MSNBC Dumps Trump Coronavirus Briefing To Do Live Fact Check Of Lies

MSNBC cut away from Trump’s coronavirus briefing to do a live fact check of several lies told by Trump and Steve Mnuchin about the availability of COVID-19 stimulus.

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As Trump was promising immediate money to get businesses back up and running, Chuck Todd broke in and went to Stephanie Ruhle for a fact check.

Ruhle said:

He said this is up and running tomorrow. You can call any FDIC bank. That’s not true. You’re only allowed to apply from this loan for your existing bank. From someone, you have a relationship with. I know they are making this sound very cut and dry and clear but the banking industry is one of the most highly regulated industries there are. There are huge anti-money laundering and know your customer issues.

Thousands of smaller FDIC insured banks have announced today and moments before secretary Mnuchin started speaking JP Morgan Chase said they cannot accept applications. It’s not because they don’t want to. Congress, the president, Steve Mnuchin, all of these banks want to help the American people. The administration, the SBA and the Treasury Department have not gotten the framework, the actual rules that these banks need to understand to accept the applications. Thus far, are you ready for this? I spoke to one of the heads of these business banks and they have put together their solution of this is based on a guess.

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The ability to cut in with live fact checks is something that has been long overdue in these briefings. CNN and MSNBC have both stopped airing these Trump rallies disguised as news uninterrupted. There are two ways that the networks could handle these briefings. They could tape them and only show the relevant information on tape delay, or they could live fact check on the screen as Trump and his administration speak.

Trump’s free ride on the coronavirus briefings is ending, and the public will be better informed when the cable networks stop amplifying Trump’s lies.

For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group.

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Jason Easley

Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.

Awards and  Professional Memberships

Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association