President Biden was slammed by Twitter users for his confusing messaging about the end of the COVID-19 state of emergency.
The president told Congress Monday he would end the COVID-19 emergency declarations on May 11. As he walked in front of the White House on Tuesday, he was asked by NBC's Kristen Welker, "What's behind your decision to end the COVID emergency?"
Biden came over to grasp her hand as she held an umbrella and replied, "The COVID emergency will end when the Supreme Court ends it. We've extended it to May the 15th to make sure we get everything done. That's all."
BIDEN GRABS NBC REPORTER'S HAND AS HE STEPS UNDERNEATH HER UMBRELLA TO ANSWER HER QUESTION
Twitters users from political figures to commentators slammed the president for his head-scratching statement.
Rep. Michael Cloud, R-Texas, tweeted, "Biden to reporters: ‘The Covid Emergency will end when the Supreme Court ends it.’ Not if Congress ends it first. It's way beyond time to rein in out-of-control executive authority. #EndTheEmergencyNOW."
Lawyer Tom Spencer said that Biden’s statement was a "Complete and utterly outrageous Lie," while Georgetown Law professor Randy Barnett balked at the suggestion that the Supreme Court decides when a pandemic's emergency status is over, "What? Now that would be true judicial supremacy."
Commentary associate editor Noah Rothman tweeted, "Reasonable to infer a slip/admission against interest regarding the fact that the public health emergency exists to justify policy prescriptions that otherwise have no legal justification."
The Spectator contributing editor Stephen L. Miller tweeted, "President say the quiet part out loud."
He followed by asking, "Why is he grabbing that reporters hand?" with another tweet appearing to joke how the media would respond if Trump did so, "'Trump assaults female journalist.'"
Daily Caller editor Vince Coglianese also commented on the president’s actions, "Why’d he yoink her umbrella?"
Reporter Caleb Parke tweeted, "If COVID isn't over yet, why did President Biden grab a female reporter's hand and get inches from her face?"
YouTuber and talk show host Dave Rubin slammed the president with sarcasm.
"’The Covid emergency will end when the Supreme Court ends it.’ Sure sounds like science to me," he tweeted.
GOP Majority Whip Tom Emmer’s communications director, Samantha Bullock, tried to decipher Biden's messaging, "The ‘pandemic is over’... but only on May 11... if the Supreme Court allows it, somehow?"
Republican rapid response director Tommy Pigott compared Biden to the villainous Chancellor-turned-Emperor Palpatine of the Star Wars films, "Real Palpatine vibes from Joe Biden here."
