Recent headlines have implied that President Donald Trump may soon disband the coronavirus task force. That is entirely understandable since Dr. Anthony Fauci appears to be losing his voice, and he is the only member who appears to know what he is talking about.

However, don’t be surprised if the president soon puts together a group of experts to deal with a brand new crisis that is capturing the country’s attention. This would be a task force chosen to handle a calamity that gives new meaning to the expression “Just when you thought it was safe to go back into the water.” As you’ve probably guessed, I’m referring to a “Murder Hornets Task Force.”

I’m sure that by now you have heard or read about the huge hornets that kill honeybees and even humans. The Asian giant hornets, long a menace in Japan, have recently been spotted in North America. Well, OK, it was one dead hornet. But that was enough to set the media abuzz with warnings.

Based on a swarm of pictures flooding the Internet, the hornets are quite intimidating looking, a bit like a cross between your average wasp and Rodan. Whereas, Americans can put down an average wasp with a flyswatter, Asians have been using tennis rackets to whack these baddies.

If you have been a regular viewer of the president’s coronavirus group’s daily updates, it’s easy to guess how the first Murder Hornets Task Force televised briefing will go.

Trump: Welcome, let’s get right down to business. First, as you’re probably all aware, our Murder Hornets Task Force briefings’ TV ratings are going through the roof with "Bachelor" finale, Monday Night Football-type numbers.

Reporter: But Mr. President, this is the first briefing. How could...

Trump: You're so — you're so — you're so disgraceful. It's so disgraceful, the way you said that.

Reporter: Mr. President, are you personally worried about the murder hornet infestation?

Trump: No. Not at all. And — we're — we have it totally under control. It's one hornet coming in from China, and we have it under control. China has been working very hard to contain the hornets. On behalf of the American people, I want to thank President Xi! It's going to be just fine. The hornets will just go away.

Reporter: You think China...

Trump: The hornets were created in a lab in China. Like a Frankenstein lab except it’s for teeny-weeny flying monsters. And I said, "China, your murder hornets can't come in, I'm sorry," because I saw what was going on. It wasn't so much what I was told. It was that I saw what was going on. And I didn't like it.

Reporter: So, the hornets came from China, not Japan?

Trump: Did I say China? I never said that.

Reporter: Just a minute ago you said...

Trump: It’s Obama’s fault. Obama left us with no flyswatters, no bug spray, no nothing. Then you have the Democrats who opened up the border with Mexico. They just grabbed the doorknob and pulled the border door open along with opening all the windows, and, woosh, here come the hornets, and they’re murderers, murder hornets. But my border wall will stop the hornets. Like a giant Bug Zapper — Zap! Zap! No hornets!

Reporter: Why wasn’t your government better prepared to deal with the murder hornet plague?

Trump: It was something that nobody has ever thought could happen to this country. But we have done a job, the likes of which nobody's ever done, the mobilization, getting of equipment, all of the things we have done. Nobody's ever done a job like this. By the way, the murder hornets make wonderful pets.

Reporter: You’re saying murder hornets can be pets?

Trump: Sarcasm. Doesn’t anyone know what sarcasm is? But I just want to say, it's — it's very sad when people write false stories. Give back your Noble Prize.

Reporter: What is your murder hornet task force’s recommendation?

Trump: You're going to see. I don't want to tell you now, but right now, we have a very strong indication that we know pretty much, we have some good ideas.

Reporter: What is one idea?

Trump: Everyone should wear a beekeeper suit.

Reporter: How many suits does the government have available?

Trump: Three. Let’s see, I get one, Pence gets one. That leaves one left over for the state governors to fight over. Also, I hear there is a pesticide that knocks it out in a minute, one minute by injection inside. It’s like an Ortho, Raid, Black Flag, Off! cocktail. And just recently a friend of mine told me he got better because of the use of that drug. So, who knows?

Reporter: You are actually suggesting pesticide injections to people?

Trump: Let me just say, very simply, I will put it very simply — the president of the United States has the authority to do what the president has the authority to do which is very powerful. The president of the United States calls the shots.

Reporter: Any other murder hornet task force plans?

Trump: It’s possible we could get the Marvel Comic superhero Wasp to fight the murder hornets. Wasp is really big, like human big, and is possibly the greatest superhero ever.

Reporter: That character is fictional.

Trump: Oh.

Mike Murphy of Pocatello is an award-winning columnist whose articles are syndicated by Senior Wire. He recently published a book titled "Tortoise Crossing – Expect Long Delays," which is a collection of 100 of his favorite columns. It is available on Amazon.com.