Trump returns to work — by doing interviews on Fox and right-wing radio

For days, Donald Trump’s family has been praising him for working hard during his stay at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, where he was hospitalized after testing positive for the coronavirus.

Yet despite insistence that he’s working nonstop, he will have spent more than 4 hours talking to right-wing media personalities, spreading lies and misinformation about everything from the coronavirus to the Russia probe, and complained that Fox News isn’t nice to him anymore.

On Friday night, Trump will spend a half-hour with right-wing radio show host Mark Levin, as well as time on Tucker Carlson’s Fox News show, where he’s expected to be examined by a doctor.

Ranting to right-wing media personalities doesn’t seem like “working for the American people,” which first daughter Ivanka Trump tweeted on Oct. 3 of her father, along with a staged photo of Trump “working” at Walter Reed.

That same day, Donald Trump Jr. tweeted, “Day two into it and he’s working hard and looking great. That’s our President. That tweet included one of Trump’s “proof of life” videos filmed in the hospital.

On Oct. 4, Eric Trump tweeted, “If only all elected officials had this work ethic.” He also included a photo of Trump signing a blank sheet of paper, writing, “I have admired this unrelenting drive my entire life.”

Of course, calling in to right-wing media programs is one of Trump’s favorite pastimes. And despite once claiming he doesn’t have time to watch television, Trump is an avid cable news watcher who recently admitted to watching seven hours of Fox News programming in one day.

Trump’s appearances with Fox News hosts and right-wing radio personalities over the past two days have often included bizarre moments.

On Thursday morning, he spent an hour with Fox Business’ Maria Bartiromo, where he told her he’s a “perfect physical specimen” and complained that his Cabinet officials aren’t arresting his political enemies.

Later on Thursday, he spent 30 minutes with Fox News’ Sean Hannity, in which Trump bizarrely claimed California let “millions of gallons of water” go out to sea because they “want to take care of certain little tiny fish, that aren’t doing very well without water.” Trump also baselessly accused Virginia Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam of having “executed a baby” — a complete lie.

And on Friday morning, he spent two hours with bigoted right-wing radio host Rush Limbaugh. It was his most bizarre interview of the three, in which he lied about there being a coronavirus cure and said “Black Lives Matter” is racist, among other claims.

He spoke to Limbaugh so long the conservative host had to end the interview himself, telling Trump, “I know you’ve got a jam-packed day left on your schedule…” as music played Trump off the air.

Trump’s hours of talking to right-wing media to appeal to his base comes as he faces a massive polling deficit to Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden.

But only appealing to his base will not be enough for him to win. He needs to convince independent voters, who are so far heavily breaking for Biden, to back his candidacy.

Time is running out for Trump, with the election just 25 days away.

Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.