Comey Pans Trump’s Leadership Amid Coronavirus Outbreak

Former FBI Director James Comey is weighing in on how President Donald Trump has led the country during the 🦠Coronavirus Outbreak.

In an op-ed published by The Washington Post on Saturday, Comey criticized Trump’s leadership amid a global pandemic. While he never mentions Trump by name, he refers to several controversial comments the president has made since the virus began spreading in the country.

By contrast, he praised the Queen of England’s recent address to her people as a “master class in leadership.”

Leadership, Comey wrote, requires “authenticity, honesty and relentless, reasoned optimism,” and “doing more of what you should already be doing.”

He continued:

“Like this horrible virus, fear and anxiety are contagious. People in crisis watch closely and over-interpret a leader’s every word, gesture, and tone. They spot exaggeration or a lack of authenticity. Good leaders try to tell their people the truth always, but especially in crisis. … They are honest about the current crisis but clear-eyed about the path out of it.”

He added, “People crave leadership when they are afraid. But leading well during a crisis does not mean ‘faking it so people don’t freak out.’ It doesn’t mean promising people all will be fine or lecturing them for being frightened.”