President Donald Trump’s Friday tweet storm backing protesters in three states who’ve loudly opposed anti-coronavirus social distancing was“illegal and dangerous,” Washington’s Gov. Jay Inslee charged.
In a statement, the Democratic governor — whom Trump has publicly dissed in the early weeks of the national outbreak — said the rage-tweets were “fomenting domestic rebellion.”
In a string of tweets, Trump sent out an all-cap order to “LIBERATE” Michigan, Minnesota and Virginia — where Democratic governors have faced criticism from protesters, some carrying guns and declaring their support for the president, who oppose social-distancing and stay-at-home rules.
In his Virginia post, Trump also pumped up protesters’ rage at gun control measures, asserting the 2nd Amendment “is under siege .”
“The president’s statements this morning encourage illegal and dangerous acts. He is putting millions of people in danger of contracting COVID-19. His unhinged rantings and calls for people to ‘liberate’ states could also lead to violence,” Inslee said in a statement Friday.
“The president is fomenting domestic rebellion and spreading lies even while his own administration says the virus is real and is deadly, and that we have a long way to go before restrictions can be lifted.”
Trump’s tweets came two minutes after a Fox News segment on the issue, according to the website Law&Crime.
Inslee said Trump went“off the rails” with the rage tweeting and hoped “someday we can look at today’s meltdown as something to be pitied, rather than condemned.”
“I hope political leaders of all sorts will speak out firmly against the president’s calls for rebellion,” Inslee wrote. “Americans need to work together to protect each other. It’s the only way to slow the spread of this deadly virus and get us on the road to recovery.”
Later Friday, the president widened his Twitter war to include New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, live tweeting the Democratic leader during his daily press briefing.
“Governor Cuomo should spend more time ‘doing’ and less time ‘complaining’. Get out there and get the job done. Stop talking!” Trump tweeted.
Cuomo, responding during the televised briefing, suggested Trump should take his own advice.
“Don’t be a Monday morning quarterback at halftime, [it] never works out well,” Cuomo said.
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