President Donald Trump acknowledged the severity of the coronavirus pandemic during a conversation with reporters this week, calling the pandemic worse than Pearl Harbor or the attack on the World Trade Centers.
Asked when the country needs to re-open in order to prevent permanent damage, Trump suggested that the elderly will “stay back longer,” adding, “This virus is going to disappear, it’s a question of when. Will it come back in a small way? Will it come back in a fairly large way.”
He continued, “But we know how to deal with it much better, you know, nobody knew anything about it initially.”
Moments later, he reflected, “We went through the worst attack we’ve ever had on our country — this is worse than Pearl Harbor, this is worse than the World Trade Center. There’s never been an attack like this. And it should have never happened, it could have been stopped at the source, could have been stopped at China.”
Watch the video below:
"This virus is going to disappear," says Trump, who adds that "this is worst attack we've ever had. This is worse than Pearl Harbor … and it should've never happened." pic.twitter.com/JqJKeEEXEC
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) May 6, 2020
Trump has recently begun attacking China and the World Health Organization and blaming the spread of the coronavirus on the Asian nation, saying, “And I think the World Health Organization [WHO] should be ashamed of themselves because they’re like the public relations agency for China.”
Trump’s attacks on China are a change from the early stages of the pandemic when he frequently praised the Chinese response to the virus and wrote that “China has been working very hard to contain the coronavirus.”
China has been working very hard to contain the Coronavirus. The United States greatly appreciates their efforts and transparency. It will all work out well. In particular, on behalf of the American People, I want to thank President Xi!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 24, 2020
A report from the Department of Homeland Security found that Chinese officials “intentionally concealed the severity” of the coronavirus pandemic.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was equally critical of China, saying on Wednesday, “They had a choice but instead — instead — China covered up the outbreak in Wuhan.”
He also accused China of withholding resources from the United States.