Really. Please do quote me where I said that was the question. I won’t hold my breath.
What part don't you understand of you made up the question after you twisted yourself into a pretzel? Here is your made up question.
Here is the exact question:
In the context of Trump telling people who work for him to slow down the testing, do the following sentences mean the same thing or are they “totally different”?
I told them to slow down the testing.
I asked them to slow down the testing.
From the beginning I said ask/tell do not mean the same thing. If they did mean the same thing then no matter what example we use should not matter. You were dishonest by slanting the poll. You already conceded they don't mean the same by having to slant the poll.
It case you missed it:
Ask - you have a choice
Tell - you are given no choice
Do you understand the difference?