Surprise Face at Virus Presser May Soon Enter Political Arena

Source says Trump is encouraging MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell to run for governor of Minnesota
By Jenn Gidman,  Newser Staff
Posted Mar 31, 2020 7:47 AM CDT
Surprise Face at Virus Presser May Soon Enter Political Arena
MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell speaks as President Trump listens during a briefing about the coronavirus in the Rose Garden of the White House on Monday.   (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

His company's ads proliferate on Fox News. Now, Mike Lindell, CEO of the MyPillow manufacturing company based in Minnesota, may be getting a push into politics from none other than the president of the United States. Lindell spoke at Trump's coronavirus briefing Monday and immediately caused a stir, sending "My Pillow" to the No. 1 spot in Twitter's trending topics, Newsweek reports. Lindell announced that the lion's share of his firm's manufacturing capabilities would be used in the short term to produce cotton face masks for health care workers, after which he made some "off the cuff" remarks. "God gave us grace on November 8, 2016, to change the course we were on," he said. "God had been taken out of our schools and lives. A nation had turned its back on God. ... I encourage you to use this time at home to ... read our Bibles and spend time with our families."

While some commented on how Lindell's speech was more like a pro-Trump infomercial, others praised Lindell for his efforts to fight the coronavirus, per Fox News. "I applaud Mike Lindell for helping our country during this crisis by using his factories to make 50,000 N95 masks A DAY (!!) for our health care workers in need," Meghan McCain tweeted, calling it "an act of patriotism." "This is not political." Politico takes a closer look at the ties between Lindell and Trump, who called Lindell "a friend of mine" before introducing him Monday. A source says Lindell, a Trump donor who's appeared at his rallies, has been telling associates the president has been nudging him to run for governor of Minnesota. Lindell himself tells Politico, "I've never talked to Donald Trump about it," though it does seem clear he's interested in the job. More here on this "unusual political friendship." (More strange stuff stories.)

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