President Donald Trump has criticized two Ohio Democrats who accompanied him during his visit at a Dayton hospital to meet with first responders and victims of the shooting massacre, saying that the pair was “misrepresenting what took place inside of the hospital.”
Earlier on Aug. 7, Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, and other White House officials spent time at Miami Valley Hospital to meet with survivors of the mass shooting that left nine dead and dozens wounded. Joining them were Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) and Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley (D). The two Democratic officials recounted the course of events that took place in the hospital, which was closed to the press, during a news conference following the visit.
The conference quickly garnered the president’s attention, where he took to Twitter to give his account of the visit and contradict Brown and Whaley.
“Just left Dayton, Ohio, where I met with the Victims & families, Law Enforcement, Medical Staff & First Responders,” Trump wrote on Twitter. “It was a warm & wonderful visit. Tremendous enthusiasm & even Love.”
….misrepresenting what took place inside of the hospital. Their news conference after I left for El Paso was a fraud. It bore no resemblance to what took place with those incredible people that I was so lucky to meet and spend time with. They were all amazing!o
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 7, 2019
“Then I saw failed Presidential Candidate (0%) Sherrod Brown & Mayor Whaley totally misrepresenting what took place inside of the hospital. Their news conference after I left for El Paso was a fraud. It bore no resemblance to what took place with those incredible people that I was so lucky to meet and spend time with. They were all amazing!” he added.
The president didn’t specify what in the press conference he was referring to.
Trump’s assistant and White House social media director, Dan Scavino Jr., also shared his account of the hospital trip on Twitter while calling out the two Ohio Democrats for “lying and completely mischaracterizing what took place” while accusing them of “politicizing a mass shooting.”
..The President was treated like a Rock Star inside the hospital, which was all caught on video. They all loved seeing their great President!
— Dan Scavino Jr.???????? (@Scavino45) August 7, 2019
“Very SAD to see Ohio Senator Brown, & Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley – LYING & completely mischaracterizing what took place w/ the President’s visit to Miami Valley Hospital today. They are disgraceful politicians, doing nothing but politicizing a mass shooting, at every turn they can,” he wrote. “The President was treated like a Rock Star inside the hospital, which was all caught on video. They all loved seeing their great President!”
In a separate post, he shared photos of the president meeting with medical staff at the hospital.
“President [realDonaldTrump] with the incredible medical staff at Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton, Ohio today. Some extremely powerful moments throughout the entire visit, with so much enthusiasm and love, contrary to what the Trump Hating Dems would ever share or say,” he wrote.
President @realDonaldTrump with the incredible medical staff at Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton, Ohio today. Some extremely powerful moments throughout the entire visit, with so much enthusiasm and love, contrary to what the Trump Hating Dems would ever share or say. pic.twitter.com/Wpvf2zPDRd
— Dan Scavino Jr.???????? (@Scavino45) August 7, 2019
White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham also expressed similar sentiments over the Ohio officials’ comments.
“President [realDonaldTrump] graciously asked Sen Brown & Mayor Whaley to join as he and the First Lady visited victims, medical staff & first responders. It is genuinely sad to see them immediately hold such a dishonest press conference in the name of partisan politics,” she wrote.
President @realDonaldTrump graciously asked Sen Brown & Mayor Whaley to join as he and the First Lady visited victims, medical staff & first responders. It is genuinely sad to see them immediately hold such a dishonest press conference in the name of partisan politics. https://t.co/BB0lXhfBnG
— Stephanie Grisham (@PressSec) August 7, 2019
While taking questions from reporters, Grisham said the hospital visit was not opened to press because the visit was not “a photo opp” but instead was “about the victims and their families and thanking [the] medical staff.”
During the joint news conference, Brown, who had considered a presidential bid but decided against it, and Whaley were critical of Washington saying that they had urged the president to support gun-control measures but Whaley added that she was uncertain on whether Washington would take action.
“Do I think we’re going to see another mass shooting tomorrow or Friday? Probably. Because Washington will do nothing,” Whaley said.
Whaley also said Trump made a “good decision” not to visit the busy entertainment district where the shooting took place.
“You saw just some of the anger and agitation in our community about it. I think a lot of people who own businesses in that district aren’t interested in the president being here,” Whaley said. “A lot of the time, his talk can be very divisive, and that’s the last thing we need in Dayton.”
Moreover, Brown also took the opportunity during the conference to slam the president, accusing Trump of dividing and playing to race with his rhetoric.
Trump defended his rhetoric earlier in the day after opponents pinned the blame for the massacres on the president’s rhetoric and on gun laws they say are not restrictive enough.
“I think my rhetoric brings people together,” Trump said. “Our country is doing incredibly well.”
Responding to the president’s comments, Whaley posted on Twitter she was not sure what the president was referring to when he accused them of misrepresenting the hospital trip.
Not sure what the President thinks @SenSherrodBrown and I misrepresented. As we said, the victims and first responders were comforted by his presence. Let’s hope he’s not one of these all talk, no action politicians and actually does something on gun control. #DoSomething
— Nan Whaley (@nanwhaley) August 7, 2019
“Not sure what the President thinks @SenSherrodBrown and I misrepresented. As we said, the victims and first responders were comforted by his presence. Let’s hope he’s not one of these all talk, no action politicians and actually does something on gun control,” she said.
From The Epoch Times
