Protesters have taken their outcry to the steps of President Donald Trump’s luxury hotel in Washington, D.C. However, this time around, protesters are not citing concerns about stay-at-home orders.
Multiple clips have surfaced on social media capturing a procession of cars seen driving from the White House to the Trump International Hotel in downtown D.C as drivers honked their horns in protest on Thursday.
Once drivers arrived at the hotel, they exited their vehicles and stacked body bags six feet apart at the front of the hotel. Signs that read “Trump lies, people die” were also posted outside of the hotel.
Check out the clips below:
“Body” bags at Trump Hotel. #trumpcovidfails #TrumpCovidiot pic.twitter.com/agzPHFhRA3
— Bill Ragen (@bill_ragen) April 23, 2020
Body bags in front of Trump DC hotel pic.twitter.com/XNQoMZcs3Q
— Scott Dworkin (@funder) April 23, 2020
According to MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow, the protests were an effort to shed light on the impact of the president’s ongoing claims about the coronavirus. Protesters are reportedly hoping to capture the president’s attention and stress the severity of the rising body count.
“The U.S. death toll from coronavirus, as of today, is staggering,” Maddow said as the protest footage was aired. “As of today, 48,902 Americans have been killed. And that’s just over the course of about a month.”
See Maddow’s remarks below:
On multiple occasions, Trump has reportedly downplayed the coronavirus insisting his administration has the situation “under control.” However, the number of positive coronavirus cases and the death toll are continuing to rise.
Earlier this week during a White House Coronavirus Task Force briefing, Trump suggested the overall death toll would likely peak around 50,000 or 60,000 as he discussed plans to reopen the economy.
“Now, we’re going toward 50, I’m hearing, or 60,000 people,” Trump said on Monday. “One is too many. I always say it: One is too many. But we’re going toward 50 or 60,000 people.”
Trump on the coronavirus death toll: “We are going toward 50,000 or 60,000 people … many of the people that have this theory — ‘maybe we could’ve gone right though it’ — I was somebody that would’ve loved to have done that, but it wouldn’t be sustainable.” pic.twitter.com/TrXGEhwzWF
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 20, 2020
As of Friday morning, the coronavirus death toll has already topped 50,000 in the United States. Despite the death toll, multiple states are still planning to partially reopen next week.