Citing no evidence, Trump accuses Democrats of wishing him failure in coronavirus response

By Steve Holland and Susan Heavey

 

U.S. President Donald Trump looks at an assembly line during a tour of Honeywell's facility manufacturing protective face masks for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Phoenix, Arizona, U.S., May 5, 2020. REUTERS/Tom Brenner

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump on Tuesday accused Democrats of wanting his administration to fail in its handling of the coronavirus pandemic, fanning U.S. partisanship over the public health crisis without providing evidence to support his assertion.

 

Before departing the White House on a trip to visit a mask-making factory in Arizona, Trump was asked by a reporter why he would allow a top U.S. health official, Dr. Anthony Fauci, to testify before a committee of the Republican-controlled U.S. Senate but not the Democratic-majority House of Representatives.

 

"Because the House is a setup. The House is a bunch of Trump haters," the Republican president answered. "They, frankly, want our situation to be unsuccessful, which means death, which means death, and our situation is going to be very successful."

 

Trump, who had staked his November re-election bid on a robust U.S. economy before the pandemic struck, said Democrats "want us to fail so they can win an election, which they're not going to win."

 

The president's comments reflected concern among Republicans that massive unemployment from the unprecedented economic lockdown designed to quell further spread of the virus has clouded Trump's re-election chances.

 

Debate over how and when to ease restrictions on commerce and social life have grown increasingly politicized, with Trump and his supporters agitating to relax social-distancing measures more swiftly than medical experts deem prudent.

 

Democratic governors of states hardest hit by the outbreak have taken a more cautious stance, abiding by public health officials - and guidelines from the White House itself - warning that vastly expanded coronavirus testing and other safeguards be put in place first.

 

Texas became the latest of dozens of U.S. states, many led by Republicans in the South, Midwest and mountain West, moving to ease stay-at-home orders.

 

Republican Governor Greg Abbott of Texas announced that hair salons, barber shops and nail parlors may reopen on Friday, followed by fitness clubs and office buildings on May 18, subject to limits on occupancy and workplace social-distancing.

 

He also recommended individuals 65 and over, as well as people with chronic health conditions, largely remain at home.

 

Widespread relaxation of social-distancing measures was a key factor cited by an influential coronavirus mortality model on Monday in predicting nearly 135,000 Americans will die from COVID-19 by early August, almost double previous projections.

 

The research model from the University of Washington's Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) has become a closely watched data point often cited by the White House and public health authorities in gauging the coronavirus crisis.

 

The highly contagious virus already is known to have infected more than 1.2 million people in the United States, including at least 70,000 who have died from COVID-19, the respiratory illness it causes, according to a Reuters tally.

 

The U.S. death toll is the highest in the world. Democratic politicians and some Republicans have criticized Trump for playing down the threat of the virus.

 

Trump acknowledged reports, first surfacing in the New York Times, that the White House will be winding down its coronavirus task force, telling reporters in Arizona, "We'll have something in a different form," and adding, "we're looking at phase two."

 

PARTISAN POLITICS

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat whose state has been the U.S. epicenter of the pandemic, pressed again on Tuesday for Congress to abandon partisan politics, singling out Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell over his resistance to providing more economic relief to states and cities.

 

"A national health crisis that is killing tens of thousands of Americans is a time to put politics aside," Cuomo said at his daily news briefing. "If we can't get past this now, when can we ever get past it?"

 

Trump said in an interview with the New York Post on Monday that it would be unfair to Republicans if Congress passed coronavirus "bailouts" for states, singling out New York, California and Illinois as those he believes are poorly managed by their Democratic governors.

 

Trump compared them unfavorably to several large Republican-led states. "Florida is doing phenomenal, Texas is doing phenomenal, the Midwest is, you know, fantastic - very little debt," Trump was quoted by the newspaper as saying.

 

Cuomo, commenting on the notion that states led by Democratic governors have been mismanaged, said, "if anything," the federal government is responsible for mismanagement.

 

PROTECTIVE MASK

In Arizona, on his first trip in weeks beyond the greater Washington area, Trump visited a Honeywell International Inc <HON.N> aerospace facility in Phoenix that is making protective face masks.

 

But the president, who has consistently declined to wear a mask in public despite White House guidelines urging people to do so, showed up at the facility without any face covering. Most of the workers were wearing masks.

 

Arizona, a battleground state that could decide the election outcome, has also joined the ranks of partial economic reopenings, after protesters rallied in the capital Phoenix demanding Republican Governor Doug Ducey loosen restrictions.

 

Under White House guidelines issued in mid-April, states are supposed to register downward trajectories in coronavirus cases as a percentage of total diagnostic tests over 14 days before easing stay-at-home orders.

 

White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett on Tuesday said he expected a jump in the unemployment rate from 16% to 20% when the U.S. government reports on Friday. "So we are looking at probably the worst unemployment rate since the Great Depression," he told CNN.

