The chief political analyst for Pat Robertson’s Christian TV network let loose on President Trump today.
David Brody, like many evangelicals, has been one of Trump’s most vocal supporters.
But in a tweet today, he unleashed on Trump and his claims that “anybody” that needs a test for coronavirus will get a test on demand (which is not true).
Brody tweeted video showing Trump’s comments while touring the Atlanta CDC headquarters, where he can be seen saying, “They’re there, they have the tests.”
“Anybody that needs a test gets a test,”Trump says in the video.
“On Friday March 6th, @realDonaldTrump said, ‘Anybody that needs a test gets a test.’ That is 100% FALSE. Full stop,” Brody wrote. “He was wrong then and it’s wrong today too. Many American citizens want a #coronavirus test right now but can’t get access to one. This is a MAJOR FAILURE.”
On Friday March 6th, @realDonaldTrump said, “Anybody that needs a test gets a test.”That is 100% FALSE. Full stop. He was wrong then and it’s wrong today too. Many American citizens want a #coronavirus test right now but can’t get access to one. This is a MAJOR FAILURE. @POTUS pic.twitter.com/fvAUqQzf1f
— David Brody (@DavidBrodyCBN) March 12, 2020
In a subsequent tweet, Brody slammed Trump’s leadership skills.
“Being a great leader has many attributes,” he wrote. “Confusing people is not among them. @realDonaldTrump provided false information about testing…multiple times! Invoking hyperbole in certain situations may be permissible but false statements about the #Coronavirus is sloppy & dangerous.”
Being a great leader has many attributes. Confusing people is not among them. @realDonaldTrump provided false information about testing…multiple times! Invoking hyperbole in certain situations may be permissible but false statements about the #Coronavirus is sloppy & dangerous.
— David Brody (@DavidBrodyCBN) March 12, 2020
From the beginning of Trump’s political ascent, influential religious leaders have taken issue with his character.
Trump was never seemed particularly religious in his previous, very public life.
He notoriously fraternized with socially liberal figureheads, porn stars, and Jeffrey Epstein, and donated to influential elected Democrats.
Many prominent evangelicals believed he could not be trusted, that he was posing for their vote.
“Trump claims to be a Christian, yet says he has never asked for forgiveness,” a February 2016 Christian Post editorial reads. “Trump is a misogynist and philanderer. He demeans women and minorities. His preferred forms of communication are insults, obscenities and untruths. While Christians have been guilty of all of these, we, unlike Trump, acknowledge our sins, ask for forgiveness and seek restitution with the aid of the Holy Spirit and our community of believers.”
Over the course of his term, as Trump appointed conservative anti-abortion judges and justices and enacted versions of the policies he promised them in his campaign, many of the once-wary evangelicals kept quiet, and many have changed their tune.
But now as the 2020 election approaches, and with his response to the coronavirus ongoing, the arguments of those skeptics have started to resurface.
“Invoking hyperbole in certain situations may be permissible”
When, exactly is it permissible to bear false witness?