First Lady Melania Trump doesn’t speak often, but when she does, it’s almost always something vapid and unhelpful.
Case in point: Her recent tweet encouraging everyone to go outside and take in a big gulp of fresh air as more and more of their fellow Americans succumb to a painful and deadly respiratory disease.
The First Lady posted a picture of a cherry blossom tree (through an ominous filter), along with the caption: “If you are able, try to take a few moments to get outside & breathe in some fresh air. Enjoy spring & beautiful nature! We all need to take care of ourselves so that we can try to help take care of others.”
If you are able, try to take a few moments to get outside & breathe in some fresh air. Enjoy spring & beautiful nature! We all need to take care of ourselves so that we can try to help take care of others. pic.twitter.com/NoTY7LdAPX
— Melania Trump (@FLOTUS) March 29, 2020
Just for the record, the World Health Organization announced yesterday that it’s “not seeing” airborne transmission of coronavirus, which is encouraging news. But that doesn’t make Melania’s tweet any less tone deaf as thousands of Americans quite literally cannot breathe right now, and thousands more are too terrified to leave their homes for groceries, let alone to “enjoy spring & beautiful nature!”
How about we take this to the next level?
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As for the response her tweet has received, let’s just say it hasn’t been good…
Sure, Birther
— Baligubadle (@Baligubadle1) March 29, 2020
We’re busy. pic.twitter.com/1GDAxakMLW
— 1finekitty VOTED BLUE ❄️🌊🔜 (@1finekitty) March 30, 2020
Some people can’t even breathe, madam. Too bad there are no ventilators because someone figured this was just a big Democratic hoax.
— CindyInCA. (@LoveMyCymba) March 29, 2020
Must be nice to have a big beautiful area to walk around. But please everyone step outside of there tiny little apartments right next to lots of people, and get the virus. Freaking clueless!
— Missy Dee (@CuteCoffeeWench) March 29, 2020
I’m going to be honest with you, these saccharine tweets while the front lines don’t have PPE and your husband spends all day sh**posting on twitter are not helping anyone. Please stop.
— Andrea R MD (@AndreaR9Md) March 29, 2020
Thanks Nipples, We’ll be sure to share this with the people waiting for ventilators in ICU.
— Gailen David (@gailendavid) March 29, 2020
Your husband is killing his people with his ineptitude and you’re tweeting about butterflies and unicorns.
— Kerry Bird White (@KerryBirdWhite1) March 29, 2020
As nurses, we do not have time to get outside. Please beg your husband to commit to doing something about this #COVID versus tweeting about ratings. People are dying.
— Leadership (@Nursesleadwell) March 29, 2020
Nice thought… especially for the folks currently dying because they literally can’t breathe.
— Brad Wollack (@BradWollack) March 29, 2020
Thank you for what you have endured.
— VickyQMerriKayID4 (@q_id4) March 29, 2020
Mrs. Trump’s tweet comes shortly after first daughter Ivanka Trump tweeted about the importance of social distancing right after her dad, to whom she serves as an “advisor,” said he wanted to relax social distancing guidelines.
Related: Ivanka Trump’s tweet about social distancing did NOT go over well
Goforit
No disrespect to sex workers intended but why should anyone listen to this whore?
sonic_source
She’s not just any whore, allegedly she’s fluent in six languages. However, the ability to ask if a hotel charges by the hour in six different languages, isn’t exactly fluency.
dinard38
I wonder what six languages she is fluent in, cuz English is certainly not one of them.
Cam
The White House P.R. office is scrambling to try to figure out how to get at least ONE member of the Trump family acceptable to the masses. They’re failing with Ivanka and Melania.
Also, is Melania using some of the same tanning spray as her husband. That’s a pretty dark tan for living in a city that’s just coming out of winter.
Tempus
Ok, I don’t care for any member of the Trump household but come on. I know people who’s only respite from the lock-down is gardening or getting outside if they live where they can so I don’t see anything wrong with what she said. Even if the virus were airborne it’s not like it’s traveling across the globe in the form of smog infecting everyone everywhere so I wouldn’t be afraid to say get out in my own yard. This is just being too easily enraged and just looking for something to post for views, which I suppose is your business so I can’t completely fault you for that. What she said wasn’t anything amazing but it’s not worth getting triggered over.
Cam
I love it when a right wing troll tries SO FAR to hide and sound reasonable, but then messes up and uses a word like “Triggered”. Nice try.
Pleakley
Exactly. I’m no fan of the Trumps, but going outside for a walk is acceptable, just so long as proper social distancing is adhered to.
Save the outrage for any of the (many) legitimate reasons to criticize her family.
Jared MacBride
She’s simply repeating what state and local officials of both parties are saying – if you can, go outside and get exercise. Not sure what the problem is here.
Cam
So the account that gets enraged when people call out racists and bigots is here defending birther Melania.
