Donald Trump finally commented on the false missile alert in Hawaii, and his response is unsettling

If waking up at 8 a.m. on a Saturday sounds like a nightmare to you, imagine doing it because of an emergency missile warning. That’s what happened in Hawaii on Saturday, January 13th. Many people expected Trump to speak about terrifying false missile alert in Hawaii that day, but he didn’t address it right away. Instead, he waited until the next evening.

If you missed the story about the false missile alert in Hawaii, it is probably even more terrifying and WTF-worthy than you might think. On the morning of the 13th, an alert flashed on the phones of Hawaiian residents and tourists that read, “BALLISTIC MISSILE THREAT INBOUND TO HAWAII. SEEK IMMEDIATE SHELTER. THIS IS NOT A DRILL.” Apparently, an employee accidentally pushed the wrong button.

It took a whole 38 minutes of what one can only imagine was utter chaos for a correction alert to reach people’s phones. The missile warning was a complete mistake. But Donald Trump’s questionable international diplomacy tactics as of late — like calling several nations “shithole countries” and posting unbelievable Tweets about Kim Jong-Un and North Korea — have put many on edge.

Rather than assuage everyone’s fears about the false missile alert in Hawaii, Trump’s statement on the events suggested that such a fearful climate will only continue. According to The Hill, Trump responded on the night of Sunday, January 14th, saying that he will “see what happens with North Korea.” That’s not quite the reassurance anyone hoped for.

Here’s more of what Trump said about the false missile alert in Hawaii.

"That was a state thing but we are going to now get involved with [Hawaii]. I love that they took responsibility. They took total responsibility," Trump told reporters. "But we are going to get involved. Their attitude and their — I think it is terrific. They took responsibility. They made a mistake."

Someone asked Trump what he’ll do to prevent this from happening again. His response? “We hope it won’t happen again.”

Following the false missile alert in Hawaii, many took to Twitter to criticize Trump’s response — or lack thereof.

Author Reza Aslan pointed out that Trump did not immediately attempt to quell people’s fears.

Trump knew within minutes no missile was hurtling toward Hawaii. He was golfing. They told him. He did not tweet out that info. He kept golfing. People thought they & their families were going to die FOR 38 MINS. Then when the panic was over he tweeted how media is so mean to him

— Reza Aslan (@rezaaslan) January 14, 2018

Even after the event took place and everyone learned that the missile alert had been a mistake, Trump remained silent on the matter for the rest of the day, and well into the next. But the Twitter-happy president did take to his favorite medium to criticize “fake news.”

https://twitter.com/udfredirect/status/952301373479104512

Trump also hinted at the potential for further international relations discussion between the U.S. and North Korea.

"Part of it is people are on edge, but maybe eventually we will solve the problem so they won’t have to be so on edge," Trump told reporters. "We have great talks going on. The Olympics, you know about. A lot of things can happen."

Rather than saying “A lot of things can happen,” perhaps Trump should have been more specific. His current tormenting of North Korea’s Kim Jong-un has caused people to expect that those “things” might be nuclear missiles.

Celebs have taken to Twitter to reprimand Trump for allowing people to live in such fear.

Jim Carrey, who said he received the terrifying missile alert, warned people about how it could be a foreboding mistake.

I woke up this morning in Hawaii with ten minutes to live. It was a false alarm, but a real psychic warning. If we allow this one-man Gomorrah and his corrupt Republican congress to continue alienating the world we are headed for suffering beyond all imagination. ;^ pic.twitter.com/Kwca91IIy2

— Jim Carrey (@JimCarrey) January 13, 2018

Meanwhile, Jamie Lee Curtis called out the president directly.

This Hawaii missle scare is on YOU Mr. Trump. The real FEAR that mothers & fathers & children felt is on YOU. It is on YOUR ARROGANCE. HUBRIS. NARCISSISM. RAGE. EGO. IMMATURITY and your UNSTABLE IDIOCY. Shame on your hate filled self. YOU DID THIS!

— Jamie Lee Curtis (@jamieleecurtis) January 13, 2018

Jeffrey Wright did too.

Crickets from @realDonaldTrump as Hawaii receives a false incoming missile alert. Too busy sexting Stormy Daniels, I reckon.

— Jeffrey Wright (@jfreewright) January 13, 2018

While it’s comforting to know that the false missile alert in Hawaii was a mistake, we wish the president had a better response.