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Trump Rebukes Obama Over Criticism of COVID-19 Response

President Donald Trump reacted to former President Barack Obamas criticism of his administrations CO..

President Donald Trump reacted to former President Barack Obamas criticism of his administrations COVID-19 response, calling his predecessor “grossly incompetent.”

Trump was asked by a reporter after returning to the White House from Camp David on May 17 what he thought of Obamas apparent suggestion, during a virtual speech on May 16, that many in the current administration “arent even pretending to be in charge.”

The president began by saying he had just returned from a “working weekend” and that “tremendous progress is being made on many fronts, including coming up with a cure for this horrible plague that has beset our country.”

Pressed again for a response, he said he hadnt heard Obamas comment, and when asked a third time, Trump said: “Look, he was an incompetent president, thats all I can say. Grossly incompetent.”

Trump steps off Air Force One
President Donald Trump steps off Air Force One upon arrival at Lehigh Valley International Airport in Allentown, Pa., on May 14, 2020. (Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images)

Obama on May 16 commented on the administrations handling of the pandemic, accusing the countrys leadership of being irresponsible and disorganized.

“More than anything, this pandemic has fully, finally, torn back the curtain on the idea that so many of the folks in charge know what theyre doing,” Obama said in a virtual commencement speech to historically black colleges and universities. “A lot of them arent even pretending to be in charge.”

Epoch Times Photo
In this screengrab, former President Barack Obama speaks during Graduate Together: America Honors the High School Class of 2020, on May 16, 2020. (Getty Images/Getty Images for EIF & XQ)

While Democrats have repeatedly criticized Trumps response to the outbreak of COVID-19, Obama has rarely come out to speak in public. Earlier this month, however, Obama was reported by multiple outlets as saying in a private call to supporters that the Trump administrations pandemic response has been “an absolute chaotic disaster.”

“Doing what feels good, whats convenient, whats easy—thats how little kids think. Unfortunately, a lot of so-called grown-ups, including some with fancy titles and important jobs, still think that way—which is why things are so screwed up,” Obama said on May 16. “I hope that instead, you decide to ground yourself in values that last, like honesty, hard work, responsibility, fairness, generosity, respect for others.”

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said in an interview last week with Trump 2020 reelection campaign senior adviser Lara Trump that Obama should have “kept his mouth shut” instead of criticizing Trump about the administrations COVID-19 response efforts in the phone recording, calling the former presidents intervention “classless.”

mitch mcconnell
Senate Majority Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) speaks during a news briefing at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on April 21, 2020. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Karl Rove, a Republican strategist and deputy chief of staff during the administration of George W. Bush, told Fox & Friends on May 17 that Obamas comments on May 16 amounted to a “political drive-by shooting.”

“It is so unseemly for a former president to take the virtual commencement ceremony for a series of historically black colleges and universities and turn it into a political drive-by shooting,” Rove told Fox News.

“This is a moment where these young graduates that could be inspired to a life of service—to recognize that life is going to bring challenges, and how we handle the challeRead More From Source
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