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Donald Trump abruptly stopped a press conference on Monday after being challenged by an Asian-American journalist to whom he said, “Don’t ask me. Ask China.”
With stars and stripes on his back, Trump held his first press conference since April 27 in the White House rose garden, flanked by test kits, swabs, and posters proclaiming, “The United States leads the world in tests”.
But during a question-and-answer session, Weijia Jiang, CBS News correspondent at the White House, asked why the president constantly emphasizes that the United States is doing better than any other country when it comes to evidence.
“Why does it matter?” she asked. “Why is it a global competition for you if Americans continue to lose their lives every day and continue to see more cases every day?”
Trump replied: “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. “
The president then called another reporter, CNN’s Kaitlan Collins, but she paused when Jiang chimed in, “Sir, why are you telling me that specifically?”
The President replied: “I am not telling anyone specifically. I tell anyone who asks an unpleasant question like that. “
The CBS correspondent noted, “That is not an unpleasant question.”
Collins, at the microphone, tried to ask him a question, but Trump said he was now looking at someone in the back. As Collins repeatedly objected, the President turned on his heel and left the podium.
Trump has been frequently criticized for taking a particularly harsh or condescending tone at press conferences aimed at women in general and women of color in particular. Jiang was born in China but immigrated to the United States at the age of two.
Tara Setmayer, a political commentator, tweeted: “Another embarrassing, racist and temperamental tantrum by Trump b / c asked him a one-time question about @weijia… Trump cannot handle intelligent and assertive women. “
Democratic Congressman Ted Lieu of California tweeted: “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. “
Earlier in the briefing, Trump stated that the United States’ testing capacity is “unmatched and unmatched anywhere in the world, and it is not even close.” More than 9 million tests have been done, he said, and where approximately 150,000 per day were performed three weeks ago, the total is now 300,000 per day and will increase.
Trump said this week that the United States will pass 10 million tests, almost double that of any country and more per capita than South Korea, the United Kingdom, France, Japan, Sweden, Finland and many others. But critics point out that South Korea implemented its tests much faster, smoothing out the case curve, so fewer tests were required.
The President announced that his administration will send $ 11 billion to states, territories, and tribes to drive the tests. He described it as an effort to “support” the states, but did not reveal the national testing strategy that many experts have called for.
Trump also stated without foundation that “if someone wants to be tested at this time, they can be tested”, echoing a spurious claim he made on March 6.
“In every generation, through every challenge, difficulty, and danger, the United States has taken on the task,” he said. “We have known the moment and we have prevailed.”
Trump, who has been encouraging states to reopen, promised: “We will defeat this horrible enemy, we will revive our economy and we will make the transition to greatness.” That’s a phrase that you’re going to hear a lot. “
Democrats expressed skepticism. Daniel Wessel, deputy director of the Democratic National Committee war room, said: “Trump says we” prevailed “on the evidence, but his response has been a complete failure and made this crisis worse than necessary.
“Trump has not yet helped states achieve the proof capacity they need, every American who wants proof cannot get proof, and only now is he taking action that should have happened weeks ago.” While Trump wants to declare that the mission has been accomplished, the American people are still suffering and will not forget how he gave them up. “
The Protect Our Care campaign group noted that it had been 13 days since Trump said the United States will run 5 million tests a day “very soon.” Zac Petkanas, director of his coronavirus war room, recalled that Donald Trump promised that anyone who wants proof could receive proof and that the US USA They would soon screen 5 million Americans a day.
“This was not true when he said it and it is not true today. What is true is that more than 80,000 Americans have lost their lives largely because Donald Trump has not yet taken the evidence seriously. The only thing the President has prevailed is to make the United States the first in reported deaths and infections. “
The White House itself is not immune to the coronavirus. Katie Miller, Vice President Mike Pence’s press secretary and a personal valet who works for Trump tested positive last week. Those entering the west wing must now wear a mask or face mask, after a new memo was issued on Monday. Trump and Pence are being tested every day. Trump, however, is exempt from wearing a mask in the White House. It is unclear whether Pence will use one or not.
The president said it is “shocking” how many people enter and leave the White House every day. “I have not felt any vulnerability,” he said.
During the press conference, opponent of Trump’s presidential election, Joe Biden, tweeted: “Donald Trump and his team seem to understand how important testing is to their own safety. So why do they insist that it is unnecessary for the American people? “
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