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Trump Reportedly Has a Bonkers New Conspiracy Theory for How the Media Plans to Infect Him With Coronavirus
President Donald Trump has been roundly criticized for his administration's dismissal of the severity of the COVID-19, or novel coronavirus, outbreak in the United States.
But a disturbing new report from Vanity Fair indicates that Trump is indeed highly concerned about the threat the virus poses...to him.
The report, taken from multiple sources close to the White House, details Trump's view of the virus as less of a public health threat and more of an effort by the media to weaken his presidency and the prospects of his reelection.
The report's author, Gabriel Sherman, was told of a conspiracy theory worrying Trump:
"Last week Trump told aides he's afraid journalists will try to purposefully contract coronavirus to give it to him on Air Force One, a person close to the administration told me. The source also said Trump has asked the Secret Service to set up a screening program and bar anyone who has a cough from the White House grounds."
Trump told aides that journalists are hoping to contract coronavirus themselves in hopes of giving it to him, thereby discrediting his repeated claims that the virus is being sensationalized.
The source also told Sherman: "He's definitely melting down over this."
It's easy to see why people were concerned.
We. Are. In. Danger. https://t.co/N41STWkl54— Malcolm Nance (@Malcolm Nance) 1583776883.0
OK... this is officially scary now. Trump thinks reporters are trying to kill him. Much more of this and you'll he… https://t.co/sb15tdx1s0— Seth Abramson (@Seth Abramson) 1583780302.0
Yes, he is certainly growing worse and will more rapidly. If we were smart, we would recognize the very obvious co… https://t.co/5BKpUnJt1z— Bandy X Lee, MD, MDiv (@Bandy X Lee, MD, MDiv) 1583781725.0
The Emperor has no clothes, no brain, no plan. https://t.co/qUglMYb95o— Paulette Feeney (@Paulette Feeney) 1583777678.0
I wish I could say I don’t believe this, but it fits entirely within Trump’s conspiratorial paranoia. https://t.co/VfHxMKkFUL— Ahmed Baba (@Ahmed Baba) 1583775411.0
Bizarrely enough, Trump is arguably more likely to contract coronavirus from his own allies, rather than members of the media.
An attendee at the popular Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), where Trump himself spoke late last month, tested positive for coronavirus. A number of Republican lawmakers who also frequently interact with Trump, have self-quarantined after interactions with the person who contracted the virus.
At least two of the lawmakers have had direct contact with Trump in the past five days.
Today I released the following statement: https://t.co/XGXEa4ozcg— Senator Ted Cruz (@Senator Ted Cruz) 1583708789.0
This afternoon, I was notified by CPAC that they discovered a photo of myself and the patient who has tested positi… https://t.co/lWhLKxkPiq— Rep. Doug Collins (@Rep. Doug Collins) 1583781851.0
Doug Collins, who has self-quarantined, greeting Trump in Georgia last week (AFTER CPAC) https://t.co/EY0qeVIIHe— Sam Stein (@Sam Stein) 1583782427.0
Congressman Gaetz was informed today that he came into contact with a CPAC attendee 11 days ago who tested positive for COVID-19.— Rep. Matt Gaetz (@Rep. Matt Gaetz) 1583783826.0
My statement on #COVID19: https://t.co/dyuq55fnBG— Rep. Paul Gosar, DDS (@Rep. Paul Gosar, DDS) 1583716509.0
Many of Trump's closest allies have followed his lead and dismissed the seriousness of the virus as the product of a hysterical media.
This is not normal.