President Donald Trump on Saturday at the White House expressed his disappointment that China was dishonest and slow to alert the world about the seriousness of the coronavirus.
“I have great respect for China, I like China, I think the people of China are incredible. I have a tremendous relationship with President Xi. I wish they could have told us earlier about what was going on inside,” Trump said.
The president said that his federal doctors could have used the extra time to prepare for the virus.
“China was secretive OK?” Trump said. “Very, very secretive, and that’s unfortunate.”
Trump said that a two or three month jump on the virus would have been helpful.
Widespread Obamacare Fraud: Phony SSNs Had a 100% Success Rate for Getting Coverage, Investigation Finds
How Is This Not Racist? Ex-MSNBC Host Trashes Minorities for Working with ICE to Catch Criminals
Florida teens in custody after 14-year-old girl found shot to death, burnt: sheriff
Alaska school district erases Veterans Day from official calendar: ‘Absolutely unacceptable’
Tom Homan Nukes Heckler Who Calls Him Traitor: ‘Grow A Backbone, Put a Kevlar Vest and a Gun on’
Public School Students Allowed to Skip Classes in Chicago if They ‘Fear’ ICE
Congress faces holiday crunch as health care fix collides with shrinking calendar
Republicans divided over whether to salvage Obamacare — or replace it — ahead of subsidy deadline
GOP stands firm in ‘blue slip’ battle with Trump despite prosecutor setbacks
Idaho bar owner faces death threats after viral promo offering free beer for assisting ICE
Judge rules evidence linked to James Comey’s ally is off limits to DOJ
EXCLUSIVE: Trump-led Kennedy Center nearly doubles fundraising from Biden era, smashing record with $23M haul
Hegseth hints at major defense spending hike, reveals new details on Trump’s anti-narco-terrorism operations
Hegseth hints major defense spending increase, reveals new details on Trump’s anti-narcoterrorism operations
Dr. Oz warns Walz to address alleged Somali Medicaid fraud or lose federal funding: ‘We’ll stop paying’
“They were having a big problem and they knew it, and I wish they could have given us an advance warning,” Trump said.
The president was questioned about his message on Twitter in January praising President Xi Jinping and his transparency.
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
Trump said that he felt that China was transparent at the time, but pointedly told reporters they did not escape unscathed from the virus.
Widespread Obamacare Fraud: Phony SSNs Had a 100% Success Rate for Getting Coverage, Investigation Finds
How Is This Not Racist? Ex-MSNBC Host Trashes Minorities for Working with ICE to Catch Criminals
Florida teens in custody after 14-year-old girl found shot to death, burnt: sheriff
Alaska school district erases Veterans Day from official calendar: ‘Absolutely unacceptable’
Tom Homan Nukes Heckler Who Calls Him Traitor: ‘Grow A Backbone, Put a Kevlar Vest and a Gun on’
Public School Students Allowed to Skip Classes in Chicago if They ‘Fear’ ICE
Congress faces holiday crunch as health care fix collides with shrinking calendar
Republicans divided over whether to salvage Obamacare — or replace it — ahead of subsidy deadline
GOP stands firm in ‘blue slip’ battle with Trump despite prosecutor setbacks
Idaho bar owner faces death threats after viral promo offering free beer for assisting ICE
Judge rules evidence linked to James Comey’s ally is off limits to DOJ
EXCLUSIVE: Trump-led Kennedy Center nearly doubles fundraising from Biden era, smashing record with $23M haul
Hegseth hints at major defense spending hike, reveals new details on Trump’s anti-narco-terrorism operations
Hegseth hints major defense spending increase, reveals new details on Trump’s anti-narcoterrorism operations
Dr. Oz warns Walz to address alleged Somali Medicaid fraud or lose federal funding: ‘We’ll stop paying’
“China has lost thousands and thousands of people,” Trump said. “China has gone through hell over this. They’ve gone through hell.”
Trump repeated that President Xi was “a friend” but wishes they would have been more vocal about the problem.
“I just wished they could have told us earlier,” Trump said.
Trump has sent a mixed message on China, frequently praising President Xi’s efforts to battle the coronavirus, but also describing it as the “Chinese virus” to remind the American public that it originated in China.
On February 13, Trump praised Xi as “extremely capable” for handling the crisis but admitted that “they want to put the best face on it.”
“You wouldn’t want to run out to the world and go crazy and start saying whatever it is, because you don’t want to create a panic,” he said during an interview with Geraldo Rivera.
The president told reporters on Saturday that he first took the coronavirus threat more seriously when he announced the travel bans on China on January 31.
Story cited here.
