RICHMOND, Va. – Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam responded directly to criticisms from President Donald Trump on Tuesday afternoon.
Northam tweeted: “I grew up on a Virginia farm, Mr. President—our potatoes are fine. And as the only medical doctor among our nation’s governors, I suggest you stop taking hydroxychloroquine. Let’s all get back to work.”
I grew up on a Virginia farm, Mr. President—our potatoes are fine. And as the only medical doctor among our nation's governors, I suggest you stop taking hydroxychloroquine.
— Ralph Northam (@GovernorVA) May 19, 2020
Let's all get back to work. https://t.co/eay8saxcK1
Northam’s tweet comes in response to comments the president made during an event with farmers at the White House.
During the event, Virginia farmer David Hickman, the co-owner and operator of Dublin Farms spoke and provided President Trump with a lesson on potatoes grown in Virginia.
After Hickman was done, the president returned to the podium, joking that the media likely did not enjoy the potato lesson.
Then, in response to someone telling the president to come on down to Virginia, he replied, “We’re going after Virginia with your crazy governor. We’re going after Virginia. They want to take your Second Amendment away, you know that, right? You’ll have nobody guarding your potatoes."
It’s that comment by the president that Northam responded to in his tweet.
Here’s video from Tuesday’s event when the president made those comments: