'This is not a reality TV show': Trump criticized for tweets on TV ratings as coronavirus death toll rises

William Cummings | USA TODAY

Show Caption Hide Caption Trump rips 'unappreciative' governors, tells Pence not to call them President Trump told reporters that certain governors are not appreciative enough of his administration's response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Critics slammed President Donald Trump on Sunday for posting tweets touting the television ratings of his news conferences about the coronavirus outbreak, which has now killed more than 2,300 people in the U.S.

Trump's tweets were in response to a New York Times article that said the audience for his briefings was as large as that for popular programming such as "The Bachelor" and "Monday Night Football"

"Because the 'Ratings' of my News Conferences etc. are so high, 'Bachelor finale, Monday Night Football type numbers' according to the @nytimes, the Lamestream Media is going CRAZY," Trump tweeted. He quoted the Times article in three more tweets, which cited the millions of people who have tuned in for his briefings and a CBS News poll that found Republicans have far more faith in Trump than the news media.

Because the “Ratings” of my News Conferences etc. are so high, “Bachelor finale, Monday Night Football type numbers” according to the @nytimes, the Lamestream Media is going CRAZY. “Trump is reaching too many people, we must stop him.” said one lunatic. See you at 5:00 P.M.! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 29, 2020

But Trump did not accurately quote the article and failed to mention the central point of the piece, which was that news networks were debating whether to air the conferences because the president has consistently provided the public with false or misleading information about the COVID-19 outbreak.

For example, the lead sentence of the Times said, "President Trump is a ratings hit, and some journalists and public health experts say that could be a dangerous thing. Since reviving the daily White House briefing – a practice abandoned last year by an administration that bristles at outside scrutiny – Mr. Trump and his coronavirus updates have attracted an average audience of 8.5 million on cable news ..."

On the other hand, Trump's tweet that claimed to quote the article read: “President Trump is a ratings hit. Since reviving the daily White House briefing Mr. Trump and his coronavirus updates have attracted an average audience of 8.5 million on cable news ..."

“President Trump is a ratings hit. Since reviving the daily White House briefing Mr. Trump and his coronavirus updates have attracted an average audience of 8.5 million on cable news, roughly the viewership of the season finale of ‘The Bachelor.’ Numbers are continuing to rise... — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 29, 2020

Many Twitter users and Trump critics responded angrily to the tweets for focusing on ratings during the deadly pandemic.

"People are dying and everyone is scared. So many heroes are selflessly working to attend to our health and safety, and make essential goods and services available. This is not about your ratings, Mr. President!" said former Obama adviser Valerie Jarrett. "This is not a reality tv show. For countless Americans this is our reality."

"If all you care about are your TV ratings, remember that President Nixon attracted an estimated 110 million viewers for his resignation speech," tweeted Kevin Kruse, a professor of history at Princeton University.

"On CNN, I said people are dying while Trump is talking about his ratings. It is beneath any human being. Trump's inner circle needs to intervene," said "Reliable Sources" anchor Brian Stelter.

Even Brit Hume, senior political analyst for Fox News, who normally defends Trump from media criticism, wondered, "Why bother to tweet about this, of all things?"

Why bother to tweet about this, of all things? https://t.co/ORce5bNNMy — Brit Hume (@brithume) March 29, 2020

"SAD to see a President acting or even thinking this way," said Joe Lockhart, press secretary to former President Bill Clinton.

You said the quiet part out loud again. You've got a hit on your hand and play it right, more drama and cliffhangers, you'll get renewed for another season. SAD to see a President acting or even thinking this way. — Joe Lockhart (@joelockhart) March 29, 2020

Here were some other responses to president's tweets:

At the next “briefing,” which journalist will have the guts to ask, “Mr. President, at a time when people are dying from a virus still out of control, why would you think tweeting about your ratings would be remotely responsible?” — Richard Marx (@richardmarx) March 29, 2020

I know hardened trash tv producers with few scruples who care less about their tv ratings in the middle of a global #pandemic than the US President does. Someone should tell him that his ratings will drop when his audience dies in large numbers. Maybe that gets through to him. https://t.co/fTvNeAl5Cq — Katharina Borchert (@lyssaslounge) March 29, 2020

The president is tweeting about his TV ratings while deaths from covid-19 approach 2,500... basically writing ads for Democratic strategists at this point https://t.co/luU0afr6iE — G. Elliott Morris (@gelliottmorris) March 29, 2020

Trump obsessing over the ratings for his briefings is yet another moment when he shocks everyone by acting in a way that is 100% consistent with the way he's acted his entire life. — David Roberts (@drvox) March 29, 2020

ok but how are Trump’s TV ratings down there https://t.co/Mo0hMVCUMT — George Conway (@gtconway3d) March 29, 2020