Trump Cuts Off Reporters' Mics During Coronavirus Press Conference

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At his coronavirus national emergency press conference, Trump cut off reporters’ microphones so that they couldn’t ask follow up questions.

MSNBC’s Chris Jansing tweeted:

I spent two and a half years covering the WH. MANY press conferences. Reporters’ microphones were never cut off. But today they were – repeatedly – when tough follow up questions were asked. So obvious.

— Chris Jansing (@ChrisJansing) March 13, 2020

The strategy of cutting off microphones didn’t prevent PBS’s Yamiche Alcindor from triggering Trump by asking him about his decision to close down the White House Pandemic Office.

Trump was looking at the press conference as a PR stunt to change the media coverage instead of an event to inform the public about what the administration is doing to combat the spread of coronavirus.

It was telling that the President offered no timeline or long-term federal strategy for dealing with the pandemic. Trump made a series of vague promises and outright false statements with the only dates being specified in vague terms like Sunday or next week.

Trump was trying to turn the press into puppets for his propaganda show. It didn’t work, and no should feel reassured after Trump tried to limit the press from asking follow up questions about his handling of the coronavirus.

For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group.

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Jason Easley

Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.

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Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association

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