After over four weeks of attending White House press briefings focused on the coronavirus, US President Donald Trump declined to face journalists yesterday, with multiple reports alleging that his close advisers had told him to avoid briefings unless he had a special announcement to make.
Last week, Trump sparked ridicule when he appeared to tout injecting bleach or disinfectants into the body in order to kill COVID-19, although he later attempted to pass his words off as merely sarcastic.
On his Twitter account, Trump wrote:
"What is the purpose of having White House News Conferences when the Lamestream Media asks nothing but hostile questions, & then refuses to report the truth or facts accurately. They get record ratings, & the American people get nothing but Fake News. Not worth the time & effort!"
Meanwhile, polls taken in key swing states indicate that Joe Biden, the Democratic Party contender for President, has taken a substantial lead over Trump.