Reporters Get Called Out For Misleading President Trump’s ‘Appreciative’ Remarks About Governors

[Image source: CNN, MSNBC, & C-SPAN video screenshots. The Freedom Times compilation].

During Friday’s White House Coronavirus Task Force briefing, President Donald Trump stressed that he wanted governors to “be appreciative” of the job Vice President Mike Pence, the task force, FEMA, and the Army Corps of Engineers are doing for everyone across America.

The president has repeatedly suggested that states should take the leading role in acquiring needed materials to respond to the virus, and on Friday he singled out two governors who have been outspoken in calling on the federal government to do more to facilitate the response: Jay Inslee (D-Wash.) and Gretchen Whitmer (D-Mich.), as reported by The Hill.

Asked what specifically governors could be doing to assuage his concerns, President Trump said he expected gratitude for what’s been done so far.

“These are workers, these are incredible people. So, I think … for political reasons when someone wants to blame, I view that as blaming these incredible people,” the president said, referring to governors blaming his administration amid COVID-19.

“I want them to be appreciative. I don’t want them to say things that aren’t true,” the Commander in Chief replied. “I want them to be appreciative. We’ve done a great job. And I’m not talking about me, I’m talking about [Vice President] Mike Pence, the task force, I’m talking about FEMA, the Army Corps of Engineers.”

“I think the media and governors should appreciate it,” the president said. “And I have to say, the media’s been pretty good, and the governors have been really good, except for a couple. With them, it’s just political.” (Continued Below)

“We have done a job the likes of that nobody’s seen,” the president explained. “I think they should be appreciative because when they’re not appreciative to me, they’re not appreciative to the Army Corps, FEMA. It’s not right. These people are incredible. They’re working 24 hours a day.”

“Mike Pence– I mean, I don’t think he sleeps anymore. These are people that should be appreciated. He calls all the governors,” Trump said.

The president also said he’s told the vice president not to call the governors of Washington and Michigan, suggesting Mike Pence is wasting [his] time. “You know what I say? If they don’t treat you right, I don’t call,” Trump added. (Video Below)


President Trump’s remarks in part:

https://twitter.com/alx/status/1243669502870671360?s=20

Shortly after, reporters took to Twitter to quote a “piece” of the President’s remarks, appearing to misguide the public of what the president actually said.

Peter Baker, Chief White House Correspondent for The New York Times and an MSNBC analyst tweeted: “Trump on what he wants from governors: ‘I want them to be appreciative. We’ve done a great job.'”

GOP Spokesperson, Elizbeth Harrington, fired back:

(Continued Below)

Fox News contributor Dan Bongino called out Peter Baker expressing: “Why not the full quote? Must you always bullshit people, or is it just a Friday thing? You guys are a disgrace. You’re an embarrassment to a once-proud profession. Disgusting.”

https://twitter.com/dbongino/status/1243667011621867523?s=20

Ryan Saavedra, a reporter at the Daily Wire tweeted the full quote:

White House correspondent for The New York Times and an analyst for CNN, Maggie Haberman, tweeted: “‘I want them to be appreciative,’ the president says of governors who are criticizing the federal response.”

Greg Price from the Daily Caller responded:

CNN’s Manu Raju also tweeted: