President Donald Trump mocked the media during a news conference on Friday evening for complaining about a room packed full of people that they claimed violated New Jersey’s COVID-19 guidelines, saying that it was a “peaceful protest.”
“Just in this room, you have dozens of people who are not following the guidelines in New Jersey which say you should not have more than 25 –,” the reporter stated before being loudly booed by many in the room.
“You’re wrong on that,” Trump shot back, “because it’s a political activity. They have exceptions, political activity, and it’s also a peaceful protest.”
The room erupted in laughter and cheers.
“To me, they look like they all, pretty much all have masks on,” Trump continued. “You have an exclusion in the law, it says ‘peaceful protest or political activity,’ right?”
Trump looked down at a sheet and said, “In fact, it specifically, yeah, it says exactly, ‘political activity or peaceful protest,’ and you can call it political activity, but I’d call it ‘peaceful protest’ because they heard you were coming up and they know the news is fake, they understand it better than anybody.”
The room again erupted in cheers.
“They asked whether or not they could be here, like the question about Russia,” Trump continued as he pointed at the reporter. “He doesn’t mention Iran was in the report, he doesn’t mention, or he mentions very late that China was in the report, because that’s the way they are.”
“If the press in this country were honest – it wasn’t corrupt, if it wasn’t fake – our country would be so much further ahead, but we’re doing really great,” the president said as he ended the news conference.
Trump’s remarks appeared to take a jab at the fact that the media largely gave leftists a pass when they have gone protesting over the last couple of months, which have often spiraled into violent riots.
WATCH:
A reporter tries to say President Trump is violating New Jersey’s Coronavirus guidelines.
Trump: It’s a peaceful protest.
MASTER TROLL pic.twitter.com/8c7NfyuLFP
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) August 8, 2020
Left-wing reporters attacked Trump for the comment online, or suggested they did not understand what he was saying.
“Country club members booed because a reporter asked Pres Trump why they were not wearing masks as they watched Trump’s press conference,” PBS reporter Yamiche Alcindor tweeted. “Trump said the club members were engaged in a ‘peaceful protest.’ Crowd cheered. Note: More than 160K Americans have died from COVID.”
Country club members booed because a reporter asked Pres Trump why they were not wearing masks as they watched Trump's press conference.
Trump said the club members were engaged in a "peaceful protest." Crowd cheered.
Note: More than 160K Americans have died from COVID.
— Yamiche Alcindor (@Yamiche) August 8, 2020
“Wow. A reporter points out many club members in the room aren’t wearing mask, violating guidelines,” CBS News blogger Kathryn Watson wrote on Twitter. “The crowd boos the reporter. ‘Because it’s a political activity they have exceptions’ and it’s ‘also a peaceful protest,’ Trump said. The crowd, full of wealthy members, cheers.”
Wow. A reporter points out many club members in the room aren't wearing mask, violating guidelines.
The crowd boos the reporter.
"Because it's a political activity they have exceptions" and it's "also a peaceful protest," Trump said.
The crowd, full of wealthy members, cheers.
— Kathryn Watson (@kathrynw5) August 8, 2020
“Trump says members of his NJ club who are gathered maskless are complying with law bc it’s a ‘political activity’ and ‘peaceful protest.’ It’s unclear what they are protesting. Trump in recent days has said that wearing a mask is patriotic, but seems to be endorsing no masks now,” CNN reporter Manu Raju tweeted. “Trump claimed they were protesting the media, though they were there just to watch the presser and cheered when he said that. He also said it was a ‘political activity’ even though it was an official WH event.”
Trump claimed they were protesting the media, though they were there just to watch the presser and cheered when he said that. He also said it was a “political activity” even though it was an official WH event.
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) August 8, 2020