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Ivanka Trump, Don Jr. Slam 'Economy Destroying' Lockdowns Not 'Grounded in Science'

Newsweek 12/15/2020 Benjamin Fearnow

Ivanka Trump, Donald Trump Jr. posing for a photo in a suit and tie: (Front row L-R) Jared Kushner, Ivanka Trump and Donald Trump Jr. listen during a speech by President Donald Trump at the United Nations (U.N.) General Assembly at UN headquarters on September 24, 2019 in New York City. Ivanka and Trump Jr. Have been mentioned as potential 2024 presidential candidates.

© Getty Images/Stephanie Keith (Front row L-R) Jared Kushner, Ivanka Trump and Donald Trump Jr. listen during a speech by President Donald Trump at the United Nations (U.N.) General Assembly at UN headquarters on September 24, 2019 in New York City. Ivanka and Trump Jr. Have been mentioned as potential 2024 presidential candidates.

Ivanka Trump and Donald Trump Jr. lashed out at the "economy-destroying" COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns, which they say are ruining the lives of restaurant owners and employees nationwide.

Ivanka, who is also a White House adviser to her father, President Donald Trump, and Donald Jr., of the Trump Organization, ridiculed "blanket lockdowns" which they and several hospitality groups say have unfairly targeted restaurant and dining establishments. Both Trump family members tweeted out responses to a viral video showing a California standoff between a restaurant owner and health inspectors. The owner of Nick The Greek restaurant in Ventura, California, can be seen confronting health inspectors and demanding to know, "Are you going to pay my rent...my employees?"

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We need more of this or the politicians will never ever stop their economy destroying power-grab. Lockdowns aren't based in science. The politicians & media hacks still supporting them are actively destroying lives, but they don't care because their paychecks aren't on the line. https://t.co/4tK47baJac
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) December 15, 2020

Both Trump's sided with bar and restaurant workers in New York and other parts of the country where statewide contact-tracing shows such establishments only account for less than 2 percent of cases. Highlighting the owner's rebuke of the California state health officials, Trump Jr. called for more pushback across the country.

"We need more of this or the politicians will never ever stop their economy destroying power-grab. Lockdowns aren't based in science. The politicians & media hacks still supporting them are actively destroying lives, but they don't care because their paychecks aren't on the line," Trump Jr. tweeted Tuesday.

"These blanket lockdowns are not grounded in science. These arbitrary rules imposed by callous politicians are destroying lives. It is just wrong for small business owners to have fight so hard to keep their American dream alive," Ivanka tweeted in response to the video showing the California standoff.

Newsweek reached out to representatives for both Ivanka and Donald Jr. Tuesday afternoon but did not hear back by time of publishing.

Several physicians and public health officials pushed back on the opposition to the so-called "blanket lockdowns," positing that such broad measures have never been truly enforced almost anywhere in the country. Many responses to both Trump family members placed the blame of such "lockdown" failures squarely on the shoulders of their father for his months of downplaying the virus.

But others highlighted that restaurant and dining establishments have been hit far harder than any other industry, including colleges and schools. According to New York's data released last week, students were tied to a higher percentage of positive COVID-19 cases than the hospitality industry.

"If lockdown had just been blanket and hit every business, ironically people might well be more cooperative. It's the indefensible erratic enforcement which makes no sense. Thoroughly sympathise with performing arts venues who are watching Christmas shopping throngs aghast," remarked Dr. Rohin Francis, a cardiologist.

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