Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Trump's Press Secretary Claims Trump Hasn't Cut Back on Press Briefings Despite Not Having One for 3 Days, and Even Fox News Is Confused

Trump's Press Secretary Claims Trump Hasn't Cut Back on Press Briefings Despite Not Having One for 3 Days, and Even Fox News Is Confused
Fox News

UPDATE April 27, 5:34pm: Since publication, McEnany announced that the President would hold a press briefing on Monday evening after all. The article has been updated to reflect this development.

It took a global pandemic and a national health crisis, but after more than a year without a daily White House press briefing, President Donald Trump's virus task force began holding daily updates to keep Americans informed on the expert-recommended precautions and the progress at slowing the spread.

Any information presented in these briefings, however, has often been obscured by the President's typical response to scrutiny: angry defensive diatribes and outright lies.


In a Thursday press briefing, Trump floated the idea of injecting disinfectant as a potential cure for the virus, citing the effectiveness of bleach and isopropyl alcohol at removing the virus from shared surfaces like kitchen counters and doorknobs.

The idea sparked immediate backlash and the following day, Trump didn't take any questions from the media, nor did he hold a press briefing on Saturday or Sunday—the first time he'd skipped a briefing since Easter.

In a Saturday tweet, Trump said that press briefings weren't "worth the time and effort."

The tweet signaled a potential withdrawal from the briefings, but in a Monday morning appearance on Fox News, Trump's latest Press Secretary—Kayleigh McEnany—insisted this was not the case.

Watch below.

White House press secretary insists Trump hasn't cut back on coronavirus briefingsyoutu.be

When asked by Fox News host Ed Henry on whether or not the President was pulling back on briefings, McEnany responded:

"No, the briefings were a great opportunity for the President to speak directly to the American people. It's why millions and millions tune in to the President's briefings to watch what he has to say. They recognize leadership ... Today we're not tracking a briefing. There will be a press avail later this afternoon for CEOs that the President's meeting with...but these briefings are excellent."

Fox News host Sandra Smith jumped in to ask McEnany to clarify whether or not the administration would be cutting back on briefings.

McEnany said:

"Absolutely not an effort to cut back, but an effort to showcase the American people, the great entrepreneurship of this President."

She went on to assure that the media would be able to ask questions at an afternoon meeting between Trump and retail CEOs, claiming that the new model was an effort to showcase the American people.

"We will have briefings this week," she continued, "But again the media needs to not read into what's happening and look at this as an opportunity for the President to speak to the American people via the CEO meeting and later in the week during briefings as well."

Her answer still wasn't clear, and Smith asked if it was a confirmation that the task force briefings would continue for the rest of the week, asking if Trump would be present.

McEnany responded:

"Absolutely the President will be present. I'm not going to get ahead of what the briefings will look like this week. They may have a different look. I'm not gonna get ahead of those announcements, but make no mistake, the President will be briefing the American people this week. Millions and millions tune in to watch him and see his leadership."

People were skeptical of McEnany's assurances.





Her claims that the American people tuned in for Trump's leadership were mocked by many.



Update: Hours after McEnany's Fox interview, the press secretary announced that the President would hold a press briefing on Monday evening after all.

For a deeper look into the inner workings of the Trump administration, check out A Very Stable Genius, available here.

More from People/donald-trump

Vivian Wilson
@vivllainous/Instagram

Elon Musk's Trans Daughter Just Made Her Drag Debut At An Anti-ICE Fundraiser—And Fans Are Obsessed

Elon Musk's disowned trans daughter Vivian Jenna Wilson has made a name for herself online for mercilessly dragging the father who once said she was "dead" to him because she was "killed by the woke mind virus."

But recently she took it to a new level, leveraging her fame in her first drag performance at a Los Angeles anti-ICE fundraiser.

Keep ReadingShow less
Donald Trump
Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images

Trump Administration Fast-Tracks Eliminating National Suicide Hotline's LGBTQ+ Youth Support

On Wednesday morning, news broke that the administration of MAGA Republican President Donald Trump was eliminating certain suicide and self harm resources provided through the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.

The lifeline offered callers options to speak to people who specialize in meeting their needs. But the Trump administration decided this was a service that LGBTQ+ young people don't deserve.

Keep ReadingShow less
Donald Trump
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Trump Blasted For Announcing New Additions To The White House Lawn As Global Tensions Escalate

President Donald Trump was criticized after announcing that two new flagpoles would be added to the North and South Lawns of the White House—not the greatest look amid heightened global unease as tensions between Israel and Iran ramp up.

According to the Associated Press, Trump watched as a crane installed the newest flagpole on the South Lawn, remarking, “It’s such a beautiful pole.” He later returned to the site to salute as the American flag was raised for the first time.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshots of Donald Trump from CNN supercut
CNN

Trump Mocked For 'Two Weeks' Iran Deadline With Supercut Of All His 'Two Weeks' Promises

President Donald Trump has a history of promising to resolve problems within "two weeks," and a new viral supercut mocks him for all the times he's said as much—including right now with tensions in the Middle East higher than ever.

Trump said Thursday he will decide within two weeks whether to involve U.S. forces directly in the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran, citing what he called a “substantial chance” for renewed nuclear negotiations with Tehran.

Keep ReadingShow less
red flag with pole on seashore
Seoyeon Choi on Unsplash

People Break Down The 'Silent Red Flags' Folks Tend To Ignore In Relationships

A red flag has come to mean any warning sign in life, in addition to the literal red flags that are placed on beaches or industrial sites to warn people of danger.

People will respond to situations by saying, "That’s a red flag." But before that language evolved, they'd just call them "warning signs."

Keep ReadingShow less