White House: Trump did not direct virus testing slowdown, does not regret 'kung flu' remark

By Jeff Mason and Steve Holland

 

FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during his first re-election campaign rally in several months in the midst of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, at the BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma, U.S., June 20, 2020. REUTERS/Leah Millis/File Photo

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump has not directed any slowdown in coronavirus testing and does not regret using the term "kung flu," which many consider to be offensive, to describe the virus, the White House said on Monday.

 

The Republican president said at a political rally in Oklahoma on Saturday that he had directed his people to slow down testing for the virus because the process had led to an increased number of known COVID-19 cases.

 

The White House said at the time that he was kidding and made clear on Monday that no such request was made.

 

"It was a comment that he made in jest," White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said at a news briefing. She said Trump had not told officials to slow the rate of testing. "He has not directed that," she said. "Any suggestion that testing has been curtailed is not rooted in fact."

 

Trump sees numerical measures as signs of victory or failure. He has repeatedly lamented the fact that better U.S. testing has led to a higher known number of identified coronavirus cases across the country.

 

Trump has also sought to reinforce that the virus originated in China.

 

But he has faced criticism for referring to the virus as Chinese. He refrained from that characterization for a time but at the rally on Saturday used "kung flu" to describe it, despite criticism that the use of such terms had led to acts of discrimination against Asian Americans.

 

Asked by a reporter why the president was using racist language, McEnany said he was not.

 

"He is linking it to its place of origin," she said. "I think the media is trying to play games with the terminology of this virus where the focus should be on the fact that China let this out of their country."

 

(Additional reporting by Doina Chiacu; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-06-23

 

- Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you

- Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

He can’t help putting his foot in his mouth 

I was a little under the weather please forgive me. ????

 

 

Shot through the foot

And you're to blame

You give truth

A BAD NAME!

41 minutes ago, webfact said:

I think the media is trying to play games with the terminology of this virus where the focus should be on the fact that China let this out of their country.

No, the focus should be on dealing with this and getting past it.  The whole pack of them are little kids arguing who started it.  Lying about the state of things are talking about miracles, well, nearly any rational adult can see the folly.

 

45 minutes ago, webfact said:

White House: Trump did not direct virus testing slowdown, does not regret 'kung flu' remark

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz..............

 

 

9 minutes ago, Thailand said:

I was a little under the weather please forgive me. ????

 

 

Where and when was this pic taken?

 

1 minute ago, bendejo said:

Where and when was this pic taken?

 

Yesterday White House lawn returning from his unsuccessful rally.

Everytime Trump speaks the dollar falls against the baht....sigh

22 minutes ago, PatOngo said:

Shot through the foot

And you're to blame

You give truth

A BAD NAME!

you played your part and he played his game ?

 

everybody was kung-<deleted> fighting ? 

 

edit - really you cant say kung-f u on this site ? it is a martial art and not a swear word. brutal.

 

 

Edited June 23, 20206 yr by mr mr

4 minutes ago, mr mr said:

you played your part and he played his game ?

 

everybody was kung-<deleted> fighting ? 

 

edit - really you cant say kung-f u on this site ? it is a martial art and not a swear word. brutal.

 

 

???? Never mind, mr!

1 hour ago, bendejo said:

Where and when was this pic taken?

 

Happy chappie.

We thank USA for him, need something to keep us amused these days.

1 hour ago, mr mr said:

you played your part and he played his game ?

 

everybody was kung-<deleted> fighting ? 

 

edit - really you cant say kung-f u on this site ? it is a martial art and not a swear word. brutal.

 

 

Can you refer to the Football Association as the FA. Let's see!

Edited June 23, 20206 yr by stouricks

Kellyanne Conway condemns racist term 'kung flu' three months before Trump says it

 

Imo he’s lying about slowing down the testing makes him look bad and his stupid Kung foo comment was just another low what do we expect from him an intelligent comment?its trump 

People like Trump is the reason that freedom of speech doesn't extend to yelling "Fire" in a crowded theater when there is none 

 

He doesn't say a word without knowing it's impact and if you don't believe that you are more delusional than he is 

2 hours ago, bendejo said:

2 hours ago, Thailand said:

I was a little under the weather please forgive me. ????

 

 

Where and when was this pic taken?

 

Probably right after he heard that his re-election chances had dropped to zero.

 

Unless Navaro is joking of course

 

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trade-china-navarro/white-house-adviser-navarro-says-china-trade-deal-is-over-idUSKBN23U02Q

 

White House adviser Navarro says China trade deal is 'over'

This article shows a couple of wonderful versions of that video.

'Everybody hurts': Trump's sad 'walk of shame' after Tulsa rally delights critics

Video of Trump disembarking Marine One after lower than expected turnout as his campaign rally has been captioned, narrated and set to music in memes

 

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/jun/22/trump-sad-walk-shame-after-tulsa-rally-inspires-memes

 

Obviously many of us are happy that finally even Trump might feel that he is a total failure.

