President Trump admitted to reporters late Thursday that his upcoming trip to South Carolina ahead of the state’s Democratic primary might be a bit of trolling. “Some people say I’m trolling Democrats, and maybe I am,” the president was quoted saying at a spontaneous briefing called by the White House to discuss Trump's “success in empowering members of the African-American community.” The president reportedly held the event alongside several guests, including pro-Trump commentator Candace Owens and video bloggers Lynnette Hardaway and Rochelle Richardson, known as Diamond and Silk. Jack Brewer, a former NFL football player, was also reportedly in attendance. Brewer is said to have told the president, “I gotta say this because it’s Black History Month: man, you the first black president.”

Trump also boasted that his administration has done an “incredible job” dealing with the coronavirus “because we closed early,” in reference to his order last month to restrict flights originating in China from entering the U.S. He also reportedly said that the virus “could get worse before it gets better, or that it could just go away,” however, “nobody knows.”