Pompeo blames China for hundreds of thousands of virus deaths, denies inconsistency

By Humeyra Pamuk and David Brunnstrom

 

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo speaks about the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) during a media briefing at the State Department in Washington, U.S., May 6, 2020. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque/Pool

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday renewed his aggressive criticism of China, blaming it for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people from the coronavirus and demanding again that it share information about the outbreak.

 

"They knew. China could have prevented the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people worldwide. China could have spared the world descent into global economic malaise," Pompeo told a State Department news conference.

 

"China is still refusing to share the information we need to keep people safe."

 

COVID-19 has killed more than 255,000 people worldwide, including more than 70,000 in the United States, making it the worst-affected country according to official statistics.

 

The virus first emerged in the Chinese city of Wuhan in December. Most experts believe it originated in a market there selling wildlife and jumped from animals to people, although Pompeo has said there is significant evidence it came from a laboratory.

 

Domestic critics of President Donald Trump, including some former officials, academics and columnists, have said that while China has much to answer for in terms of its actions in the early days of the outbreak, the U.S. administration is seeking to deflect attention from what they see as a slow U.S. response.

 

At a White House event, Trump, who is seeking reelection in November, called it the worst "attack" the country had ever experienced, and blamed China for not stopping it.

 

"This is worse than Pearl Harbor. This is worse than the World Trade Center," Trump said. "And it should have never happened. It could have been stopped at the source. It could have been stopped in China. It should have been stopped right at the source, and it wasn't."

 

Pompeo pushed back against suggestions that he and other members of the Trump administration have issued conflicting statements about the exact origins of the novel coronavirus.

 

On Sunday, Pompeo said there was "a significant amount of evidence" the virus emerged from the Wuhan Institute of Virology, having said the previous Thursday it was not known whether it came from the lab, a so-called wet market, or some other place.

 

On Wednesday, Pompeo said the United States did not have certainty, but there was significant evidence it came from the lab.

 

"Every one of those statements is entirely consistent," he said. "We are all trying to figure out the right answer. We are all trying to get the clarity."

The Chinese state-backed Wuhan Institute of Virology has said the virus did not originate there.

 

Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and a member of Trump's Coronavirus Task Force, said in an interview published on Monday that the best evidence showed the virus was not made in a lab, but appeared to have "evolved in nature and then jumped species."

 

Trump was asked last week if he had seen evidence that gave him a "high degree of confidence" that the virus came from the Wuhan Institute of Virology, and replied that he had, although he declined to give specifics.

 

'DENYING ACCESS TO INFORMATION'

Pompeo said China was still withholding virus samples he said were needed for global vaccine research.

 

"They continue to be opaque, they continue to deny access for this important information that our research or epidemiologists need," he said.

 

"People say, well America is bullying the Chinese. We are demanding of them only what we demand of every nation: be transparent, be open, be a reliable partner, the very things that they say. The Chinese say they want to cooperate. Great. Cooperation is about action."

 

He also took aim at the World Health Organization.

 

"It's not only that they didn't enforce... the WHO needs to still demand that there be an investigation," Pompeo said, adding that WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus needed to be "just as concerned as the United States... and other countries that we still don't have access to the answers we need."

 

In an opinion article published in the Washington Post, China's ambassador to the United States, Cui Tiankai, said "blaming China will not end this pandemic."

 

"It is time to end the blame game. It is time to focus on the disease and rebuild trust between our two countries," he said.

 

(Reporting By Humeyra Pamuk, Arshad Mohammed and David Brunnstrom; Editing by Jonathan Oatis and Rosalba O'Brien)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-05-07

 

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Deflect,deflect,deflect. China has been sharing information with many allies particularly Thailand. Perhaps the USA could have asked them?

 

It could be an election winner like the immigration push 4 years ago and Biden does not appear to be any sort of opposition. Typical Trump, find a focus for the hate and push,push,push. 

 

Looks like "Chaina" not Covid (say it quietly) is the hate factor and POTUS is very good at stirring up hate.

12 minutes ago, Thailand said:

Deflect,deflect,deflect. China has been sharing information with many allies particularly Thailand. Perhaps the USA could have asked them?

 

It could be an election winner like the immigration push 4 years ago and Biden does not appear to be any sort of opposition. Typical Trump, find a focus for the hate and push,push,push. 

 

Looks like "Chaina" not Covid (say it quietly) is the hate factor and POTUS is very good at stirring up hate.

Keep your head buried in the sand. 

16 minutes ago, Thailand said:

Deflect,deflect,deflect. China has been sharing information with many allies particularly Thailand. Perhaps the USA could have asked them?

 

It could be an election winner like the immigration push 4 years ago and Biden does not appear to be any sort of opposition. Typical Trump, find a focus for the hate and push,push,push. 

 

Looks like "Chaina" not Covid (say it quietly) is the hate factor and POTUS is very good at stirring up hate.

 

Good grief its astonishing the level of depravity the left will allow themselves to support if they can get a couple of Trump deflections/attacks in. 

I am not sure what is more amazing: That American politicians still try to pretend Trump did everything right and everybody else, especially China, is to blame.

