When he's in front of cameras, President Trump has been lying over and over again about coronavirus, minimizing its lethality, promising the illness will miraculously disappear soon, and claiming his administration has done things (like invoking the Defense Production Act) when, in fact, it has not.
This week, the president also said he wants strict social distancing measures to end soon so that people can go back to work, alarming public health experts.
But Trump is no stranger to pushing out multiple, conflicting messages over different mediums. He also lacks consistency, including when it comes to coronavirus policy. The one Trump constant, both before and after becoming president: he loves seeing his name in big letters.
So perhaps it shouldn't be a surprise that "PRESIDENT TRUMP'S CORONAVIRUS GUIDELINES FOR AMERICA" are now arriving in west coast mailboxes, including the mailbox of one of our readers, Roberto.
What are Trump's guidelines, according to this mailer?
Listen and follow the directions of your STATE AND LOCAL AUTHORITIES.IF YOU FEEL SICK, stay home. Do not go to work.
IF YOUR CHILDREN ARE SICK, keep them at home. Contact your medical provider.
IF YOU ARE AN OLDER PERSON, or have a serious underlying health condition, stay home and away from other people.
If someone in your household TESTED POSITIVE, keep the entire household at home.
Work or study FROM HOME whenever possible.
AVOID SOCIAL GATHERINGS in groups of more than 10 people.
Avoid eating or drinking at bars and restaurants—USE PICKUP OR DELIVERY OPTIONS.
AVOID DISCRETIONARY TRAVEL, shopping trips, and social visits.
DO NOT VISIT nursing homes or retirement or long-term care facilities unless to provide critical assistance.
ALWAYS PRACTICE GOOD HYGIENE:
• Wash your hands, especially after touching any frequently used item or surface.
• Avoid touching your face.
• Sneeze or cough into a tissue, or the inside of your elbow.
• Disinfect frequently used items and surfaces as much as possible.
EVEN IF YOU ARE YOUNG, OR OTHERWISE HEALTHY, YOU ARE AT RISK AND YOUR ACTIVITIES CAN INCREASE THE RISK FOR OTHERS. IT IS CRITICAL THAT YOU DO YOUR PART TO SLOW THE SPREAD OF CORONAVIRUS.
All in all, these GUIDELINES are pretty much in line with best practices recommended by public health leaders—though, of course, President Trump himself has been slow to adopt certain social distancing measures.
He's also repeatedly failed to embody the "Listen and follow the directions of your STATE AND LOCAL AUTHORITIES" instruction.
Trump called Washington Governor Jay Inslee "a snake" during earlier days of this crisis and, more recently, has been feuding with New York Governor Andrew Cuomo over his demands that the federal government do more to help New York with its spiraling numbers of coronavirus cases.
Maybe Trump hasn't yet received his own mailer?