(Image source from: nypost.com)

There have been rifts between Donald Trump and Andrew Cuomo over the prevailing coronavirus crisis. While this won’t be the first time, Trump has been again accused of showcasing misleading and edited clippings in the White House briefing in which Andrew Cuomo appears to show him with praise.

During the briefing, President Trump dimmed the lights in the room and played two briefings which were edited and features Cuomo, the state governor of New York city.

The clips were edited in which Cuomo stated saying, “What the federal government did, working with states ... was a phenomenal accomplishment. These were just extraordinary efforts and acts of mobilisation, and the federal government stepped up and was a great partner, and I’m the first to say it. We needed help and they were there.”

But, this sudden clip came out two days after Andrew Cuomo criticised Trump’s decision and ideologies surrounding the covid-19 crisis in the 15 minutes remarks that he did.

Cuomo said that if Trump is at home sitting and watching TV, it is time for him to step out and get to work. He said that this is not the time to bring out personal ego and crisis and work for the welfare of the people in the country and take correct decisions.

Cuomo did acknowledge that Trump’s decision to increase the hospital capacity had been done quickly but he further said that it was wrong to claim the Javits’ centre in the city. The projected number of patients was all based off of Trump’s own beliefs and ideals.

“The president doesn’t want to help on testing. I said 11 times, I said the one issue we need help with is testing. He said 11 times: ‘I don’t want to get involved in testing, it’s too complicated, it’s too hard.’ I know it’s too complicated and too hard. That’s why we need help. I can’t do an international supply chain,” Cuomo stated saying about President Trump.

Cuomo believes that Trump wants to say that he has done enough when in reality that is not the case. Nothing done is enough if it is not completely eradicated. It is not time for the political leaders to say they have done enough and be on their way. The fight is not over yet.

The second edited clip was player later on during the briefing. Majority of the media houses believe that Trump is ready to make the transition from the crisis mode to the new phase focused on the economic recovery of the country.

This publicity stunt pulled by the President also experienced a whole lot of criticism from people across the globe. Aside from that, the President has also been accused to downplay the national testing shortage that the lack of testing could be a cause behind the delay behind reopening of the US economy.

Walter Shaub, former director of the Office of Government Ethics also expressed his disappointment saying that while the President should have been working to enlighten the citizens about the impending crisis, he did the opposite and held rallies instead.

By Somapika Dutta