KEY POINTS

  • Broadcast networks cut short Donald Trump's briefing on Monday
  • The White House was furious with CNN and MSNBC for cutting off Donald Trump's briefing coverage
  • Twitter reacts to broadcast networks cutting short Donald Trump's briefing

White House was furious after CNN and MSNBC cut short their coverage of President Donald Trump’s briefing.

On Monday, the POTUS held a briefing about coronavirus. Trump told reporters that America will be back to business as usual “a lot sooner than three or four months.” Melania Trump’s husband stressed that the cure should not be worse than the problem itself.

Trump’s press conference was covered by cable news networks and broadcast networks, but the latter cut it short for their evening or local newscast. It didn’t sit well with White House Deputy Secretary Judd Deere who called out MSNBC and CNN on social media.

“Pretty disgraceful that @CNN and @MSNBC have both cut away from this @WhiteHouse briefing with @realDonaldTrump and @Mike_Pence during a global pandemic. Thank you to @FoxNews for keeping Americans informed. #COVID19,” he wrote.

Oliver Darcy responded by sharing what the CNN spokesperson said in the comment section of Deere’s post.

“CNN spokesperson responds: ‘If the White House wants to ask for time on the network, they should make an official request. Otherwise we will make our own editorial decisions,’” he wrote.

“An MSNBC spokesperson tells me that the network cut away after over an hour because the info no longer appeared to add value pertaining to ongoing discussion on public health,” he added in another post.

Several Twitter users reacted to Darcy’s, comments with many saying that they also took away their attention from the president long before MSNBC did. One said he did it because Trump “NEVER provides facts, details and/or substance” and the Trump’s press conference for him was just his “opinion.”

Meanwhile, another online user accused Trump of using his appearances for the COVID-19 briefings as “commercial for his re-election.” A different netizen agreed and said that since Trump couldn’t have his “rallies” due to social distancing, the POTUS is holding his “pressers.”

In related news, Trump took to Twitter to state that people should protect the Asian American community. He stressed that the coronavirus outbreak is not their fault. The POTUS’ post received mixed reactions, with many ordering him to stop referring to the novel coronavirus as “Chinese virus.”

US President Donald Trump listens to a question during the daily briefing on the novel coronavirus on March 18
US President Donald Trump listens to a question during the daily briefing on the novel coronavirus on March 18 AFP / Brendan Smialowski