President Donald Trump has backed off the daily coronavirus task force briefings that spanned the first few weeks of the nationwide quarantine but he suggested in a recent interview that they might return.
In a conversation with the New York Post, Trump said, āWe set every record with those press conferences. Six million people all the time. You know we had tremendous numbers, literally, it was in Bret Baierās slot, and we did like 30 in a row.ā
He even speculated, āIt was theĀ highest-rated hour in cable television history. Thatās what I heard. I donāt know if thatās true.ā
The press conferences often featured Trump insulting members of the press. In one exchange, after an NBC reporter asked what he hopes to say to frightened Americans, Trump shot back, āYouāre a terrible reporter.ā
In one briefing, Trump took the podium and blasted an ABC reporter, saying, āYouāre a third-rate reporter and what you just said is a disgrace.ā
The president suggested to the New York Post that some of his advisors told him that his frequent barbs were turning people off, saying, āI was told that some people didnāt like the combative attitude so much. And I can a little bit understand that. But I would say from the standpoint of watching it and wanting to watch, that would be more interesting than having boring questions asked.ā
He also told the outlet that he is planning to return to briefings, though he said that they would no longer be daily appearances.
Later in the interview, he added āA lot of people love when the press hits me, you know, when I go at it with the press ā they like it ā¦ some people donāt like it. I have a feeling everybody likes it because, you know, itās more exciting than sitting there falling asleep.ā
Trump has been pushing for the country to reopen and he seems particularly upset that he has not been able to hold political rallies, telling the Post, āI think that would be a big ā a big disadvantage to me if we didnāt, if we couldnāt have the rallies back.ā