Or the Americans who still believe that <deleted>.

But then again, there are also more than 50% of Americans who believe god created the world about 6,000 years ago. Amazing! 

9 minutes ago, Mama Noodle said:

 

Good grief its astonishing the level of depravity the left will allow themselves to support if they can get a couple of Trump deflections/attacks in. 

Neither left right or center, just an observer. Are you seriously trying to say "Chaina"will not be Trumps administrations focus of attack right up to the elections, of course it will no other options.

40 minutes ago, webfact said:

Pompeo said there was "a significant amount of evidence" the virus emerged from the Wuhan Institute of Virology

 

40 minutes ago, webfact said:

Trump was asked last week if he had seen evidence that gave him a "high degree of confidence" that the virus came from the Wuhan Institute of Virology, and replied that he had

 

put up or shut up.

 

the world is waiting.

 

let's see who's lying.

 

41 minutes ago, webfact said:

the WHO needs to still demand that there be an investigation," Pompeo said

 

unnecessary.  you are on record claiming you have the evidence.

 

let's go directly to trial.

 

right now.

 

why drag this out until after the election? 

 

oh....i see.  never mind, then.

11 minutes ago, Mama Noodle said:

 

Good grief its astonishing the level of depravity the left will allow themselves to support if they can get a couple of Trump deflections/attacks in. 

The left wouldn't have to do that if the right would open their eyes and realize reality. But that will obviously never happen as long as they "think" fox reports the truth. It would be funny if it wouldn't be so sad.

When the chaos family runs a chaos administration...

1 minute ago, Thailand said:

Neither left right or center, just an observer. Are you seriously trying to say "Chaina"will not be Trumps administrations focus of attack right up to the elections, of course it will no other options.

 

Sure, and rightfully so, but since you are just an 'observer' why is it that everyone who is so hyper-opinionated about Trump and his AG that they are willing to forgive and forget Chinas role in the pandemic, their coverups, their disappearing of journalists and doctors, their extreme censorship and control over their populations, their threats to western nations calling for inquiries, their disinformation campaigns on western social media that they themselves ban from their own population.... 

 

I could go on for days, but you know, Trump. Or something ????

4 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

The left wouldn't have to do that if the right would open their eyes and realize reality.

 

So the left will kow tow to China if it means they can zing Trump. 

 

Thats a hell of a position to have. Seems like Trump has made every person on the left publicly lose any of the morals they claimed to have. 

this just in!!!  cancel those china sanctions, we can start cutting tariffs again, xi's coming over for some bigly beautiful chocolate cake!

 

evidence, schmevidence!  just a misunderstanding!  we're best buds again!

 

Trump has a ‘hunch’ the fatality rate for coronavirus is fake news

 

President Trump called into his pal Sean Hannity’s Wednesday night program on Fox News to say the World Health Organization’s statistics on coronavirus is fake news.

 

The president introduced his theory after the right-wing pundit noted that the WTO is reporting 3.4% of the worldwide population diagnosed with the Chinese-born virus have died.

President Trump said that the WHO's estimated death rate for the coronavirus of 3.4% is a "false number," asserting that the real number is "way under 1%" during an interview with Sean Hannity pic.twitter.com/roWwYqLKRl

— Chris Cameron (@ChrisCameronNYT) March 5, 2020

“Well, I think the 3.4% is really a false number... now this is just my hunch,” Trump said.

 

The president said his calculation is “based on a lot of conversations with a lot of people that do this.”

 

https://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/ny-trump-hunch-fatality-rate-coronavirus-fake-news-20200305-rwiqqq7vufeldiexubw5mvvqna-story.html

 

 

 

 

1 minute ago, Mama Noodle said:

8 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

The left wouldn't have to do that if the right would open their eyes and realize reality.

 

So the left will kow tow to China if it means they can zing Trump. 

 

Thats a hell of a position to have. Seems like Trump has made every person on the left publicly lose any of the morals they claimed to have. 

It seems your limited imagination allows only:

a) All Trump does is good. China is always bad.

b) All Trump does is bad. China is always good.

 

Maybe spend some time to think about if there are other possible options. It might take a while but just try, and they try a little harder.

Here is a hint: There is more than just black and white.

"Lead me, Master! You da Man!"

 

 

2 minutes ago, Mama Noodle said:

 

Sure, and rightfully so, but since you are just an 'observer' why is it that everyone who is so hyper-opinionated about Trump and his AG that they are willing to forgive and forget Chinas role in the pandemic, their coverups, their disappearing of journalists and doctors, their extreme censorship and control over their populations, their threats to western nations calling for inquiries, their disinformation campaigns on western social media that they themselves ban from their own population.... 

 

I could go on for days, but you know, Trump. Or something ????

As an independent observer,I hate to say it, I see Trump getting another 4 years despite the many factors that would have buried most other politicians some time ago. He is getting all the air time, has the faithful focused on the the enemy from the far east,has no real opposition in Biden (Not the Dems as a whole) but he is their chosen figure head,find that incredible-a move the Dems will regret for along time. Well at least 4 more years and a few months.

