Ari Fleischer slams ‘irresponsible’ Trump for holding indoor rally: ‘This was a bad idea’

Former White House press secretary Ari Fleischer slammed President Trump for holding an indoor rally in Nevada over the weekend, with the Fox News contributor calling the decision amid the coronavirus pandemic “irresponsible.”

“Indoor rallies are irresponsible,” Fleischer, who served in the George W. Bush administration, tweeted on Monday.

“Covid-19 is real and this was a bad idea,” he added.

Indoor rallies are irresponsible. Covid-19 is real and this was a bad idea. https://t.co/JGto1F5suc

— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 14, 2020

The criticism comes after the Trump campaign promoted the event by mocking protests while urging supporters “to gather peacefully under the 1st Amendment” to hear the president speak.

“If you can join tens of thousands of people protesting in the streets, gamble in a casino, or burn down small businesses in riots, you can gather peacefully under the 1st Amendment to hear from the President of the United States,” the campaign said in a Sunday statement leading up to the rally.

The decision by the Trump campaign to hold the event in a warehouse in Henderson, Nev., drew similar criticism from other journalists and political pundits from the left and right, with some reporting that masks were worn by “some” or “very few” attendees who also appeared to not practice social distancing.

Crowd awaits start of Trump rally inside manufacturing plant in Henderson, NV., outside Las Vegas. It’s the 1st indoor rally for Pres Trump since June 23. Only some supporters wearing masks. None are observing social distancing. Trump Campaign says all received a temp check. pic.twitter.com/rwhZmO64Sv

— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) September 14, 2020

The site in Henderson: very little social distancing, very few masks. But there are forklifts pic.twitter.com/6qK1LwEbl3

— Jonathan Lemire (@JonLemire) September 14, 2020

Supporters cheer for @realDonaldTrump during a campaign rally in Henderson, NV. pic.twitter.com/UdNLi15tBe

— Doug Mills (@dougmillsnyt) September 14, 2020

I genuinely didn’t know they were doing an indoor rally. This is pretty reckless. <ahref=”https: t.co=”” 4ncsovxaln”=””>https://t.co/4NCSoVxAlN

— Sam Stein (@samstein) September 13, 2020

Some people were irked when, with a nod to Orwell, I said Trump was “objectively pro-Covid,” but what would you call convening a massive indoor rally amidst a pandemic in violation of state law?

— Chris Hayes (@chrislhayes) September 14, 2020

A death cult with all of us along for the tragic ride: ‘Shameful, dangerous and irresponsible’: Nevada governor blasts Trump for indoor rally against state rules https://t.co/AI7XQB3PR7

— Kara Swisher (@karaswisher) September 14, 2020

Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak (D) ripped Trump for defying his state’s coronavirus restrictions, which ban gatherings of 50 or more people.

“Tonight, President Donald Trump is taking reckless and selfish actions that are putting countless lives in danger here in Nevada,” Sisolak said. “The President appears to have forgotten that this country is still in the middle of a global pandemic.”