Kicking around various ideas for dealing coronavirus AKA SARS CoV-2 or Covid-19, Trump let Homeland Security official William Bryan present research on what happens to the virus under sunlight. Bryan said the solar light had a powerful effect killing the virus, also talking about various disinfectants killing the virus. While Bryan is not a doctor, holding a master of science degree in strategic intelligence form the Joint Military Intelligence College in Washington, D.C., he talked in general terms of what happens to the virus outside the human body exposes to light and disinfectants. From there Trump started to brainstorm, asking questions of whether ultraviolet light or other disinfectants could be used to get rid of the virus inside the human body. Trump suggested that maybe Bryan’s findings could be applied to treating the virus, something remaining farfetched to medical experts.
After kicking the idea around after Bryan’s presentation, the press had enough, got antsy and started to ask questions. “Supposing we hit the body with a tremendous ultra violet light or just very powerful light,” Trump asked Bryan and State Department immunologist Dr. Deborah Birx. “And I think you said that hasn’t been checked out but you are going to test it,” Trump said. Trump’s problem is that he gets too excited about new ideas, finding everything tried so far to eradicate the coronavirus not working well enough. Instead of putting Trump’s musings aside, Washington Post reporter Phil Rucker put Trump on the spot. “Respectfully sir, you’re the president, and people tuning into the briefings, the want to get information and guidance and want to know what to do, they’re not looking for rumor,” Phil said, prompting Trump to go after him as part of the “fake news” establishment.
Trump loses his patience during daily coronavirus briefings, answering skeptical questions about more testing or, opening up the country too soon. Trump’s been shooting for May 1 to begin opening up the country, while some governors, like Georgia’s Brian Kemp decided to starting opening up his state this week. Trump went off on Rucker, calling his paper out for fake news. “Hey Phil. I’m the president, and you’re fake news. And know what I will say to you? I will say it to you very nicely. I see what he writes. He is a total faker,” Trump said to Rucker. Trump refers to numerous stories written by Rucker and the Washington Post over the past three-year tying Trump to Russia to win the 2016 presidential election. No one from the Post apologized when 75-year-old former Special Counsel Robert Mueller declared March 23, 2019 that Trump or his campaign did not collude with Russia.
Trump carries that chip on his shoulder at every coronavirus briefing as the press asks questions to establish that Trump has done a substandard job managing the coronvirus crisis that’s infected 866,709 U.S. citizens, killing 50,243. Trump lectured Rucker from the podium. “Are you ready? It is just a suggestion, from a brilliant lab by a very, very smart, perhaps brilliant man,” Trump said. “[Bryan] is talking about sun. he’s talking about heat, and you see the numbers. I’m just here to present talent. I am here to present ideas, because we want ideas to get rid of this thing. So if heat is good, if sunlight is good, that is great thing as far as I am concerned,” Trump said, silencing Rucker. Much of the press got after Trump for suggesting that seasonal changes, like warmer weather, could affect the coronavirus, something the press dismissed as pure ignorance, not worthy of discussion.
Yet Bryan clear said the lab experiments show that the coronvirus vaporizes with sunlight and heat. Instead of the media playing “gotcha” games with Trump, they should see his genuine sincerity to conquer the coronavirus and get the U.S. economy on track. When you consider that 26.5 million workers filed for unemployment in the last three weeks, it’s a devastating blow to an otherwise healthy economy. Now Trump faces the unenviable task of explaining to voters he should be given another term to turn the economy around. Recent reports from the U.S. intel community paint a disturbing picture of the U.S. press influenced by Chinese, Russian and Iranian propaganda suggesting the reopening the U.S. economy could cause more loss of life. America’s enemies have decided the best way to harm America is to advocate “shelter in place,” not letting the U.S. economy come back.
Trump finds himself preaching to a choir that seeks get rid of him at the earliest possible time. Reporters like Rucker want to make Trump look as bad as possible to American voters. Spending considerable time going after the press at the daily coronavirus briefings makes Trump look like he’s constantly defensive, always overreacting to press questions. Trump hopes that warmer weather, and yes, more sunshine, reduces the incidence of the virus over the spring and summer months. Whether SARS CoV-2 comes back in the fall or winter is anyone’s guess. Trump’s medical advisers, like 80-year-old National Institute of Health’s [NIH] Anthnony Fauci, think it’s possible. There’s little Trump can point to that doesn’t draw skepticism from the press, not satisfied with promises of more testing or, more recently, deciding to gradually open up the U.S. economy.