Trump accuses NYC of padding its coronavirus death toll

 

https://nypost.com/2020/04/15/trump-accuses-nyc-of-padding-its-coronavirus-death-toll/

 

Trump calls WHO's global death rate from coronavirus 'a false number'

 

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/05/trump-coronavirus-who-global-death-rate-false-number

9 minutes ago, Mama Noodle said:

I could go on for days,

Maybe better spend those days to listen and learn.

It might take more than a few day.

1 minute ago, OneMoreFarang said:

It seems your limited imagination allows only:

a) All Trump does is good. China is always bad.

b) All Trump does is bad. China is always good.

 

Maybe spend some time to think about if there are other possible options. It might take a while but just try, and they try a little harder.

Here is a hint: There is more than just black and white.

 

Yet none of you guys ever mention Chinas role in the pandemic nor their early cover-ups. Just Trump Trump Trump. You call for critical thinking but you yourself openly ignore the 100% of the internationally accepted known facts about Chinas role in the pandemic.

3 minutes ago, Thailand said:

As an independent observer,I hate to say it, I see Trump getting another 4 years despite the many factors that would have buried most other politicians some time ago. He is getting all the air time, has the faithful focused on the the enemy from the far east,has no real opposition in Biden (Not the Dems as a whole) but he is their chosen figure head,find that incredible-a move the Dems will regret for along time. Well at least 4 more years and a few months.

 

trump just told new york their dead are "fake news."

 

that won't play well in peoria!

4 minutes ago, ChouDoufu said:

Trump accuses NYC of padding its coronavirus death toll

 

https://nypost.com/2020/04/15/trump-accuses-nyc-of-padding-its-coronavirus-death-toll/

 

Trump calls WHO's global death rate from coronavirus 'a false number'

 

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/05/trump-coronavirus-who-global-death-rate-false-number

 

China's hero doctor was punished for telling truth about coronavirus

 

https://edition.cnn.com/2020/02/08/opinions/coronavirus-bociurkiw/index.html

 

U.S. Intelligence Officials Believe China Covered Up Severity of Coronavirus Outbreak to Stock Up on Medical Supplies

 

https://time.com/5831511/us-intel-china-covered-up-coronavirus/

14 minutes ago, Mama Noodle said:

 

So the left will kow tow to China if it means they can zing Trump. 

 

Thats a hell of a position to have. Seems like Trump has made every person on the left publicly lose any of the morals they claimed to have. 

You're either with us or against us has changed to you're either with me or against me.

2 minutes ago, Mama Noodle said:

 

China's hero doctor was punished for telling truth about coronavirus

 

https://edition.cnn.com/2020/02/08/opinions/coronavirus-bociurkiw/index.html

 

U.S. Intelligence Officials Believe China Covered Up Severity of Coronavirus Outbreak to Stock Up on Medical Supplies

 

https://time.com/5831511/us-intel-china-covered-up-coronavirus/

Again, calling out Trump is not the same as absolving China. This defense is extremely weak.

Just now, stevenl said:

You're either with us or against us has changed to you're either with me or against me.

 

Deep. 

 

Yet another who reads posts, discards the content, and posts something way off to the side. 

6 minutes ago, ChouDoufu said:

 

trump just told new york their dead are "fake news."

 

that won't play well in peoria!

But doesn't matter for his election strategy. He won't say the same about Michigan, Florida or Minnesota.

1 minute ago, stevenl said:

Again, calling out Trump is not the same as absolving China. This defense is extremely weak.

 

Yet not a single poster thus far as even mentioned Chinas role in anything. 

 

This deflection is extremely weak. 

@Mama Noodle   

 

 

 

so which is it?

 

A)  china covered up, 21 million dead cellphones, 250k urns, hundreds of thousands dead worldwide, we have evidence.  significant evidence!

 

B)  nah, just joshin'!  nobody died, it's fake news!  just those wascally democrats in league with the commies trying to pad the voter rolls with alleged dead peoples.

2 minutes ago, stevenl said:

But doesn't matter for his election strategy. He won't say the same about Michigan, Florida or Minnesota.

 

irrelevant.  he said this about dead americans.  he's toast.

 

i think next november 4th, when the talking heads begin to analyze the election results, they will point to this interview illustrating the madness of king don, and proclaim may 5th as the day trump lost the election.

1 minute ago, ChouDoufu said:

so which is it?

 

Not playing your straw man game, and I damn sure won't be Kow Tow-ing China. 

 

An Investigation needs to be brought against them to know exactly how far their initial cover up went. 

9 minutes ago, Mama Noodle said:

 

Yet not a single poster thus far as even mentioned Chinas role in anything. 

 

This deflection is extremely weak. 

This thread is about pompeo's reaction. Quite a few threads about China already.

6 minutes ago, ChouDoufu said:

 

irrelevant.  he said this about dead americans.  he's toast.

 

i think next november 4th, when the talking heads begin to analyze the election results, they will point to this interview illustrating the madness of king don, and proclaim may 5th as the day trump lost the election.

Disagree, not the same.