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Updated: May 12, 2020 11:12:00 a.m.
President Donald Trump speaks about the coronavirus during a press conference in the Rose Garden of the White House, Monday, May 11, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo / Alex Brandon)
“Don’t ask me. Ask China.” This is what the President of the United States, Donald Trump, told an American journalist before unceremoniously ending the press conference in the White House rose garden on Monday.
Weijia Jiang, who works for CBS News, had questioned President Trump why he considers coronavirus testing to be a global competition given that more than 80,000 U.S. citizens have lost their lives to the pandemic since its outbreak.
This was Trump’s first press conference since April 27 in the White House rose garden with signs behind him that read “America Leads the World in Evidence.”
Also read | Can the United States sue China for damages related to the coronavirus?
Jiang asked Trump, who was not wearing a mask, “Why is it a global competition for you if Americans continue to lose their lives every day and we still see more cases every day?” Trump gave a short answer: “Well, they are losing their lives in all parts of the world. Maybe that’s a question you should ask China. Don’t ask me. Ask China that question. When you ask China that question, you can get a very unusual answer. “
American journalist Weijia Jiang of CBS News. (Source: Reuters screenshot)
Later, Trump called another journalist, Kaitlan Collins from CNN, to ask her question. But Jiang followed through with his question and asked the President, “Sir, why are you telling me that specifically?”
Read | Follow-up of US President Donald Trump’s response to Covid-19 through his top 10 quotes
To this, Trump said: “I am not telling anyone specifically. I tell anyone who asks an unpleasant question like that. “
Trump asked another question again, then said, “No, it’s okay,” and said goodbye to CNN’s Collins when he approached the microphone.
President Donald Trump speaks about the coronavirus during a press conference in the Rose Garden of the White House, Monday, May 11, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo / Alex Brandon)
Jiang and Collins wore masks for the press conference, as did most reporters, after recent reports that two White House employees, an assistant to Vice President Mike Pence and a valet to the President, had given positive for coronavirus.
After the contentious exchange, Democratic Congressman Ted Lieu of California tweeted saying, “Asian Americans are Americans.”
Dear @realDonaldTrump: Asian Americans are Americans. Some of us serve on active duty in the US Army. USA Some are on the front lines fighting this pandemic as paramedics and health workers. Some are reporters like @weijia. Stop dividing our nation.#trumppressconference https://t.co/SnyYVEgL3r— Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) May 11, 2020
Trump has said that this week the United States will pass 10 million coronavirus tests, which is almost double that of any country in the world and more per capita than the United Kingdom, South Korea, Japan, France, Sweden, Finland and others.
He insisted Monday that his administration “kept up with the moment” and “prevailed” on coronavirus testing, even as the White House became a potent symbol of the risk Americans face everywhere by belatedly ordering all those who enter the West Wing wearing a mask.
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