I’m Pretty Sure This Is the Grossest Moment of a Coronavirus Briefing Yet

Patrick Semansky/AP

For indispensable reporting on the coronavirus crisis and more, subscribe to Mother Jones’ newsletters.Today is my mom’s birthday, but because I’m on weekend duty and because my parents’ phone has been seemingly busy all day—yes, that’s a thing that can still happen in 2020—I haven’t yet had a chance to talk to her and wish her well. You should be frowning at your screen, furrowing your brows. She’s great and deserves better. 
But! At least I have President Donald Trump’s latest coronavirus briefing to keep me informed and engaged while I wait for Mom to finally get off the phone. Let’s see what the prez has to say about COVID-19 today!
Wait…whatttttt the hell is this?!

“It was hard to get it aroused. And it is hard to get it aroused. But we got it aroused.” — Trump is now reading a Wall Street Journal op-ed that said nice things about him pic.twitter.com/Syrxttjm3v
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 19, 2020

To review: Trump read the assembled press a flattering Wall Street Journal piece that included the (really poorly crafted) sentence, “By shouting out many of them by name and documenting their deeds on a daily basis, he has vivified the American way in action (once reluctantly aroused).” Then, completely unable to not turn the briefing room into a middle-school boys’ room, Trump seized on the word “aroused” like only he can:
“It was hard to get it aroused.”
“And it is hard to get it aroused.”
“But we got it aroused.”
Sorry, Ma. I’ll be sure to wash my mouth out with soap before I call.