Maryland Governor Larry Hogan Tells ‘The View’ That President Trump’s ‘Mixed Messaging’ Is ‘Unhelpful’
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, a Republican, appeared on The View on Tuesday morning, where he spoke with co-host Sunny Hostin. The governor appeared to be set up on a porch outside, and Hostin interviewed him from her home, which is what the ABC talk show has done for several weeks now amid the coronavirus pandemic.
During his appearance, Hostin asked Hogan about the small protest that happened in Annapolis, Maryland, over the weekend while footage of various protests around the United States played on the screen. He pointed out that the gatherings were quite small, and he noted that he missed them because he was at the airport welcoming an airplane that brought 500,000 COVID-19 tests that he was able to secure from South Korea.
The governor and his wife, Yumi Hogan, who was born in South Korea, were both there when the tests flew in last weekend. He said that those tests would help save many lives in Maryland in the coming days and weeks.
Hostin also pointed out that Washington Gov. Jay Inslee spoke out about Trump’s tweets last Friday, where the president seemingly encouraged people in some states to rebel against the stay-at-home orders. Inslee worried that the domestic rebellion could lead to violence, and in his interview, Hogan didn’t disagree.
Marylanders should feel confident in knowing that we have done everything in our power, gone to every length, and used every tool and every resource at our disposal to defeat this deadly virus. pic.twitter.com/kSFy56Qc9N
— Governor Larry Hogan (@GovLarryHogan) April 21, 2020
“I think it’s unhelpful,” noted Hogan. “It doesn’t make any sense — the mixed messaging we’re getting out of the president. For example, in our state, and I think in most of the states where he was encouraging protests, we don’t have 14 days of downward numbers, which is what the president’s plan that came out on Thursday night called for… that made sense.”
However, the governor was confused about a series of three tweets Trump sent out on Friday after releasing specific plans for states to follow when looking to reopen in phases.
“But, on Friday, he encouraged people to go out and protest and liberate those very same states, so he basically was encouraging people to violate his own federal policy… I don’t think it was helpful,” Hogan said.
Hogan also spoke about the frustration felt by those who are losing income while staying at home. He said that he understood those frustrations, even revealing that he felt like joining the protests because the situation is incredibly difficult for everyone. Despite the frustration and pain that people are experiencing due to the restrictions to help stop the spread of COVID-19, the governor reiterated that the president’s encouragement toward protesters is not helpful to the discussion.
