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Nero was an infamous emperor who ruled Rome at the age of 16. One night in 54 A.D., or so the legend goes, a fire broke out near shops in Rome -- a then city of two million people while Nero watched from miles away in a cooler coastal area, possibly playing a lyre.

The fire, it was said, raged for approximately six days before it was brought under control -- but accounts said two thirds of Rome was already destroyed.

Twitter critics said Trump was “watching America burn” during the COVID-19 outbreak while he played golf at his club in West Palm Beach, Florida, with the Washington Nationals team on Sunday.

Trump downplayed the coronavirus crisis Monday, blaming the news media and the Democratic Party for hyping the outbreak and repeating the risk is still \"low to the average American.\"

There are more than 550 reported COVID-19 cases in the U.S. with at least 22 deaths across at least 34 states.

Global markets continue to tank with Wall Street trading halted after the Dow Jones Industrial Average dove more than 2000 points.

The president, who is goofing off at his golf resort as his administration's train wreck of a pandemic response goes from bad to worse, retweets an image posted by HIS OWN social media director that's reminiscent of Nero fiddling as Rome burned. Because neither has heard of Nero. pic.twitter.com/qlYvzV2NOn

— Walter Shaub (@waltshaub) March 8, 2020

It means that playing golf while Americans die during an uncontained epidemic makes you look like the Emperor Nero fiddling while Rome burned. The fact that neither you nor your social media director understand this meme and retweeted it makes you even more oblivious than Nero.

— Frank Figliuzzi (@FrankFigliuzzi1) March 8, 2020

Nero 2020: Keep Rome Great! pic.twitter.com/EiRMc3mWEx

— Kevin M. Kruse (@KevinMKruse) March 9, 2020

Another comparison drawn to the retweeted photo was the language used in the meme resonating with a QAnon slogan, “Nothing can stop what’s coming.\"

QAnon is a right-wing conspiracy theory that is creeping into politics and gaining popularity of Trump supporters.

QAnon phrases have followed the president to his rallies -- with many holding signs and wearing t-shirts that read “We are Q” and “Q.”

\"PHOTO:
Kyodo News Stills via Getty Images, FILE
PHOTO: Supporters of President Donald Trump raise "We are Q" signs during a rally in Tampa, Florida, July 31, 2018.
>

“Q” the 17th letter in the alphabet is a cryptic salute to an elusive character that runs the QAnon movement -- which is presumed to be running from the dark corners of cyberspace.

the president and a staffer appear to be tweeting a Qanon slogan often used to suggest looming arrests of Trump's critics, or similar vengeance. You can order that slogan in a number of \"Q\"-themed t-shirt designs https://t.co/RYvs8fAqG8

— Devlin Barrett (@DevlinBarrett) March 8, 2020

The anonymous figure, known as \"Q,\" claims to be deeply embedded in Trump's inner circle.

\"Q\" supposedly has access to a top-secret security clearance -- providing incremental cryptic clues for far-right fringe Internet spies to debate and decode.

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