Donald Trump has been downplaying the seriousness of the deadly coronavirus for weeks. But after the number of deaths in the United States reached 100, the POTUS appeared somber during Monday’s press conference.
According to CNN, this week’s coronavirus press conference was the first time that Trump seemed concerned and serious about the pandemic. He also managed to share information based on facts, while calling for national unity.
Unlike the previous weeks, the president also ditched his normal habit of hyping the best possible outcome for the situation. He finally admitted that the fast-worsening crisis is actually “bad.”
“Each and every one of us has a critical role to play in stopping the spread and transmission of the virus,” he said.
Melania Trump’s husband also unveiled a 15-day plan in an attempt to flatten the curve of the coronavirus. He previously confirmed that the first trial phase for a coronavirus vaccine is already on the way.
Journalist Stephen Collin described Trump’s demeanor and approach to the coronavirus crisis following his recent press conference.
“The President's pivot to seriousness contrasted sharply with some of his previous comments on the pandemic, which he has compared to the flu and predicted could just go away, and came after he claimed he had ‘shut it down’ and had the disease under control,” he said.
“In many ways, Trump's temperate performance was the most conventional moment of a presidency in which he has refused to adopt the traditional mien associated with his position. He came across as the leader of a nation in crisis, calling on its citizens to unite in an outpouring of collective action that might temporarily paper over the deep national political divide,” he added.
On Twitter, some Americans are still not contented with how the POTUS has been dealing with the coronavirus outbreak.
“Oh Trump, after your handling of this you’re going to wish you had the coronavirus… sweet dreams little boy,” Twitter user @FefferThomas said.
“Why do you still not get it, Donald J. Trump? You need to be all-in on dealing with the coronavirus. And you’re still not. Be the damn leader you brag about being all the time or get your [expletive] out of the way of those treating their pandemic with the seriousness that we must,” Twitter user @Meteor_Blades said.