Trump Attacks the CDC to Claim Covid Cases, Deaths Are Being ‘Far Exaggerated’
ROBERTO SCHMIDT / AFP / Getty Images
The number of coronavirus cases in the United States has is now over 20 million and the death toll has surpassed 350,000. The winter surge many public health experts predicted is likely to continue, with thousands of Americans still hospitalized and deaths in the thousands every week.
President Donald Trump attacked the CDC on Sunday as he claimed that the cases and deaths are “far exaggerated.”
Trump — who repeatedly complained before the election about the media’s covid coverage and said it would stop after the election — downplayed the number of cases last year when he repeatedly said that cases are only up because of testing.
The Fake News is talking about CASES, CASES, CASES. This includes many low risk people. Media is doing everything possible to create fear prior to November 3rd. The Cases are up because TESTING is way up, by far the most, and best, in the world. Mortality rate is DOWN 85% plus!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 24, 2020
Cases up because we TEST, TEST, TEST. A Fake News Media Conspiracy. Many young people who heal very fast. 99.9%. Corrupt Media conspiracy at all time high. On November 4th., topic will totally change. VOTE!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 26, 2020
More Testing equals more Cases. We have best testing. Deaths WAY DOWN. Hospitals have great additional capacity! Doing much better than Europe. Therapeutics working!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 30, 2020
Surprising almost no one, covid did not go away after the election. So in the middle of this surge, the president attacked the CDC for their “ridiculous method” of counting the cases and deaths and claimed they’re “far exaggerated.”
The number of cases and deaths of the China Virus is far exaggerated in the United States because of @CDCgov’s ridiculous method of determination compared to other countries, many of whom report, purposely, very inaccurately and low. “When in doubt, call it Covid.” Fake News!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 3, 2021
Of course, the U.S. is now in the middle of a serious vaccine rollout. And while many have applauded the speed at which vaccines were developed, there has been criticism that the numbers of vaccines administered is not nearly as high as hoped.
Trump responded by again putting the onus on the states:
The vaccines are being delivered to the states by the Federal Government far faster than they can be administered!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 3, 2021
And Trump continued attacking top Georgia Republicans just two days before the runoffs in that state:
Republicans in Georgia must be careful of the political corruption in Fulton County, which is rampant. The Governor, @BrianKempGA, and his puppet Lt. Governor, @GeoffDuncanGA, have done less than nothing. They are a disgrace to the great people of Georgia!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 3, 2021
I spoke to Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger yesterday about Fulton County and voter fraud in Georgia. He was unwilling, or unable, to answer questions such as the “ballots under table” scam, ballot destruction, out of state “voters”, dead voters, and more. He has no clue!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 3, 2021
