Alexander the Great

Trump has already lied about the seriousness of the coronavirus, saying it was contained (it's never been contained), that it's not different from the flu (it's deadlier), that anyone who wants a test can get one (uh, no. they can't), and that it could be over by July or August (which no one knows, although the virus's ability to spread in hot, humid Singapore is not a good harbinger for the American Northeast in the summertime).

This past Friday, even as Trump saw improvement - yes, improvement - in his overall approval ratings and his approval rating for dealing with coronavirus, Trump told even more lies about the COVID-19 disease, in a press conference, such as how therapies and drug treatments such as hydroxychloroquine are  effective prophylactic measures against coronavirus.  Dr,Anthony Fauci - no longer present at Trump's daily briefings - made it clear that none of this was proven to be true.  Trump also said that you should get tested it you have the sniffles or a sneeze - even though the main symptoms of coronavirus are a dry cough, shortness of breath, and fever.   He did tell one truth - that anyone who doesn't have symptoms of COVID-19 shouldn't get a test.  But he had to say this because there simply aren't enough tests for everyone, as opposed to, say, South Korea, which has the virus under control.  (Trump had also said that the Food and Drug administration had also approved chloroquine for COVID-19 treatment.  In fact, it didn't.)

Having dealt with enough of Trump's blather, NBC News White House correspondent Peter Alexander (above) asked Trump if it was "possible that your impulse to put a positive spin on things may be giving Americans a false sense of hope" by promoting drugs and therapies that may not be effective (and probably aren't).   Trump replied that he didn't think so, adding, "It may work, it may not work.  That’s all it is, it’s a feeling."   

Alexander then asked Trump if he could possibly communicate directly with to scared Americans.  "What do you say to Americans who are scared ,though? I guess, nearly 200 dead, 14,000 who are sick, millions, as you witnessed, who are scared right now. . .. What do you say to Americans who are watching you right now who are scared?"

No one - except those who know Trump inside and out - could have imagined Trump's response.

"I say that you’re a terrible reporter,” Trump said. “That’s what I say. I think that’s a very nasty question."

Dismissing Alexander and his association with NBC News and NBC's parent company Comcast - or "Concast," as Trump calls it - Trump added, "The American people are looking for answers and they're looking for hope, and you’re doing sensationalism," Trump said.  "Let's see if it works.  It might and it might not. I happen to feel good about it, but who knows, I've been right a lot. Let's see what happens."

What's happening is that hospitals are running low on supplies and efforts by politicians such as New York City mayor Bill de Blasio are banging their heads trying  to get the federal government to help them out.

NBC News defended Peter Alexander as a solid reporter who acted professionally.  Which he did.  We need more reporters like Peter Alexander to help us get through this.