President Donald Trump took time out from the COVID-19 crisis Friday to attack a journalist on Twitter after the newsman nervously dodged a maskless lock-down protester who deliberately invaded the reporter’s social distancing space.
Trump slammed the TV report about the protesters on New York’s Long Island on Thursday — which included demonstrators berating the reporter — as “fake news.” But everything was captured on film by journalist Kevin Vesey for a report on the protest on News 12 Long Island.
“FAKE NEWS IS NOT ESSENTIAL,” Trump posted on Twitter with a link to one of the videos Vesey posted showing him being menaced by the protesters.
Vesey’s response to being attacked by the president? “Unreal,” he tweeted.
Vesey noted in another tweet Thursday that he was “insulted,” “berated” and “practically chased by people who refused to wear masks in the middle of a pandemic.” He added: “All the while, I was there to tell THEIR story.”
At one point a protester without a mask and wearing a red MAGA hat and Trump T-shirt deliberately advanced on Vesey (who was wearing a mask). “I think you need to back away from me,” the reporter told him on video, turning his face away.
“No, I’ve got hydroxychloroquine,” said the unidentified protester as he strode closer. “I”m fine.” The drug, touted by Trump, has not proved to be effective against COVID-19 and can have lethal side effects.
Twitter critics had a thing or two to say about Trump’s attack.
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