Trump: Mixed signals serve country poorly

President Trump issued some fairly reasonable guidelines on April 16 for states to reopen based on metrics about cases, symptoms and hospital capacity.

Shortly after, protests broke out in a number of states with protesters insisting on their liberty to become ill and infect others.

In his tweets and statements, Trump has encouraged people to turn against state governors’ directives and, stunningly, even his own. And, while he was at it, he suggested that protesters’ gun rights were somehow in need of defending, nothing short of inviting civil unrest.

If Trump wants to fancy himself a wartime president he’s entitled to his own delusions, but he should be reminded that in past times of war, his brand of inflammatory, divisive statements would be considered not only unhelpful, but possibly seditious, particularly coming from a president.

If at some point should he become interested in presidential behavior and calm, steady leadership, he might take a serious look at our own governor.

This story was originally published April 23, 2020 at 6:51 PM with the headline "Trump: Mixed signals serve country poorly."