Politics

Trump's coronavirus leadership has been 'awful' for the US and the world, US entrepreneur says

Key Points
  • The president has come under fire for using daily coronavirus press briefings to tout his own successes, rather than inform the public, and for spreading misinformation about the virus.
Trump's leadership through coronavirus crisis 'awful' for US and the world, founder says
VIDEO4:0404:04
Trump's leadership through coronavirus 'awful' for the world, entrepreneur says

U.S. President Donald Trump's management of the Covid-19 pandemic has been "awful," according to telecoms entrepreneur David McCourt.

The president has come under fire for using daily coronavirus press briefings to tout his own successes, rather than inform the public, and for spreading misinformation about the virus.

McCourt, founder and CEO of Granahan McCourt Capital, said that while his business had benefited from some of President Trump's policies, no benefit to entrepreneurs "would be worth the price of his leadership."

"I just think it has been awful, in my personal opinion, for the country and for the world. It has not been clear, it hasn't been backed up by science, he is not consistent, he doesn't seem to be empathetic," McCourt told CNBC's "Squawk Box Europe."

The White House was not immediately available for comment when contacted by CNBC.

As of Monday morning, the U.S. remains the most impacted country in the world from Covid-19, with more than 965,000 confirmed cases and more than 54,800 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University.

The president walked out of Friday's daily briefing and launched a series of attacks against the press on Twitter for asking "hostile questions" and for reporting on his handling of the virus. 

Trump then cancelled both briefings over the weekend, claiming that they were "not worth the time and effort," and it is unclear whether he will attend on Monday.

Tweet 1

The latest blow up between Trump and the press came after the president appeared to speculate over whether injecting disinfectant would cure the coronavirus. In response, Trump said he was "asking a question sarcastically."

"You want to be empathetic to those you are leading … (but) he just doesn't seem to get it, from my optic anyway. I just think it has been terrible," McCourt added.