Trump sparked some confusion among reporters outside the White House on Thursday when he said he’d “tested very positively†for the virus that has now killed more than 96,000 people nationwideÂ
“I tested very positively in another sense,†said Trump. “So this morning, I tested positively toward negative, right? So, no, I tested perfectly this morning, meaning I tested negative. But that’s a way of saying it, positively toward the negative.â€
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Some people on Twitter likened Trump’s confusing comments to a scene from the U.S. version of “The Office.â€
“I tested very positively in another sense. I tested positively toward negative. I tested perfectly this morning, meaning I tested negative. – President Trump” – Michael Scott. pic.twitter.com/pM4Wac6g7e
— It Me. (@Le0Spaceman) May 21, 2020
“The Office†had an episode like this where Michael was confused as to why Kevin testing negative for cancer was a good thing. Of course, Michael Scott was a fictional idiot. Trump is the real thing.
— Philly_Harley (@philly_harley) May 21, 2020
Michael Scott: “Well, apparently in the medicine community negative means good. Which makes absolutely no sense.” https://t.co/Duk3eoCi8R
— Devlin Barrett (@DevlinBarrett) May 21, 2020
Others simply expressed astonishment at his garbled explanation:
Me to my mom in high school when I failed a calculus test: “I tested very positively in another sense so— this morning. Yeah. I tested positively toward negative, right. So. I tested perfectly this morning. Meaning I tested negative.”
— Mark Schofield (@MarkSchofield) May 21, 2020
Did Trump just say he tested positively negative today for COVID19??
What does that even mean?— Mystery Solvent (@MysterySolvent) May 21, 2020
“Well, apparently, in the medicine community, ‘negative’ means ‘good,’ which makes absolutely no sense.†— Michael Scott
“I tested very positively in another sense… I tested positively toward negative. I tested perfectly this morning, meaning I tested negative.†— Donald Trump pic.twitter.com/aRN8FdRUq7
— DNC War Room (@DNCWarRoom) May 21, 2020
me personally, i understand this very positively in one sense, which is that i understand that i don’t understand it. right? so yes, i understand it perfectly. meaning i don’t understand it. that’s a way of saying it. i understand that i don’t understand it https://t.co/EqQOVFPbop
— Mark Berman (@markberman) May 21, 2020
I’m positively confused by the negative results the president says he got, after he tested very positively…or was it positively toward negative? 🤔 https://t.co/WZnwfvTiyp
— Kelly Werthmann (@KellyCBS4) May 21, 2020
This is such a stupid time to be alive.
— Miranda Yaver (@mirandayaver) May 21, 2020
It’s free-form poetry.
And I tested very positively
In another sense.
So this morning. I tested positively toward negative
Right?
So no.
I tested perfectly this morning.
Meaning I tested negative.But that’s a way of saying it,
Positively
Toward the negative. https://t.co/SZ2z8gnhSq— Brooke Binkowski (@brooklynmarie) May 21, 2020
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