for anti-malaria medication was just a long, experimental effort at sarcasm. https://t.co/3kZz8ubAMD— Ben Rhodes (@Ben Rhodes) 1587747301.0
Sarcasm. 50k Americans dead in the ground in two months and this motherfucker says his garbage brain is utilizing s… https://t.co/5QDmheslFC— Tina Dupuy (@Tina Dupuy) 1587748319.0
What about the part where you made Dr. Birx try and confirm your stupidity. And what about the part where you had t… https://t.co/LgcJPFLWor— Mika Brzezinski (@Mika Brzezinski) 1587748945.0
It seems President Trump's claim of sarcasm was received just as well as his original medical recommendation. Perhaps one day the United States will have a President who knows how to treat a global pandemic with the somber respect it deserves.
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