 

(Reporting by Susan Heavey, Jeff Mason and Steve Holland in Washington, Nathan Layne in Connecticut, Brendan O'Brien in Chicago, Brad Brooks in Austin, Texas, Rajesh Kumar Singh; writing by Grant McCool; editing by Frank McGurty and Howard Goller)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-05-06

 

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29 minutes ago, webfact said:

The House is a bunch of Trump haters

Oh why, Donald? Maybe a look in the mirror will give you the answer as to why! It's not only the house or your fellow country men who feel this way! You are really quite obnoxious!

Poor Donald such a victim any criticism is seen as a plot against him no wonder he’s such a failure all the people working for him are terrified if they say anything he doesent like they get their heads ripped off come on November enough of this disfunction 

He has achieved failure without much effort. 100,000 dead by the beginning of June.

Not exactly something to brag about but them look who it is doing it.

2 hours ago, Tug said:

come on November enough of this disfunction 

Never under estimate the stupidity of the Rep voter!

Since when was citing evidence necessary?  Have we forgotten already the lack of evidence in the "Russia" debacle?  Or, need I remind you the impeachment was pushed forward by the Dems with no evidence?

 

Trump has as much a right to speak his opinion as any Trump hating Democrat...thank you!

2 hours ago, webfact said:

A national health crisis that is killing tens of thousands of Americans is a time to put politics aside," Cuomo said at his daily news briefing. "If we can't get past this now, when can we ever get past it?"

 

Trump said in an interview with the New York Post on Monday that it would be unfair to Republicans if Congress passed coronavirus "bailouts" for states, singling out New York, California and Illinois as those he believes are poorly managed by their Democratic governors.

 

Trump compared them unfavorably to several large Republican-led states. "Florida is doing phenomenal, Texas is doing phenomenal, the Midwest is, you know, fantastic - very little debt," Trump was quoted by the newspaper as saying.

I think it’s clear who is playing politics with the covid-19 situation. Here’s a hint trump, it’s face looks out at you every time you look in a mirror. 

9 minutes ago, Puchaiyank said:

Since when was citing evidence necessary?  Have we forgotten already the lack of evidence in the "Russia" debacle?  Or, need I remind you the impeachment was pushed forward by the Dems with no evidence?

 

Trump has as much a right to speak his opinion as any Trump hating Democrat...thank you!

Trump is POTUS and should act and speak like one with decorum and not like a drunken in bar. He is a disgrace whenever he speak. He will never be presidential. 

2 minutes ago, Eric Loh said:

Trump is POTUS and should act and speak like one with decorum and not like a drunken in bar. He is a disgrace whenever he speak. He will never be presidential. 

It is not about appearing Presidential...it is about getting th he job done...on many levels he has performed much better than we might have expected... 

38 minutes ago, Puchaiyank said:

It is not about appearing Presidential...it is about getting th he job done...on many levels he has performed much better than we might have expected... 

Deleted, don't want to get involved in off topic bantering.

Edited May 6, 20206 yr by stevenl

 A post using an inflammatory TDS comment has been removed, continue to post using that term and a warning will be issued. 

34 minutes ago, Eric Loh said:

Trump is POTUS and should act and speak like one with decorum and not like a drunken in bar. He is a disgrace whenever he speak. He will never be presidential. 

An alarming insight into democrat voters minds. It appears that they openly crave shine over substance. They want somebody again that can look suitably "progressive" and read carefully prepared platitudes from a teleprompter while achieving absolutely nothing at all. Granted, Trump is a bit rough around the edges. When media personalities attack him, he bites back, harder. When they make up tall tales to beat him, he gets on Twitter and debunks the fake stories. They just can't handle it.

 Trump is POTUS. He has more Presidential achievements under his belt than any President since Washington. In the next term it will be even greater now the hoaxers have exposed themselves and had their cards marked. He will always be remembered as the President that got stuff done, despite an outpouring of hatred the likes mankind/peoplekind/personkind? has never seen before.

4 minutes ago, TopDeadSenter said:

An alarming insight into democrat voters minds. It appears that they openly crave shine over substance. They want somebody again that can look suitably "progressive" and read carefully prepared platitudes from a teleprompter while achieving absolutely nothing at all. Granted, Trump is a bit rough around the edges. When media personalities attack him, he bites back, harder. When they make up tall tales to beat him, he gets on Twitter and debunks the fake stories. They just can't handle it.

 Trump is POTUS. He has more Presidential achievements under his belt than any President since Washington. In the next term it will be even greater now the hoaxers have exposed themselves and had their cards marked. He will always be remembered as the President that got stuff done, despite an outpouring of hatred the likes mankind/peoplekind/personkind? has never seen before.

I hope you right and the world leaders will stop laughing at him and lamenting that US is no longer the leader of the free world 

“Citing no evidence”

 

????

1 minute ago, Eric Loh said:

I hope you right and the world leaders will stop laughing at him and lamenting that US is no longer the leader of the free world 

So 3 years ago we were the leader of the free world, but now we aren’t. And if we elect a democrat as president, we will resume being the leader of the free world? 

