Jonathan Swan: Trump ‘Is Not Confronting Reality’ on Covid, Credible Public Health Experts Aren’t Saying There’s ‘Danger to Testing Too Much’

Axios’ Jonathan Swan appeared on MSNBC Tuesday night to break down his remarkable interview with President Donald Trump on The Last Word, guest-hosted by Ali Velshi. And Swan said his chief takeaway is that Trump “is not confronting reality when it comes to the virus.”

He reviewed their contentious exchange about testing and how Trump keeps saying the U.S. has “done more tests than anyone in the world.”

“That’s true. But it’s also not a particularly meaningful thing to say, because the reason the U.S. has had to do all these tests is because the virus spread undetected like wildfire through this country in February, March, April,” Swan said, “and it took a very long time to get the testing working and effective, and we’re still not there with these delays.”

At one point the president claimed in the interview that there are people who say “you can test too much.” Swan was particularly bewildered by that claim and questioned Trump on what he’s talking about.

Velshi asked, “Did you ever get an answer as to what manuals or books you’re supposed to read about this?… Do you know what he was talking about?”

“No,” Swan said. “And there’s no credible public health expert who is suggesting that there is a danger to testing too much. None that I’ve heard anyway. And if such a manual or book exists that is credible, I’m not aware of it.”

“But it’s a very serious point because, again, public health experts say until we get to a vaccine, the only way to get this virus under control is apart from, you know, good social behavior, is a very aggressive and rapid testing isolation, contact tracing, quarantining,” he continued. “And the fact that he’s, you know — this interview conducted the final week of July — still expressing ambivalence over the value of testing is stunning.”

You can watch above, via MSNBC.