The other day I was watching President Trump’s daily White House briefing on COVID-19, and I couldn’t help but notice how much the briefing had strayed from its intention. Back in March, when these daily briefings first started, they were to consistently keep the American public up to date on the pandemic. Recently, however, it seems that they are more like political campaign rallies, where Trump talks more on his administration’s “accomplishments” than the situation of the pandemic.

On Monday, April 13 within the first 20 minute of the Coronavirus Task Force briefing, Trump presented the journalists in the press room with a video prepared by the Trump administration. The intention of the video was to defend actions the administration had taken throughout the course of the past few months on the pandemic, which various news outlets have harshly criticized. It also aimed to support Trump’s claims that he is the one pushing for bipartisanship.

The fact that Trump thought it would be suitable to blatantly display propaganda amidst a global health crisis is quite unsettling. Many Americans are currently living in fear, so they look to the government and specifically the president for guidance and reassurance. Yet how can we be reassured in this situation, when he takes more time to congratulate himself and campaign than to address the concerns of the people?

Another unsettling part of these briefings is how Trump constantly feels the need to insult the journalists when he doesn’t want to answer their questions. Are the questions difficult and brutally honest? Yes, but that doesn’t mean he should invalidate them through harsh words.

After Trump showed that particular video, a CNN reporter asked the president why, when 40,000 American citizens (the current count is over 50,000) had lost their lives to the virus, he was showing clips of praise for the administration.  The reporter added, “Is this really the time for self-congratulations?”

Trump first took it upon himself to deny the fact that he was praising his own administration and instead was praising the front-line workers, though the video showed nothing of the sort. And second, to insult the reporter by saying that journalists like him are “fake news” and “don’t have the brains (they) were born with”.

I realize that the Trump doesn’t like the left and the media outlets associated with them. He’s not obligated to like them. However, as the President during both a health and economic crisis, he should tone down that dislike, for the time being, so that we can get through this much more easily and quickly.

A few governors across the country, Republicans and Democrats alike, are starting to come together in order to handle this crisis. If other politicians are able to put politics aside, why can’t our president do so, too?

I know it’s an impossible notion to bring up, but if only we could put politics on a pause for the time being. We are currently in the midst of battling against an “invisible enemy,” as the president likes to call it. The only way we can be successful and stop COVID-19 from taking more lives is if everyone puts their political motives and views aside and works together.

Doctors, nurses, supermarket workers and countless others are working us on the front lines of this virus, so the least politicians can do is come together through bipartisanship to support them and to further protect the American people.