On Monday, Don Lemon shared a heartfelt message where he revealed that he lost his close friend, Robby Browne, due to complications with COVID-19. He also called out Donald Trump for claiming that he has “total authority” to dictate when states reopen during a press briefing.
The outcomes due to the spread of
the coronavirus have made it clear that no single person has control as it relates to the crisis. Not the healthcare providers, banks, scientists, or those who practice social distancing. Not even the president. For those reasons, Lemon called out Trump on CNN saying, “I lost a very good friend this weekend. I wanted to hear from the president how he is going to stop that from happening. “Instead, I got a campaign video. What do I need a campaign video for?”He went on to say, “I want to know how you’re going to stop my loved ones from dying. I don’t need a campaign video, Mr. President. How are you going to keep friends and loved ones from dying? It is crystal clear from what happened today what the president’s top priority is, defending himself rather than focusing on the health and well-being of the American people.”
In a tweet, Lemon paid tribute to his friend:
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Don Lemon Calls out Trump
Lemon isn’t the only person calling out Trump. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo weighed in on Trump’s statement during an appearance on CNN and reminded people about the Constitution—and that Trump is not above it.
“We don’t have King Donald Trump, we have President Donald Trump. The states created the federal government, not the other
way around. And, that is explicit. Certain responsibilities are state responsibilities. Health, welfare, quarantine — those are state responsibilities. So, the president should not even think of going there.”Related: New York Now Has More Coronavirus Cases Than Any Country Outside of the US
Like Lemon and Cuomo, many Americans are eager for Trump to work with those in leadership as they seek to flatten the curve.