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Donald Trump has called the coronavirus a “slump” and “buffer” in his poll numbers, less than a week after the United States reached the grim milestone of 140,000 deaths.
“We were doing a great job. We were sailing George Washington would have had a hard time beating us, ”Trump said when he spoke with Dave Portnoy of Barstool Sports on Friday at the White House.
He added: “And then when the China virus entered. It is a buffer, it is a disappointment.”
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This week, the country reached 4 million confirmed cases, and more than 140,000 people died from the new virus.
The president has seen a blow to his poll numbers in recent months, and some have had him behind challenger Joe Biden by double digits. Swinging states like Michigan, Minnesota, Pennsylvania and Florida show Biden compared to the acting president. Texas, which is often an easy victory for Republicans, has become a watershed state in the upcoming election.
To combat the decline in polls, Trump fired his campaign manager Brad Parscale and replaced him with veteran Republican agent Bill Stepien.
“Now we really are starting to do well. We look good in many places,” the president said of his current position in the presidential race.
Portnoy noted how the president “lived the dream life” before standing for election. But then, Trump’s immersion in politics created a clear division of those who liked him and those who wanted him out of office.
“It was in a lot of rap songs,” Trump said before the presidency. “This was before I did this.”
The president estimated that references to his name were in “about 79” songs. Rapper Mac Miller notably created a song in 2011 titled Donald Trump, and helped put the musician on the map by breaking the Billboard Hot 100 list and going platinum. The rapper then denounced the president in 2015 when he ran for the elections.
This was one example among others where Trump’s name was used to symbolize wealth and success in the U.S.
“The best day of my life, in terms of business and life and everything, is the day before I announced that I was running for president,” Trump added. “I am very happy that I did, but they treated me very unfairly.”
Trump’s life has changed significantly since he became president. Previously, New York City was where he considered his home, but he has since left the liberal city and established his residence in Florida. The president was also told to stay away from his company while he was an elected official to avoid any collusion, but this has not stopped him from promoting his resorts as Mar-a-Lago.
He added: “I was devastated when I won because I couldn’t have my life. I had a great life, I did it.”
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