Greg Sargent: Trump just pushed one of his worst conspiracy theories yet

[Dennis Donovan]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/02/27/trump-just-pushed-one-his-worst-conspiracy-theories-yet/

By Greg Sargent
Opinion writer

Feb. 27, 2020 at 10:40 a.m. EST

President Trump is now fully embracing the conspiracy theory that his assorted enemies are deliberately hyping the coronavirus threat, all to damage him politically. At his Wednesday presser, Trump agreed with Rush Limbaugh’s suggestion that Trump’s foes are “weaponizing” the outbreak against him.

There is something deeply dangerous about this idea that might escape initial scrutiny. So let’s be clear: This cannot be described with the usual head-in-the-sand media euphemisms. This isn’t just spin. It isn’t just crazy Trump being crazy Trump. It isn’t just Trump flooding the zone with chaos.

Instead, it poses a direct threat to the notion of accountability in government. This is thrown into sharp relief by coronavirus, at a time when it’s particularly urgent that the government operate neutrally, with the branches interacting in good faith.

At Trump’s presser, a reporter cited Limbaugh, and noted that he and other Trump supporters have spread the idea that officials at the Centers for Disease Control may be “exaggerating the threat of coronavirus to hurt you politically.”

“I think they are,” Trump replied. “And I’d like it to stop.” He then cited the Democratic opposition in Congress, in particular Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.

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[MontanaMama]

1. His cult will believe him.

And they will keep believing him until the numbers of deaths can’t be denied...and maybe not even then.

[maryellen99]

4. I've already seen it on Twitter nt

[Wounded Bear]

2. Trump doesn't need a lot of help making himself look bad...

to anyone who has not buried their heads in the sand.

He looks pretty bad all on his own.

[kimbutgar]

3. I hope mf45 gets the virus

[Dennis Donovan]

6. *cough*

...me too *cough*

[Newest Reality]

5. Egads!

Should we really be shocked?

How many people realistically thought this would not get worse and worse and continue to do so? Even from a non-partisan perspective, it looks like a non-stop clusterf**k of relentless destruction and as the momentum builds, there is no relief in sight for the short-term future and the long-term rests on one, General Election.

So either Trump shoves a post up the US behind, or we clean up the toxic fallout for a very long time post-Trump. How nice! Live can be difficult enough without a rabble rouser bent on making it worse to suit his demagogic ambitions. All of this to please a tyrant and nothing more. What a waste.

[duforsure]

7. Who do you trust now?

Trump who has lied 20,000 times to us already, or trust those who have help protect us from the Ebola outbreak that was halted successfully? Trumps intent is deceiving the American people claiming he has it under control when he and everyone knows he's lying. He's already starting to blame others for his complete failure and this disaster, but no one believes him, and for good reasons, he's corrupt and a serial liar.

[Flaleftist]

8. It's all a conspiracy, Trumpers. No need for you to get the vaccine when it comes out

Ignore all the Trump haters at the CDC and WHO.

[central scrutinizer]

9. Stochastic terrorism

Cultists will start hunting Schumer, Pelosi, others

[Jim__]

10. Yeah, all those people died just to get at Trump. - n/t

[Hermit-The-Prog]

11. I've heard they're piping coronavirus air into the White House and Mar-a-Lago.