3 minutes ago, TopDeadSenter said:

An alarming insight into democrat voters minds. It appears that they openly crave shine over substance. They want somebody again that can look suitably "progressive" and read carefully prepared platitudes from a teleprompter while achieving absolutely nothing at all. Granted, Trump is a bit rough around the edges. When media personalities attack him, he bites back, harder. When they make up tall tales to beat him, he gets on Twitter and debunks the fake stories. They just can't handle it.

 Trump is POTUS. He has more Presidential achievements under his belt than any President since Washington. In the next term it will be even greater now the hoaxers have exposed themselves and had their cards marked. He will always be remembered as the President that got stuff done, despite an outpouring of hatred the likes mankind/peoplekind/personkind? has never seen before.

If I recall correctly, it was Trump who was first to label coronavirus as fake news. " Nothing to worry about".

You think an infection rate 5 times that of any other country is an achievement? More than double the death rate, with 3000 a day projected by the White House itself? A recovery rate of just 15% is getting stuff done? It's an alarming insight into how Trump has distorted your values.

This man, who is the absolute epitome of incompetence, will never take responsibility for anything. So, finding a scapegoat is half of his game. The fact is, Covid best him with a TKO, one minute into the first round. All Joe has to do is wait until election day. Trump is gone. He has shot himself in the foot so often, it is amazing the guy can walk. 

 

If he could only learn to shut up and stop spewing venom for even a few days, his popularity would likely rise. He is his own worst enemy. Always has been. 

4 hours ago, webfact said:

President Donald Trump on Tuesday accused Democrats of wanting his administration to fail in its handling of the coronavirus pandemic

Oh, sounds to me that he have a lot to learn. They want him to fail in all departments. Same as many in the whole wide world wants. Amazing that a person who are chosen to be a president over such a big superpower, do not realize that yet.

4 minutes ago, Mama Noodle said:

So 3 years ago we were the leader of the free world, but now we aren’t. And if we elect a democrat as president, we will resume being the leader of the free world? 

There was a declining lack of morality already, and all moral authority that existed has now gone down the drain.

1 hour ago, Puchaiyank said:

Since when was citing evidence necessary?  Have we forgotten already the lack of evidence in the "Russia" debacle?  Or, need I remind you the impeachment was pushed forward by the Dems with no evidence?

 

Trump has as much a right to speak his opinion as any Trump hating Democrat...thank you!

I thought witnesses and evidence was not allowed in the impeachment trial?

Just now, stevenl said:

There was a declining lack of morality already, and all moral authority that existed has now gone down the drain.

 

Thats your opinion, but Im old enough to remember how much the left LOVED the previous president no matter what he did, no matter how stupid and no matter how much it polarized the country. 

15 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

If he could only learn to shut up and stop spewing venom for even a few days

Oh the irony!

3 minutes ago, Mama Noodle said:

 

Thats your opinion, but Im old enough to remember how much the left LOVED the previous president no matter what he did, no matter how stupid and no matter how much it polarized the country. 

That's your opinion.

No, they want trump to get out of the way and let the experts do their job. Let the experts that he appointed conduct the briefings, just go play golf.

 

Just what did his virus committee do.

 

nice pic of trump in the op, glad he is wearing protective glasses to shield others from the virus.

 

But thats really trump. He only thinks of himself. Protective glasses to protect himself. But he wont wear a protective mask to protect others from him.

1 minute ago, stevenl said:

That's your opinion.

 

It is, but you declining to argue against it just confirms my position. 

22 minutes ago, Mama Noodle said:

So 3 years ago we were the leader of the free world, but now we aren’t. And if we elect a democrat as president, we will resume being the leader of the free world? 

Leader of the free world, always have to laugh at this self appointed aggrandisement.

Edited May 6, 20206 yr by userabcd

5 minutes ago, Thailand said:

I thought witnesses and evidence was not allowed in the impeachment trial?

Almost correct. Only assumptions and presumptions were heard. That is nothing to do with what was allowed. It was because the impeachers had no evidence at all, beyond the presumptions and assumptions we all heard from never-Trumpers like ex-ambassador Yovanovitch and Katie Hill.

1 minute ago, Sujo said:

But thats really trump. He only thinks of himself. Protective glasses to protect himself. But he wont wear a protective mask to protect others from him.

 

Hoo-Boy I could show you pics from leftwing media talking-heads not wearing masks, breaking quarantine, politicians on the left not wearing masks and not practicing social distancing, but you wouldn't want to hear about it because.... Trump.  

4 minutes ago, Mama Noodle said:

 

Hoo-Boy I could show you pics from leftwing media talking-heads not wearing masks, breaking quarantine, politicians on the left not wearing masks and not practicing social distancing, but you wouldn't want to hear about it because.... Trump.  

Who is the president.

7 minutes ago, TopDeadSenter said:

Almost correct. Only assumptions and presumptions were heard. That is nothing to do with what was allowed. It was because the impeachers had no evidence at all, beyond the presumptions and assumptions we all heard from never-Trumpers like ex-ambassador Yovanovitch and Katie Hill.

Please dont.remind me who ordered people to refuse to give evidence as that would be off topic.