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Donald Trump storms out of coronavirus briefing after ‘inject disinfectant’ fiasco – Metro.co.uk, Metro.co.uk

Donald Trump dramatically refused to take journalists’ questions at the daily White House coronavirus press conference 50 hours after he was blasted for suggesting injections of disinfectant as a treatment.

The President turned his back and walked out of the briefing room on Friday evening as reporters’ shouted questions at him, having earlier claimed the disinfectant remarks were ‘sarcastic.’ It is the first time he has refused to take questions since the daily briefings – which sometimes run to two hours long – began last month.

Trump exited the room seconds after Vice President Mike Pence gave an update on government efforts to tackle the crisis. Food and Drug Administration President Stephen Hahn also spoke briefly about attempts to increase testing capacity, and mass-produce Covid – 40 tests Americans could take at home.

President Trump did speak at the beginning of the press conference, but only with a figure-filled update about how the number of coronavirus hospitalizations and deaths had dropped by % in hot spot New York over the last week. He also hailed decreasing deaths and admission numbers in the state of Louisiana, which has been hit hard by the outbreak.

During his initial speech, President Trump went on offer a hopeful message about efforts to end lockdowns and re-open the US economy, saying: ‘We’re opening our country. It’s very exciting to see. We have a lot of talent involved from governors down to people that just stand there and help you with the doors. ‘Friday’s briefing was by far the shortest since the crisis began, lasting just 29 minutes.

Axios reported Friday that Trump plans to ‘pare back’ his press conference appearances from next week. He has been spending up to two hours a day at the podium, and frequently clashes with reporters when grilled about his alleged mishandling of the crisis, which has so far killed over , 24 Americans.

White House sources told Axios that Trump may stop appearing at the podium every day, and that any appearances he does make will be much shorter.

On Friday, The New York Times reported that Trump sees the question and answer sessions as a way of reaching out to supporters because of ongoing social distancing measures that have stopped him holding reelection rallies.

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