Trump 'election campaign briefings' comedic: Chinese netizens

By Zhang Hui Source:Global Times Published: 2020/4/25 19:03:40

US President Donald Trump speaks during the daily briefing on the novel coronavirus at the White House, in Washington, DC. Photo: AFP


Chinese netizens mocked US President Donald Trump for being the strongest endorser for live-streamed online disinfectant sales, and will certainly earn him next year's Nobel Prize in medicine after Trump suggested injecting disinfectants to treat the novel coronavirus, which was slammed worldwide as ridiculous and highly dangerous. 

Trump, who asked medical experts to look into the possibility of injecting disinfectants on Thursday's coronavirus task force briefing, defended himself on Friday's briefing, saying he was just "sarcastic," but then he suggested disinfectants can safely be rubbed on people's hands. 

His bizarre claim has met harsh backlash on American soil, with many doctors saying "people will die," and the maker of Lysol and Dettol warned that injecting or ingesting disinfectants is dangerous. 

In China, Chinese netizens seemed to view Trump as an actor, and his series of claims as episodes of his "comedy," no longer taking his talks seriously. Trump's claim and his ridiculous defense trended on Chinese social media on Saturday as one of the related topics, "Trump just being sarcastic for suggest-ing disinfectant treatment," received nearly 150 million views on Weibo. 

"Wow, Trump deserves to be the strongest candidate for the Nobel Prize in medicine. Next year's prize is definitely yours, Mr. Trump," according to a comment which received 2,000 likes on Weibo.

Many mocked Trump for being a successful businessman, the funniest comedy actor and a blogger. They also joked that he is the "best medical representative and medical expert." 

Some Chinese netizens criticized US politicians including Trump for only caring about their political gains, the presidential elections and US stock market, but doing little to contain the spread of the virus. 

Chinese experts said that Trump had turned the daily coronavirus task force briefing since mid-March into a daily "election campaign briefing" with his lame political tricks in response to the public health crisis and "no wonder the US is the No.1 worldwide in both the death toll and number of confirmed COVID-19 cases."

Diao Damin, an associate professor at Renmin University of China, told the Global Times on Saturday that Trump's claims on the briefing prove that his administration's handling of the coronavirus was not based on science, and his speeches have revealed his disdain to professionals and expertise. 

Trump has been shifting the blame of his administration's incompetence in handling the virus to Barack Obama, Europe, China, and the World Health Organization (WHO) in his series of talks. He first downplayed the virus to flu and then was forced to issue stay-at-home orders amid the soaring cases but soon suggested reopening the economy despite worsening public health crisis. 

"All these ridiculous talks from Trump and his administration have fully demonstrated that the US government is helpless in combating COVID-19. And this 'election campaign briefing' could do nothing to his election," Diao said. 



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