Speaker Nancy Pelosi
Nancy PelosiGOP points to Trump’s payroll tax cut in Republican coronavirus bill; For now, Trump threatens to duplicate Portland in other major White House cities, the Republican Senate conflict over trying MORE funds. (D-Calif.) He named the coronavirus the “Trump virus” on Tuesday night, increasing his rhetoric about President Trump
Donald John TrumpDHS expands staff authority to collect information on people who threaten monuments: Republican report points to Trump’s payroll tax cut on Republican coronavirus bill, for now Trump threatens to duplicate Portland in other major cities PLUSThe management of the pandemic.
“Well, I think that with the President’s comments today, he recognized the mistakes he has made in adopting the use of masks and the recognition that this is not a hoax. It is a pandemic that has worsened before it gets better because of his inaction. Pelosi said on CNN’s “The Situation Room”.
“In fact, clearly, it is the Trump virus,” Pelosi added, also reiterating the phrase later in the interview.
The Democratic leader was responding to the president’s briefing at the White House on Tuesday in which he praised the use of face masks and urged Americans to wash their hands and practice physical distancing to stop the spread of the disease.
During the briefing, the first White House briefing focused on the president’s coronavirus in nearly three months, Trump also warned that the outbreak in the United States “will worsen before it improves” amid surges in some parts of the country.
“If he had said months ago, let’s wear masks, let’s not, we distance ourselves socially instead of having demonstrations and whatever they were, then more people would have followed suit,” Pelosi argued on CNN. “He is the President of the United States.”
Pressed by CNN presenter Wolf Blitzer on whether she was claiming that thousands of Americans had died due to the president’s response, Pelosi replied, “Yes, that’s what I’m saying. I think it is clearly evident. “
The comments mark one of the strongest reprimands so far for Trump’s handling of the pandemic, which Democrats contend could have been treated more aggressively by the White House.
The criticism, which focuses on Trump’s early reluctance to wear a mask and spikes from some White House aides targeted at health officials like Anthony Fauci
Anthony FauciFauci will launch the first pitch for the opening game of the Washington Nationals. The Hill’s Coronavirus Report: Former HHS Secretary Sebelius Gives the Trump Administration a D in Managing the Pandemic; Oxford and AstraZeneca report positive dual immunity results from early vaccine trials Coronavirus Report: Steve Clemons of The Hill interviews Kathleen Sebelius MORE, has been amplified amid an increase in coronavirus cases across the country, particularly in the south and west.
“We are approaching 4 million. We are approaching 4 million infected people, people affected by this, infected by it, and a large number, like 140,000, who died. If it is important to wear a mask now. It would have been important to use it in March instead of telling us that by April we would all go to church together. I wish it were so, but he didn’t have a scientific basis for that, “Pelosi said.
“If they don’t go back to science and governance, and that’s one way to get through this. We have hope and prayers for a vaccine. God willing, that will be soon. But there are still months to go and people will die. So let’s hope the president comes closer to accepting the reality of this pandemic, this Trump virus. “
In apparent recognition of the mounting health crisis, Trump has expressed more openness to the masks, posting a Twitter photo of him wearing one and urging Americans to more strictly adhere to the health guidance of federal officials.
“It will probably unfortunately get worse before it gets better,” Trump said Tuesday.
“We ask everyone to wear a mask when you cannot socially distance yourself,” he added. “Whether you like the mask or not, they have an impact. They will have an effect and we need everything we can get. “
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