Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) on Sunday ripped President Donald Trump for being against stay-at-home orders until there has been a “massive breakout,” adding that Trump’s “ignorance is a potential death sentence for thousands.”
Murphy referenced an exchange between Trump and a reporter at Saturday’s press conference in which Trump was asked whether the “key in this pandemic” is “getting ahead” of the numbers.
This exchange went largely unnoticed yesterday. But more evidence Trump doesn't understand the science at all.
He believes states should issue stay-at-home orders only once there's been a "massive breakout".
His ignorance is a potential death sentence for thousands. https://t.co/Lcsl0e0Xa1
— Chris Murphy (@ChrisMurphyCT) April 5, 2020
Murphy said the exchange is “more evidence Trump doesn’t understand the science at all” because “he believes states should issue stay-at-home orders only once there’s been a ‘massive breakout.’”
“His ignorance is a potential death sentence for thousands,” Murphy added.
Here’s the White House’s transcript of the discussion Murphy referenced:
Q Well, South Carolina has 1,700 cases right now of coronavirus. Utah has 1,255. I mean, are these not states that you think should have those stay-at-home orders in place?
THE PRESIDENT: No, I think they’re doing a great job.
Well, that’s a very small number relative to population.
Q It’s larger than some states that do have stay-at -home orders that are already in place.
THE PRESIDENT: That’s okay. It’s up to the — if I saw something wrong, I saw a massive breakout — of which that’s not — I would come down very hard. But —
Q Isn’t the key in this pandemic getting ahead of those numbers, though?
THE PRESIDENT: No, not in that case. But in the case — I know the states you’re talking about. By the way, I think you’re up to 92 percent is covered. Ninety-two percent of the country is covered. And from a constitutional standpoint, they made the difference. They called the shots.
Murphy has been one of Trump’s chief critics during the coronavirus crisis. He even suggested that Trump’s “uneven response” to the crisis that requires Trump’s “ego” to be “massaged” feels like another Ukraine.
“Well, It sort of feels like Ukraine all over again. The president is now, instead of using foreign aid, using emergency relief in order to try to get people to do his political bidding,” Murphy recently said on MSNBC. “I mean the message seems pretty clear. If you criticize the president then you are going to get attacked and you are potentially going to have critical medical supplies withheld. And if you get the president’s back politically then we’ll send you what you need.”
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