Nancy Pelosi: "Unmasked" Trump created a "brazen invitation for something like this to happen"

Pelosi is "hopeful" Trump's diagnosis will mark "a transition to a saner approach to what this virus is all about"

Published October 2, 2020 11:09AM (EDT)

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) holds a weekly press conference at the Capitol on September 24, 2020 in Washington, DC. (Liz Lynch/Getty Images)
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) holds a weekly press conference at the Capitol on September 24, 2020 in Washington, DC. (Liz Lynch/Getty Images)

This article originally appeared on AlterNet.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) weighed in on President Donald Trump's positive coronavirus results as she reflected on his behavior leading up to this point. 

During an appearance on MSNBC Friday morning, the California Democrat offered prayers and a speedy recovery to the president and first lady Melania Trump.

"Well, of course, as with everyone, we all received that news with great sadness," she began. "I always pray for the president and his family that they're safe. Continue to do so more intensified, and I know that he'll have the best of care, and that's what we want for everyone in our country."

Pelosi went on to reiterate the importance of enforcing proper safety measures to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus as she noted Trump's failure to comply with mitigation guidelines. 

She criticized the president's ongoing disapproval and mocking of mask-wearing and repeated efforts to hold large rallies despite concerns about the spread of the virus as she described his actions as "a brazen invitation for something like this to happen."

"But more than learning it has to be something that is acted upon," she added. "This is tragic. It's very sad. But it also is something that, again, going into crowds, unmasked and all the rest was sort of a brazen invitation for something like this to happen. Sad that it did, but nonetheless, hopeful that it will be a transition to a saner approach to what this virus is all about."

The top-ranking Democrat's latest remarks come just hours after Trump tweeted to confirm that he and his wife were COVID positive. Pelosi hopes that the president's announcement will serve as a wake-up call for those who have adamantly refused to take the pandemic seriously.

"Hopefully this enlightenment will have them say wear your mask, do your distancing, wash your hands, testing, tracing, treatment, so that we can crush this vicious virus," Pelosi said. "Not only in our own country, but throughout the world." 

As of Friday morning, the United States has reported more than 7,494,671 confirmed coronavirus cases as the death toll continues to rise.

You can watch the video below via YouTube:

 


By AlterNet Staff

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