President Donald Trump announced he and First Lady Melania Trump both tested positive for the coronavirus early Friday morning. While the diagnosis of a potentially fatal virus has worried some, 40 percent of Democrats polled are “happy.”
Morning Consult/Politico conducted a poll among 1,000 Americans Friday to get their take on the latest announcement.
40 percent of Democrats said they were “happy” to hear the diagnosis, while 41 percent of Democrats felt “indifferent.” Meanwhile, 55 percent of Republicans reported feeling “sad” upon hearing the news, while 51 percent felt “worried.”
53 percent of voters said they were “very concerned” about the coronavirus still, which remains unchanged from a Sept. 25-27 Morning Consult poll. (RELATED: What Happens If Trump Becomes Medically Incapacitated)
Following the diagnosis, 48 percent of both Democrats and independents said they’re worried about the health of the economy, while 51 percent of Republicans said the same, per the poll.
Reactions to Trump’s diagnosis have been mixed on Twitter as well, with Bette Middler mocking the announcement.
“Gee, woke up this morning to learn Donald and Melania have tested positive for Covid-19. How can a HOAX infect anyone? That’s a new one on me. I’m sure he’s taking the Clorox cocktail, but it’s so unpleasant. Thoughts and prayers.”
Gee, woke up this morning to learn Donald and Melania have tested positive for Covid-19. How can a HOAX infect anyone? That’s a new one on me. I’m sure he’s taking the Clorox cocktail, but it’s so unpleasant. Thoughts and prayers.
— bettemidler (@BetteMidler) October 2, 2020
Comedian Paul F. Tompkins said the diagnosis was “funny.”
“Wishing harm, sickness or death on someone, even a bad person, is petty & small. BUT: it is genuinely & extremely funny that Trump got COVID. It’s objectively funny. He downplayed it & mishandled it & thousands of people died. Now he has it. It’s funny!”
Wishing harm, sickness or death on someone, even a bad person, is petty & small.
BUT: it is genuinely & extremely funny that Trump got COVID. It’s objectively funny. He downplayed it & mishandled it & thousands of people died. Now he has it. It’s funny!
— Paul F. Tompkins (@PFTompkins) October 2, 2020
Trump will go to Walter Reed Hospital “out of an abundance of caution” following the diagnosis.