House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif) is weighing in on President Donald Trump’s latest press briefing about the coronavirus while urging him to “tell the truth” about coronavirus testing in the country.
When Pelosi appeared on CNN’s “Anderson Cooper 360” late Monday she wasted no time criticizing Trump’s leadership and behavior in terms of how he treats others.
Cooper shared the clip where Trump discussed his ongoing clash with Pelosi. In response to her interview on Fox News where she described him as a poor leader, the president suggested Pelosi was “inherently ‘dumb,'” as previously reported on IJR.
During Monday’s White House Coronavirus Task Force press briefing, Trump described the California lawmaker’s behavior as “nasty.”
Pelosi doubled down on her stance insisting Trump is a “poor leader.”
“It’s a waste of time to even comment on what he said when he uses negative terms to describe anyone he wants to hoist blame on instead of taking responsibility,” Pelosi said.
She continued, “I spoke truth when I said, ‘He’s a poor leader.’ He never accepts responsibility. He always assigns blame.”
See Pelosi’s remarks below:
“It’s a waste of time to even comment on what he said when he uses negative terms to describe anyone he wants to hoist blame on instead of taking responsibility,” said Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, after Pres. Trump described her behavior as “nasty.” “…He’s a poor leader.” pic.twitter.com/tDKMF2h8yF
— Anderson Cooper 360° (@AC360) April 21, 2020
Pelosi went on to discuss the Trump administration’s reported attempts to downplay the widespread shortage of testing kits. The Democratic lawmaker urged Trump to “tell the truth” and “stop misrepresenting about the testing,” she said.
“Let me just say to the president, it’s never too late to tell the truth. It’s never too late to do the right thing. Stop misrepresenting about the testing,” Pelosi said.
Pelosi also pressed on the importance to do more where testing is concerned.
“Unless we can test, we do not know the size of the challenge we face. Unless we test, we cannot contact trace. Unless we test, we then cannot isolate for the period of time that will make the difference.”
See Pelosi’s remarks below:
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi chastises Pres. Trump for his representation of the status of national testing saying “it's never too late to tell the truth. It’s never too late to do the right thing.”
— Anderson Cooper 360° (@AC360) April 21, 2020
“Stop misrepresenting about the testing,” she said. pic.twitter.com/maTV1sX3r3
Pelosi’s interview with Cooper follows a string of reports on her previous statements and interviews criticizing Trump’s leadership.
On multiple occasions, Pelosi has urged the president to rely on science and data — through a “coordinated international response” — in order to effectively combat the coronavirus and make sound decisions on behalf of the American people.
Testing capacity has plagued the United States throughout the pandemic shutdown and with reported limited capacity, lawmakers have been at odds with decisions. However, the Trump administration insists they have the situation under control.
As of Tuesday morning, confirmed coronavirus cases in the United States reached over 787,000.
