The White House said Trump's Dayton trip wasn't a 'photo-op.' Then he released a virtual campaign ad of the hospital visit

When President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump visited a hospital on Wednesday to meet the victims of the Dayton, Ohio, mass shooting, the press wasn't invited along.

"This was about the victims and their families, and thanking medical staff," White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham told reporters. "It wasn't about a photo-op for the president and the first lady."

It was a reasonable sentiment and idea — perhaps the victims wanted to meet with the president without being exposed to the national press. But then, the president posted a video of the visit, completely undercutting the claim that the visit wasn't a "photo-op":

"You turned this massacre into a campaign ad?" wrote New York Times columnist Charles Blow. "Are you kidding me?!!!"

"This is bizarre and horrible," said MSNBC host Joy Reid. "The victims should be the focus, not Trump -- who has to make everything about himself."

To make it clear that it was, indeed, a photo-op, Trump shared photos of the event as well: