President Donald Trump and those around him are gravely struggling to actually rise to the task of leadership during the ongoing Coronavirus outbreak. Some prominent Republicans have insisted on incessantly trying the virus to China like it’s some secret project of that country’s government, “despite remarks by Democrats and the director of the CDC that such phrases are inaccurate and even racist,” NBC reports. But this Friday, Donald Trump Jr. himself said the quiet part out loud and seemingly blamed China for the spread of the disease, although it’s his own dad — President Donald Trump — who’s struggled to even admit that the virus is a problem, let alone sign off on major response efforts.
Republican lawmakers have persisted in using "Wuhan virus" or "Chinese coronavirus," despite remarks by Democrats and the director of the CDC that such phrases are inaccurate and even racist. https://t.co/85U2c9CnFN
— NBC News (@NBCNews) March 13, 2020
Trump Jr. tweeted:
‘That the US media is trying to run with the Chinese propaganda that “China bought us time” is a new low even for them. China 1) Minimized the threat 2) Delayed announcements 3) Wouldn’t allow CDC/WHO doctors in! 4) Have even tried to blame the US for the disease! F-you!’
That the US media is trying to run with the Chinese propaganda that “China bought us time” is a new low even for them.
China
1) Minimized the threat
2) Delayed announcements
3) Wouldn’t allow CDC/WHO doctors in!
4) Have even tried to blame the US for the disease!F-you!
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) March 13, 2020
Quick question — how on earth is any of that relevant to actually keeping Americans safe from the disease? Targeting China for social media mockery is going to accomplish.. what, exactly? And again — President Donald Trump himself has both “minimized the threat” and “delayed announcements,” among other issues. This Friday, he was reportedly planning to issue a national emergency declaration, but that took weeks to emerge, while he wound himself up proclaiming negative coverage of the situation as a “hoax.”
A national emergency declaration could help pave the way for new resources to fight the virus, which has infected at least 1,672 people in the United States, according to an NBC News tally from early Friday. Besides that emergency declaration, Congress has also been working on a second Coronavirus response funding package, which has initially been slated to include funding boosts for programs like unemployment insurance around the country and federal food purchasing assistance programs like SNAP. Many people have been temporarily out of work because of virus spread concerns.
As of 10:30 a.m. ET, there are 1,672 confirmed coronavirus cases in the US, and 41 deaths. https://t.co/mEOik6wX8g pic.twitter.com/x6VYYQDA6X
— NBC News (@NBCNews) March 13, 2020
Check out Twitter’s response…