What a surprise.
Jared MacBride
@cam – good to see that some things never change – specifically that you refuse to be bothered by facts. Grow up – your hysteria isn’t necessary or helpful right now.
Cam
@Jared MacBride
Except you can’t name which facts I was supposedly bothered by.
Awww, you trolls are so precious.
nunya
The problem is with the people making the nasty jaded replies, not the FLOTUS. If she told anyone of them good morning, they’d find fault with it one way or the other. Their responses say more about them than the FLOTUS.
Creamsicle
I’m generally tepid towards anything Melania does. She isn’t in charge of this dog & pony show. She just wanted to be a trophy wife and kept woman. If she’s bad at public relations, it’s because she never had to be good at it.
Even her “I don’t really care, do you?,” jacket fiasco kind of brought embarrassment to the administration. Or it would have, if this administration contained anyone with enough empathy or dignity to actually experience shame.
corktownboy
send me some money, cnut…
DCFarmboy
Her comment was fine. It just didn’t translate very well from Slovenian.
Rock-N-RollHS
A non-story of our First Stepford Wife. But if this is what gets you all worked up, especially now, it’s time to up your meds.
Kangol2
A basic question remains: when this virus is aerosolized in a cough or sneeze, how far can it travel and how long does it linger in the air. We’ve been told 6 ft is the proper distance to keep away from people and also that airborne transmission is not that big of a deal.
However, today in the New York Post (yes, I do read that conservative paper to see the other sides of arguments), an article notes that research by MIT associate professor Lydia Bourouiba “warns in newly published research that the current guidelines are based on outdated models from the 1930s….{She] pathogen-bearing droplets of all sizes can travel 23 to 27 feet.”
Also, Professor Bourouiba notes that “droplets that settle along the trajectory can contaminate surfaces [and]…residues or droplet nuclei [may] stay suspended in the air for hours.” For hours. Additionally, and perhaps most nerve-wracking, “a 2020 report from China that showed that ‘virus particles could be found in the ventilation systems in hospital rooms of patients with COVID-19.'” I do wonder whether proximity even beyond 6 ft indoors and building ventilation recirculation of air in buildings may be one cause of spread,” but I haven’t seen much discussion of it. I hope it isn’t because it would mark yet another f*** up by the CDC, which could and should be warning people about this using the best science and strongest measures possible.
This doesn’t mean Frau Drumpf is wrong, but we really all should be as careful as possible and really practice strict social distancing even when outdoors.
Ibn
Real talk. Living in dc. Everyone is outside. They may not be gathering in huge groups. But everybody is spending time outside. And they don’t need Melania telling them to do what thousands of people here are already doing.
zimmy88
Ok ladies. Tighten the bra straps. Time for some science.
A soon to be published article from a midwestern university will talk about results of air sampling from COVID-19 patients. Any sample that was able to detect viral RNA was propagated in appropriate cells. Not a single sample showed viral cytopathic effect. This is indicative of it not being as airborne (different than droplet) as previously thought. Do we still need to take all of the recommended precautions? ABSOLUTELY!
Some have mentioned the economic effects of this shutdown. One also has to address the mental health effects this is having. Going outside to exercise or take a break while keeping your distance is completely and totally safe. And good for mental health. It can give a glimpse of the normality we will eventually return to. Anyone who would suggest otherwise just to see the situation get worse in order to hate on a political rival is the true troll.
Cam
So why aren’t you naming which “Midwestern University” did this study?
Being vague about the origins of studies is a common troll tactic.
Pleakley
@Cam
Calling anyone who doesn’t blindly criticize Melania 100% of the time a troll, is trolling itself, and not helpful.
I don’t like the Trumps at all, but it’s okay if she’s right in this instance.
Cam
@Pleakley
Except I quite clearly stated that they did not put the name of the supposed university doing this study. Why are you trying to deflect from that?
Josh447
Good advice
jckfmsincty
All the Trumps are white trash.
MISTERJETT
has anyone seen her immigration papers?
Jerry
I wanted to hate what she said but it’s all relevant and helpful. We do need to mind our mental and physical health to keep ourselves and our loved ones healthy.
HankHarris
she’s just irrelevent at this point. Worthless and least impact of any FLOTUS.
LetsGetLit
Most of these comments are only telling me that I’ve probably had enough of Queerty for today.
dhmonarch89
I’m allergic to pollen, so covid19 or not- I stay in this time of year unless essential to go out.
djmcgamester
She’s not the first to suggest going outside. She’s not saying congregate but to be outside. Staying stuck inside non-stop isn’t good for mental health. Also, she quite clearly said “if you can”. I can. I’ve got a backyard, I’ve got a neighborhood that I can walk through. If you live in a city, there are likely parks where you can go for a walk. No one said she’s the brightest person around but this isn’t a bad suggestion.