British actor Dominic West raised eyebrows during an appearance on Friday’s Good Morning Britain, as he admitted that he was rather elated with the news that US president Donald Trump had contracted coronavirus.
Dominic was a guest on the ITV daytime show to discuss his work as an ambassador for the Prince’s Trust, when he was asked how he’d reacted to the news of Trump’s diagnosis.
“Well I did slightly leap in the air with joy,” Dominic told presenters Kate Garraway and Adil Ray. “[Trump] said ‘it is what it is’, and I think the phrase is ‘what goes around comes around’.
“I just hope it doesn’t interfere with him being elected out of office, that’s all.”
Kate – whose husband has been in intensive care for the last six months due to Covid-19 complications – then said: “I’m sure you wish him personally all the best, but subscribe that there’s an element of karma in this?”
Dominic responded: “Well, there’s an element of schadenfreude, I suppose. I’m not a fan of his, as you can probably tell, and I just hope Biden stays healthy and gets the presidency as quickly as possible.
“I think Trump is a catastrophe for America and for the world.”
Following his appearance on the show, Dominic’s name began creeping up the list of trending topics on Twitter, with viewers voicing their thoughts both for and against his comments...
Dominic did say that he felt one positive that could come out of Trump contracting Covid-19 was that his supporters might “take [the pandemic[ more seriously, and realise the huge numbers of deaths in America are not an inevitability”.
GMB presenter Piers Morgan was absent from Friday’s show, but did voice his opinion about those celebrating Trump’s diagnosis on Twitter.
“Interesting to see those who’ve spent the last few years screaming that Trump’s an uncaring, heartless empathy-devoid b*stard now spewing their gleeful joy that he & his wife have a deadly virus,” Piers tweeted.
“They’re no better than the man they loathe.”
Good Morning Britain airs every weekday at 6am on ITV.