Bias Watch: CNN's Tapper suggests Trump should step aside on daily virus briefings

Anchor says Trump's behavior during coronavirus response has been 'insufficient and deceptive'

Published: March 22, 2020 12:39pm

Updated: March 22, 2020 11:56pm

CNN anchor Jake Tapper is calling upon President Trump to stop leading the White House coronavirus task force briefings, arguing his “outbursts” are counter-productive and suggesting that the vice president lead the daily updates.  

Tapper also says the president’s response to the deadly pandemic has been “insufficient and deceptive.”

“We cannot ignore that much of Mr. Trump's personal response to the pandemic has been insufficient and deceptive and not focused enough clearly on one issue: saving lives,” Tapper said Friday, following several back-and-forths with reporters during the daily briefing.

Tapper suggested that Dr. Anthony Fauci, the 79-year-old director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, in addition to Vice President Pence.

"For months the president belittled the threat of the virus," Tapper continued, according to an unofficial transcript. "If President Trump is not capable of leading stably and effectively, he should at least for his own reputation, for the good of the country, stop making things worse and consider leaving the podium to others."

 

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