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.
Why the Ilhan Omar saga isn’t going away
Christian group touts ‘ethical’ tech features as concerns over out-of-control AI tools persist
CodePink leader adds muscle to well-funded fight to ban restaurant delicacy
How to follow 2026 Election Day coverage on Fox News platforms
Tinder killer who believed he was a warlock said he ‘picked the wrong person’ after murdering woman
Virginia’s Dem AG Calls AR-15 Rifles ‘Machine Guns’ in Stunningly Ignorant Brief to SCOTUS
Report: ‘Presbyterian Seminarian’ Talarico Had Account On Adult Hookup Website, Was Looking for ‘Group Sex,’ ‘Fetish’ Partners
Manning: The Truth About Why Dems Demand Endless War in Ukraine Is So Much Worse Than Almost Anyone Imagines
Gavin Newsom touts ‘ruthless’ approach to politics in New Hampshire pitch
Questions still haunt Houdini’s Halloween death 100 years later
Violence Against Christians Claims More Lives as 40 or More Ethiopians Slaughtered, at Least 2 Churches Attacked
Trump admin threatens Iran with ‘consequences’ as allies convene amid threats of post-election escalation
Why Keisha Lance Bottoms is trailing Jon Ossoff in Georgia
Watch: Muslim Debater Begs Security to Remove Christian Apologist After He Tells the Truth About Islam
Will Republicans distance themselves from Trump after the midterm elections?
“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.
Why the Ilhan Omar saga isn’t going away
Christian group touts ‘ethical’ tech features as concerns over out-of-control AI tools persist
CodePink leader adds muscle to well-funded fight to ban restaurant delicacy
How to follow 2026 Election Day coverage on Fox News platforms
Tinder killer who believed he was a warlock said he ‘picked the wrong person’ after murdering woman
Virginia’s Dem AG Calls AR-15 Rifles ‘Machine Guns’ in Stunningly Ignorant Brief to SCOTUS
Report: ‘Presbyterian Seminarian’ Talarico Had Account On Adult Hookup Website, Was Looking for ‘Group Sex,’ ‘Fetish’ Partners
Manning: The Truth About Why Dems Demand Endless War in Ukraine Is So Much Worse Than Almost Anyone Imagines
Gavin Newsom touts ‘ruthless’ approach to politics in New Hampshire pitch
Questions still haunt Houdini’s Halloween death 100 years later
Violence Against Christians Claims More Lives as 40 or More Ethiopians Slaughtered, at Least 2 Churches Attacked
Trump admin threatens Iran with ‘consequences’ as allies convene amid threats of post-election escalation
Why Keisha Lance Bottoms is trailing Jon Ossoff in Georgia
Watch: Muslim Debater Begs Security to Remove Christian Apologist After He Tells the Truth About Islam
Will Republicans distance themselves from Trump after the midterm elections?
“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.
