Thread by @PolitiFact

Thanks @PressSec, for the response. You said the president “never downplayed the virus.” It seems that the president’s words are the ones that matter. Here is some of what President Trump said. bit.ly/32c0sCB

https://twitter.com/PressSec/status/1303849383151251456

Jan. 30: "We think we have it very well under control. We have very little problem in this country at this moment — five. ... We think it’s going to have a very good ending for it."

Feb. 2: "We pretty much shut it down coming in from China."

Feb. 14: “We have a very small number of people in the country, right now, with it. It’s like around 12. Many of them are getting better. Some are fully recovered already. So we’re in very good shape."

Feb. 24: “The Coronavirus is very much under control in the USA.”

And then, on March 19, to Bob Woodward: “To be honest with you, I wanted to always play it down. I still like playing it down, because I don’t want to create a panic."