Morning Joe opened Monday’s program by going off on President Donald Trump’s curious defense of his disinfectant suggestion — made in response to a question asked of him during Thursday’s White House coronavirus briefing — as mere sarcasm.

Trump used the “sarcasm” defense during a press spray of reporters assembled in the Oval Office Friday afternoon, then over the weekend doubled down with a tweet that seemed to demonstrate Trump’s different understanding of the back and forth. Trump tweeted:

Was just informed that the Fake News from the Thursday White House Press Conference had me speaking & asking questions of Dr. Deborah Birx. Wrong, I was speaking to our Laboratory expert, not Deborah, about sunlight etc. & the CoronaVirus. The Lamestream Media is corrupt & sick! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 25, 2020

After showing the tweet, co-host Joe Scarborough noted “there are still people who are following the personality cult that like that. Yeah, oh, yeah, people all over the country that support Donald Trump said, ‘Yeah, he wasn’t talking to Dr. Birx‘” before asking producers to play the videotape, which showed the president actually speaking to Dr. Birx by name.

Mika Brzezinski lamented President Trump’s treatment of Dr. Birx. “He is putting her in a terrible position with a quack idea, and forcing her to talk about heat and light,” Brzezinksi said. “She has to grasp for an answer and explain to him that maybe a fever, but no. ‘No, you’re an idiot. You’re a moron’ is what she’s thinking, okay?”

“You can see it on her face. I’m sorry, Mr. President, you put her in that position. This really reputable, credible, prepared woman, who spent her entire life getting ready for a crisis like this. You’re a joke.”

Watch above via MSNBC.

Have a tip we should know? [email protected]