Donald Trump truly outdid himself last Thursday with his scheme to eliminate coronavirus by getting Americans to inject disinfectant into themselves. After public health officials, disinfectant producers, and news outlets scrambled to prevent a rash of needless deaths, Dr. Trump declined to take any questions at Friday's coronavirus briefing, opting instead for a quick exit after a series of brief announcements.
Over the weekend, the briefing was left for dead. On Sunday, Trump declared it a waste of his time (because it was never actually intended to help the public). And finally, on Monday, the White House yanked the previously scheduled briefing from its media announcements. "UPDATES: The 5 PM press briefing has been canceled," read the the updated daily guidance that goes out to all White House correspondents and other reporters.
Not all is lost though. Trump has a 4 PM meeting with industry executives on the books that is still taking place. White House pool reporters will be there, so it’s still possible Dr. Trump could take a few questions and draw from his deep reservoir of knowledge to respond.
For weeks, Republicans lawmakers and Trump campaign aides have both been begging Trump to either quit attending the briefings (most preferable) or at least decrease the frequency of his attendance. But that just wasn't in the cards until he managed to say one of the dumbest possible things ever in all seriousness while the infectious disease doctors in the room died a slow death inside.
But how long the silence lasts remains to be seen. Trump is apparently withering inside the White House residence without his precious campaign rallies and other fun activities to occupy him. Trump's so bored he's forcing West Point cadets back to campus to live under a 14-day quarantine regimen until he can finally deliver a commencement speech that hadn't even been planned in advance (cadets had previously been ordered to stay at home since spring break). Surely it will be profound and entirely worth risking the spread of disease among the Army’s newest crop of commissioned officers.