But he will still be at least a couple of months in that most powerful job on earth. What will he do to distract from his failures in the next months? I don't even want to think about the possibilities. 

26 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

What will he do to distract from his failures in the next months? I don't even want to think about the possibilities. 

Hopefully something like a twitter war with Taylor Swift. 

 

Things are changing, and fast.  This just in:

Secret Service tells press to leave White House grounds in highly unusual move

 

 

 

Edited June 23, 20206 yr by bendejo

I see this as kind of good news. It means he will be getting even less of the Asian American vote. He truly is a white nationalist. Americans deserves so much better than this amoral commander of division and chaos. 

Call it the Chinese Pest everywhere and than it's clear to everybody what it is.

How about the Chinese dominate the world I kill you and your economy flu. Not a fan of Trump but love him talking c - rap about the Chinese government and taking them on with trade. Only good thing he has done.

8 hours ago, camble said:

He can’t help putting his foot in his mouth 

     Yeah... you’re right. Trump puts his foot in his mouth ......almost as much as sleepy Joe Biden and Pelosi do.

     Almost as much.....but not quite. 

Edited June 23, 20206 yr by Catoni
Addition

4 hours ago, Jingthing said:

I see this as kind of good news. It means he will be getting even less of the Asian American vote. He truly is a white nationalist. Americans deserves so much better than this amoral commander of division and chaos. 

Like who???    Sleepy Joe Biden ????

   555555. ????????

   Are you happy seeing all the statues coming down......comrade ??? 

First of all it isn't even a flu. 

 

There is a big difference between calling it the Chinese coronavirus which is not so bad but the virus would be amused at the fallacy that it respects any borders or has any national identity. 

 

But saying Kung flu plays on racist stereotypes. It's in the class of morons saying things like Ching Chong Chinaman. 

 

It's the kind of thing you might expect from an ignorant bigot. 

 

When it comes from the president of the United States it further degrades both the institution of the presidency and the total used to be more decent brand of the USA abroad. From city on the hill to city ruled by a racist Twitter troll. 

Edited June 23, 20206 yr by Jingthing

4 hours ago, Jingthing said:

I see this as kind of good news. It means he will be getting even less of the Asian American vote. He truly is a white nationalist. Americans deserves so much better than this amoral commander of division and chaos. 

Smart Asian-Americans who are against the Chinese Communist Party will continue to support Trump. 

       Your accusing Trump of being a white nationalist is stupid, and smacks of Anarcho/Marxism name calling. 

   Call it the C.C.P. Virus then. 

5 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Obviously many of us are happy that finally even Trump might feel that he is a total failure.

But he will still be at least a couple of months in that most powerful job on earth. What will he do to distract from his failures in the next months? I don't even want to think about the possibilities. 

Failures?  Let’s see the list. 

    Show us a list of Trump’s failures.... and then we’ll do a list of his successes and we’ll add ‘em up.

   Then we’ll do a list of Obama and Clinton and Biden failures. 

   Sound good...comrade?

19 minutes ago, holy cow cm said:

How about the Chinese dominate the world I kill you and your economy flu. Not a fan of Trump but love him talking c - rap about the Chinese government and taking them on with trade. Only good thing he has done.

 

You mean, like him begging Xi's help to help him win re-election by buying more U.S. agriculture???  Taking them on like that?

 

Or his tough stance re the Chinese and the CV like the following:

 

Quote

“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!”

 

Quote

But we’re doing great in our country. China, I spoke with President Xi, and they’re working very, very hard. And I think it’s going to all work out fine.”

https://www.npr.org/2020/04/21/837348551/timeline-what-trump-has-said-and-done-about-the-coronavirus

 

Do you ever bother to actually read the news on such things?

 

5 minutes ago, Catoni said:

Smart Asian-Americans who are against the Chinese Communist Party will continue to support Trump. 

       Your accusing Trump of being a white nationalist is stupid, and smacks of Anarcho/Marxism name calling. 

   Call it the C.C.P. Virus then. 

45 is definitely a white nationalist but can save that debate for a thread where that is more on topic. 

6 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

This article shows a couple of wonderful versions of that video.

'Everybody hurts': Trump's sad 'walk of shame' after Tulsa rally delights critics

Video of Trump disembarking Marine One after lower than expected turnout as his campaign rally has been captioned, narrated and set to music in memes

 

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/jun/22/trump-sad-walk-shame-after-tulsa-rally-inspires-memes

 

    Turns out that actually about twice as many managed to get through the BLM and ANTIFA protesters and get into the rally as the leftist media reported. 

    So how many show up for Biden’s rallies?