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.
Shark bites fisherman twice during kayaking encounter along California beach
Mass shooting at Georgia block party leaves 2 dead, 35 injured
Florida Man Pleads Guilty in $500,000,000 COVID Test Fraud Scheme
Map Exposes Flocks Surprisingly Massive Network of 300K Surveillance Cameras – They’re Trying to Scrub it
Why the 2A Exists: Strict Gun Laws Fail to Stop South African Slaughter by Gunmen With AK-47s
Trump DOT Kills Biden’s Fuel Rules to Drop New Car Prices by Over $1K
Florida TikTok creator lands in jail after allegedly turning women’s private data into posts
‘We Are Destroying These Bikes’: Californians Trade in Over 1,000 E-Bikes as Injuries Increase 430%
China’s Stranglehold on Rare Metal Is Wreaking Havoc on America’s Jet Engine Supply Chain
Celebrity Chef Responds to the Left’s Racist ‘Uncle Tom’ Backlash to Him Cooking with RFK JR: ‘I Don’t Give a…’
Hospitals Used AI to Inflate Medical Bills by Nearly $1,000,000,000: Report
Cruz-Vance rivalry heats up as Texas senator suggests VP is ‘feeling insecure’
Tech powerhouse’s regulatory push bears similarities to a notorious Washington strategy
Rahm Emanuel urges Dems not to impeach Trump if they win the House
Terror cells inside foreign airlines ‘certainly a possibility,’ retired pilot warns
“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.
Shark bites fisherman twice during kayaking encounter along California beach
Mass shooting at Georgia block party leaves 2 dead, 35 injured
Florida Man Pleads Guilty in $500,000,000 COVID Test Fraud Scheme
Map Exposes Flocks Surprisingly Massive Network of 300K Surveillance Cameras – They’re Trying to Scrub it
Why the 2A Exists: Strict Gun Laws Fail to Stop South African Slaughter by Gunmen With AK-47s
Trump DOT Kills Biden’s Fuel Rules to Drop New Car Prices by Over $1K
Florida TikTok creator lands in jail after allegedly turning women’s private data into posts
‘We Are Destroying These Bikes’: Californians Trade in Over 1,000 E-Bikes as Injuries Increase 430%
China’s Stranglehold on Rare Metal Is Wreaking Havoc on America’s Jet Engine Supply Chain
Celebrity Chef Responds to the Left’s Racist ‘Uncle Tom’ Backlash to Him Cooking with RFK JR: ‘I Don’t Give a…’
Hospitals Used AI to Inflate Medical Bills by Nearly $1,000,000,000: Report
Cruz-Vance rivalry heats up as Texas senator suggests VP is ‘feeling insecure’
Tech powerhouse’s regulatory push bears similarities to a notorious Washington strategy
Rahm Emanuel urges Dems not to impeach Trump if they win the House
Terror cells inside foreign airlines ‘certainly a possibility,’ retired pilot warns
“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.
