He sides with the protesters against their elected governors. Of course, he’s only encouraging protests against Democratic governors. I thought Trump left it up to the states. People will get sick from these rallies if they don’t observe social distancing and use masks. Sad!
If Trump had actually learned how to do his job, and then actually performed it, America wouldn't be in this situation with the pandemic. There wouldn't be any (Democratic-led) states that his goons would need to "liberate.” And perhaps that's the point. https://t.co/tYW1kOZwx0
— Jamil Smith (@JamilSmith) April 17, 2020
By tweeting LIBERATE MICHIGAN, Trump knows what he's doing. He's encouraging his fans to gather, spread a virus, & possibly die: all to make life difficult for a governor he hates.
— Dave Wagner (@Dbwagner104) April 17, 2020
Somehow "petty" doesn't do it justice.
Trump is walking people off a cliff; the GOP shrugs.
So, the president is apparently encouraging protesters who are gathering in public to defy the actions of their governors. pic.twitter.com/icrltmpSU5
— Aaron Blake (@AaronBlake) April 17, 2020
It’s not every Friday that the president* takes to the electric Twitter machine to foment insurrection. https://t.co/FxHrvl7eOG
— Charles P. Pierce (@CharlesPPierce) April 17, 2020
If I didn’t know better, I’d think Trump was channeling Jim Jones in leading his flock to self-destruction https://t.co/XU6INTFiNd
— Laurence Tribe (@tribelaw) April 17, 2020
By the way, Republican elected officials and candidates in VA, MI, and MN should be asked whether they approve of Trump's tweets, which endanger not just the citizens of their states in general but law enforcement officers trying to enforce the law in particular.
— Bill Kristol (@BillKristol) April 17, 2020
Trump inciting people to violate stay-at-home orders will cause many deaths, and deepen the economic downturn. He has done many irresponsible things, but this ranks right up there.
— Topher Spiro (@TopherSpiro) April 17, 2020
Trump encouraging protesters in blue states – a development we foreshadowed earlier this week – could create immense volatility if the governors hold the line. Combine that with conservative talk radio, deepening economic desperation, and outside big $$ funding… https://t.co/6q8uRWYNDe
— Jonathan Swan (@jonathanvswan) April 17, 2020
The president appears to be encouraging uprisings (and armed ones at that?) against Dem governors and the measures they have adopted to slow the spread of covid. https://t.co/tbd7lXqkhR
— Greg Miller (@gregpmiller) April 17, 2020
State protests aren’t irrelevant, but they’re not at all in line with polling or the pretty broad bipartisan consensus among state officials, public health experts, and even economists. Fanning them into a flame is a choice.
— Benjy Sarlin (@BenjySarlin) April 17, 2020
There were people, alarmists I called 'em, who said that the president would try to foment insurrection rather than giving up office. To each of them I say…"I apologize."
— David Rothkopf (@djrothkopf) April 17, 2020
"liberate the country from the will of the majority" is a pretty good summary of where the republican party is these days pic.twitter.com/LjUDzSZMOV
— b-boy bouiebaisse (@jbouie) April 17, 2020
In a disturbing new series of tweets, Trump urged Americans to “liberate” three U.S. states that are run by Democratic governors amid protests over coronavirus shutdownshttps://t.co/KGXI5tucs3
— The Daily Beast (@thedailybeast) April 17, 2020
I try to never tweet about this particular account but LOL there are armed groups bearing flags w/his name on them marching on the capitols of these states, & it's not even clear that the governors can just flip a switch & turn the economies back on like they're demanding. Wow. pic.twitter.com/IRo0ACWFRB
— Jon Stokes (@jonst0kes) April 17, 2020
"The social-distancing deniers have arrived," @zbyronwolf writes https://t.co/u7Bznwjd2Q
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) April 17, 2020
Sad! 