Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is facing backlash over a tweet about the coronavirus aimed at President Donald Trump.
On Friday afternoon, United States coronavirus cases surpassed the 100,000 threshold. The U.S. has the most reported confirmed cases than any other country.
When The New York Times published an article announcing the staggering numbers, Clinton took to Twitter with a jab directed at Trump.
Referring to his “America First” campaign slogan, Clinton shared the article confirming the United States leads the world in coronavirus cases.
“He did promise ‘America First,'” she wrote.
Check out Clinton’s tweet:
He did promise "America First." https://t.co/bzks3hqCUE
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) March 27, 2020
Shortly after Clinton shared the tweet, she was faced with backlash not just for the tweet, itself, but also for the timing of it.
Clinton has also been accused of celebrating Trump’s presumed failures at the expense of those who are “sick and dying.“
“Delete your account. This isn’t the time,” Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-Texas) tweeted. “This can’t be the new normal, where American tragedy is applauded for the sake of political opportunism.”
Delete your account. This isn’t the time. This can’t be the new normal, where American tragedy is applauded for the sake of political opportunism. https://t.co/7aYatlS8jV
— Dan Crenshaw (@DanCrenshawTX) March 27, 2020
You’d better be careful @HillaryClinton, the #coronavirus seems to like to “suicide” the elderly. https://t.co/LbVkPT2z7Y
— Aubrey Huff (@aubrey_huff) March 28, 2020
National Republican Senatorial Committee senior advisor Matt Whitlock also weighed in on Clinton’s tweet.
Hillary Clinton touting figures that are a result of Chinese disinformation to dunk on America and sick Americans is a pretty good reminder why she lost in 2016. https://t.co/wEutVo1Sbu
— Matt Whitlock (@mattdizwhitlock) March 27, 2020
“Hillary Clinton touting figures that are a result of Chinese disinformation to dunk on America and sick Americans is a pretty good reminder why she lost in 2016,” Whitlock tweeted.
Other Twitter users opted for more colorful responses, expressing relief that Clinton is not the president. The reactions have continued to pour in.
You are an actual witch. This is horrific news, but to you it’s just an opportunity to dunk on Trump.
— BLAIRE WHITE (@MsBlaireWhite) March 27, 2020
RETIRE. The world and even your party has moved on from the Clintons. Go away.
However, not all responses were critical of Clinton.
Listening to Trump is hazardous to public health.
— Dr. Jeffrey Guterman (@JeffreyGuterman) March 27, 2020
Despite the backlash, Clinton forged on. less than two hours after posting the controversial tweet, she fired back again.
Clinton shared another tweet with a quote from Trump when he said the virus would disappear.
“A month ago, Trump said: ‘It’s going to disappear. One day, it’s like a miracle, it will disappear,’” Clinton tweeted. “Yesterday, he said: ‘I don’t believe you need 40,000 or 30,000 ventilators.’” What will it take to get [Donald Trump] to listen to experts instead of his own hunches?”
A month ago, Trump said: “It’s going to disappear. One day, it’s like a miracle, it will disappear.”
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) March 27, 2020
Yesterday, he said: “I don’t believe you need 40,000 or 30,000 ventilators.”
What will it take to get @realdonaldtrump to listen to experts instead of his own hunches?
As of Saturday morning, there were more than 104,000 confirmed coronavirus cases in the United States.