Guess who's behind Trump's latest batshit COVID-19 reasoning? Jared Kushner.

[herding cats]

Trump’s view that he can ignore Fauci’s opinion may be influenced by advice he’s getting from Jared Kushner, whose outside-the-box efforts have often rankled those in charge of managing the crisis. According to two sources, Kushner has told Trump about experimental treatments he’s heard about from executives in Silicon Valley. “Jared is bringing conspiracy theories to Trump about potential treatments,” a Republican briefed on the conversations told me. Another former West Wing official told me: “Trump is like an 11-year-old boy waiting for the fairy godmother to bring him a magic pill.” (The White House did not respond to a request for comment.)

Throughout the crisis, Kushner has counseled Trump that the crisis isn’t as bad as the media is portraying. Two sources said Vice President Mike Pence has complained to Trump about Kushner’s meddling in the work of the coronavirus task force. (Another former West Wing official disputed this, saying Pence wouldn’t openly challenge the Trump family. “Pence is politically smart,” the former official said.)

According to sources, Trump has been jealous that Cuomo’s press briefings have gotten such positive reviews. “He’s said Cuomo looks good,” a Republican briefed on internal conversations said. Trump’s solution has been to put on his own show. “Trump wants to play press secretary,” a former West Wing official said. The live briefings have essentially replaced his rallies and given him a platform to air grievances and attack the media. On Friday, he lit into NBC News reporter Peter Alexander when Alexander asked what Trump would say to Americans who are scared about the crisis. The confrontation energized Trump, according to a Republican who spoke to him afterward. “He was in the Oval Office feeling positive,” the source said. On Sunday, Trump was cavalier with a reporter who said Mitt Romney had gone into self-quarantine after spending time with Senator Rand Paul, who’d tested positive. “Romney’s in isolation? Gee, that’s too bad,” Trump said.

https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2020/03/as-the-crisis-escalates-trump-experiments-with-a-pivot

This shit is so very reckless and insane it's difficult to believe it's true, but it is.

Vanity Fair had made all their COVID-19 coverage free.

[pat_k]

1. I've been waiting for the Kushner "do nothing; develop 'herd immunity'" recommendation...

... since the day DT directed his 'senior advisor' to go off and "research it" to come up some magical answer actual experts and real researchers have failed to provide.

[scarletwoman]

2. "The confrontation energized Trump, according to a Republican who spoke to him afterward."

“He was in the Oval Office feeling positive,” the source said.

Trump is a fucking sick fuck.

[herding cats]

10. That part turned my stomach.

They're so vile.

[scarletwoman]

14. Vile is a perfect description. (nt)

[dhill926]

3. we have a petulant 8 year old in charge....

[gldstwmn]

4. Their money and power will not protect them.

Wait until someone in their little circle gets sick or worse, dies.

[PSPS]

9. Are you kidding? They'll fight each other to get to the corpse's wallet first.

[ThoughtCriminal]

5. I'm waiting for them to start pitching laetrile

Quack "Cancer" medicine that became a popular cause for some far-right politicians in the late 70's.

[comradebillyboy]

6. Kushner eh? That boy could fuck up an iron ball...

[lunasun]

7. Maybe Kushner is hoping the odds are against

Daddy trump
I’m sure daddy’s girl gets 💰 in his will

[herding cats]

8. I'm betting he's 100% about his bottom dollar.

Which is deeply leveraged in the market and the US economy. He's just looking out for his best interests and couldn't care less about those who die as a consequence.

[renate]

11. I forgot the latest thing he was mad at Jared about, but it was recent

Yet here Trump goes again, falling for Jared’s “I saw it on Facebook” expertise with his same old stupid credulous fairy-tale thinking.

He just cannot figure out that wanting something to be true doesn’t make it so. It’s a bit more complicated than that.

[herding cats]

12. Was it about the virus blowing up after he (Jared) said to say it would go away?

They both knew it was blather, but it's such pretty blather for the economy so, they used that messaging.

Of course the virus didn't care and kept on spreading. Gaslighting a virus just isn't as easy as gaslighting Trump's base it seems.

[superpatriotman]

13. Pence is a coward

Everyone around the Hair Furor are cowards.

Time to roll out the guillotines.