Hollywood stars have slammed President Donald Trump for saying ‘don’t be afraid of Covid-19‘ after his release from the Walter Reed Medical Center yesterday – while others have praised his triumphant return.
Before touching down on the White House lawn on Monday, Trump announced his departure from Walter Reed on Twitter.
‘Don’t be afraid of Covid. Don’t let it dominate your life,’ the president wrote.
In a made-for-television spectacle, Trump descended from his Marine One helicopter wearing a white surgical mask only to remove it as he posed, saluting and waving, on the White House’s South Portico.
Several high-profile actors expressed their frustration over his comments. Some celebrities, however, jumped to praise the recently recovered president for returning to work just days after being hospitalized with the killer virus.
Captain America star Chris Evans drew attention to the specialist care the president received, a level of attention unimaginable to everyday Americans.
Captain America lead Chris Evans (left) and This is Us star Mandy Moore (right) expressed their outrage over the president’s comments on Twitter
Captain America lead Chris Evans (top) and This is Us star Mandy Moore (bottom) expressed their outrage over the president’s comments on Twitter
Patti LuPone took a swipe at the president’s staged return to the White House, comparing it to her Don’t Cry for me Argentina scene on the balcony of the Argentine presidential palace in the Broadway musical Evita (pictured)
‘I still have the lung power and I wore less makeup,’ LuPone wrote on Twitter
‘Don’t be afraid of Covid?! You’ve been under round-the-clock care by the best doctors using the best drugs,’ Evans wrote.
‘Do you really think everyone has access to that?! Sadly, I’m sure you’re aware of that disparity, you just don’t care This is reckless to a shocking degree, even for you.’
This is Us star Mandy Moore weighed in with her own criticism, calling the president the ‘cruelest’ in her rebuke, imploring her followers to vote him out in the upcoming elections.
‘Don’t be afraid of covid? Tell that to the 210,000 families who have lost loved ones. To the Black, Brown and Indigenous folks disproportionately affected,’ she wrote.
‘With tens of millions of jobs lost and the economy tanked. Many of us isolated for months. You’re the cruelest. #votehimout.’
Patti LuPone took a swipe at Trump’s staged return to the White House, comparing it to her Don’t Cry for me Argentina scene on the balcony of the Argentine presidential palace in the Broadway musical Evita.
‘I still have the lung power and wore less makeup’, LuPone wrote. ‘The revival is closing November 3rd.’
In Trump’s corner, comparing the Commander in Chief to former President Ronald Reagan, actor James Woods wrote: ‘Ronald Reagan got back to work with [sic] days after being shot, Donald Trump gets back to work after contracting a deadly virus.
‘Joe Biden closes the lid at 9am and scuttles back to his basement after sleeping ten hours.’
In an earlier tweet, he asked ‘how do you do it?’, while retweeting the news that Trump was leaving hospital.
Antonio Sabato Jr wrote, ‘Welcome home Mr. President’, while retweeting the video of Trump returning to the White House after being discharged from Walter Reed.
Pro-Trump celebrities were also quick to voice their happiness that Trump had returned home safely
Despite the messages of praise and goodwill for the president, most celebrity tweets were critical.
‘Hundreds of thousands of Americans have been killed by covid. Hundreds of thousands of families are now in deep grief,’ wrote Mia Farrow.
‘Covid effects are likely to last for a long time- maybe for the rest of your life. Be very afraid of this disease.’
‘Don’t be afraid of Covid’ America!’, wrote Frozen actor Josh Gad.
‘With a helicopter at your disposal and access to treatments only a President can get, you too will get [through] this just fine in time to get back to your state of the art in-house medical facility with 24 hour care and the best doctors around!’
More actors chimed in to criticize the president’s comments on Twitter yesterday
Actor Colin Hanks added to the growing criticism of the president. His father Tom and mother Rita Wilson fought off the virus earlier this year.
‘Idiot super spreader the best medical care in the world tells millions with virus, and the relatives of over 200,000 dead victims: dont be afraid of covid. Don’t let it dominate your life,’ he wrote.
Scrubs actor Zach Braff, whose close friend Nick Cordero died from the virus in July, wrote: ‘You don’t have covid for the weekend.
‘He either has it and doesn’t give a f**k who gets it from him, or he never had it.’
‘The sick #IdiotInChief just tweeted that ‘I never felt better in 20 years. Don’t be afraid of getting COVID!’ TELL THAT TO THE DEAD!’, wrote Bette Midler, Fox News reported.
‘Must be pumped up from steroids & getting medications no one else in the world can get. He shoulda said ‘#ImHighAsAKite’ #Base, go get Covid!’
