March 29, 2024
Letters to the Editor

Letter: President Trump is part of the problem

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To the Editor:

This is coming from a former chief fire officer and emergency planner trained at the Federal Emergency Management Agency. I also hold a certification in crisis communications.

If you haven’t figured it out yet, the president of the United States is either ignorant or a fool – or both.

The national response to this pandemic has been botched from the beginning.

Some of the principles that must be followed in crisis communications are never speculate, never minimize and never say anything except the absolute truth.

The president violates all of these rules on a daily basis. When you violate any one of these rules, you lose all credibility.

He minimized at the beginning, stating that there were only 15 cases that would quickly become zero.

He has stated that if you want a test, you can get a test.

My daughter is a nurse at a suburban hospital. She just advised me that 15 nurses are out for quarantine. The remaining nurses all have “colds” but cannot be tested for the coronavirus because of a shortage of test kits.

They will not be tested until they have a fever for two days. It’s interesting when one considers that infected people are contagious days before they have a fever.

Trump speculates routinely. This is a national disaster and needs a national response. In my opinion, here is what needs to happen: The president needs to stop talking and put experienced technical people in charge.

This does not include Mike Pence or Jared Kushner.

His sole duty should be to provide these people with what they need. I would urge everyone to contact the White House and implore the president to get out of the way.

If you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem.

The president is part of the problem.

Reuben Nelson

Sycamore