Trump claims Ohio Democrats misrepresented his Dayton hospital visit despite their similar accounts

President Trump on Wednesday claimed that Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) and Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley misrepresented his visit to victims of last week's mass shooting in Dayton, Ohio, despite the two parties saying similar things about it.

Trump aboard Air Force One on Wednesday afternoon angrily tweeted about "failed Presidential Candidate (0%) Sherrod Brown," who has not run for president, accusing him and Whaley of "totally misrepresenting what took place inside of the hospital" where he visited survivors of the shooting, victims' families, and hospital workers, calling it a "warm and wonderful visit."

Previously, Dan Scavino, Trump's director of social media, voiced a similar complaint, declaring that the president was "treated like a rock star inside the hospital" that he visited. Scavino later posted pictures of Trump with the hospital's medical staff, blasting the "Trump Hating Dems" for not recognizing the "enthusiasm and love" that took place.

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

But while Brown and Whaley did criticize Trump on Wednesday afternoon, Brown actually did acknowledge the president's positive reception, saying that Trump was "received well by the patients, as you would expect."

"They were hurting. He was comforting," Brown said. "He did the right things, Melania did the right things. It's his job, in part, to comfort people. I'm glad he did it." Later, Brown added, "when the president of the United States came, they showed respect for the office."

Whaley, similarly, said that "the victims and the first responders were grateful that the president of the United States came to Dayton."

Even so, White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham also attacked Brown and Whaley, telling CNN's Jeremy Diamond that as opposed to what "those two" said, "victims, families, medical staff and first responders were so happy to have their president and first lady there" and "I just don't know why that can't be acknowledged. It's disgusting."