January 30: The WHO declares the coronavirus a global health emergency.
January 30: Trump suggests that the coronavirus is under control in remarks at a manufacturing plant in Michigan:
We have very little problem in this country at this moment — five [cases].
January 30: Trump suggests that the coronavirus is under control in remarks at a manufacturing plant in Michigan:
We have very little problem in this country at this moment — five [cases].
https://twitter.com/retiredbigboy1/status/1312768089541554176
And those people are all recuperating successfully. But we’re working very closely with China and other countries, and we think it’s going to have a very good ending for us. -Trump January 30 2020
January 31: Trump suspends entry to the US for many — but not all — categories of people traveling from China, a move which some epidemiologists warned at the time was “more of an emotional or political reaction” than a public health
decision. The Department of Health and Human Services declares the coronavirus a public health emergency. February 2020
February started with a State of the Union address on February 4, and the first US Covid-19 death followed on
February started with a State of the Union address on February 4, and the first US Covid-19 death followed on
February 6 in California’s Bay Area. The majority of the coronavirus messaging coming from the White House, however, continued to focus on downplaying the virus rather than bracing for the now-realized
possibility that it could become a full-blown pandemic and a global public health crisis.
The Trump administration did take a few steps toward crafting a federal response, requesting emergency funding from Congress and setting up
The Trump administration did take a few steps toward crafting a federal response, requesting emergency funding from Congress and setting up
a task force with Vice President Mike Pence at its head. Meanwhile, Trump — and Fox News — leaned hard into portraying the coronavirus as under control, and even as a Democratic hoax.
As a result, February was by and
As a result, February was by and
large a lost month: Delays in developing a test kit were followed by testing shortages, and both issues meant the coronavirus was able to spread undetected and unabated in many parts of the country.
Here’s what things looked like in February.
February 4: Trump gives the annual
Here’s what things looked like in February.
February 4: Trump gives the annual
State of the Union address and briefly mentions the US response to the coronavirus in his speech.
We are coordinating with the Chinese government and working closely together on the coronavirus outbreak in China. My administration will take
We are coordinating with the Chinese government and working closely together on the coronavirus outbreak in China. My administration will take
all necessary steps to safeguard our citizens from this threat. February 5: The Food and Drug Administration issues an emergency use authorization for a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) coronavirus test, clearing the way for it to be used in state labs.
February 6: The first death in the US from a confirmed case of Covid-19 is retroactively confirmed to have occurred in early February by the Santa Clara County medical examiner following an autopsy of the victim.
February 7: Trump again praises Xi’s response to the coronavirus:
February 7: Trump again praises Xi’s response to the coronavirus:
February 15: The first death in Europe from a confirmed case of Covid-19 is reported in France.
February 23: Trump again claims that the coronavirus is “under control” in an impromptu South Lawn press conference with Marine One waiting
February 23: Trump again claims that the coronavirus is “under control” in an impromptu South Lawn press conference with Marine One waiting
to depart to Andrews Air Force Base ahead of a trip to India.
We’re very much involved. We’re very — very cognizant of everything going on. We have it very much under control in this country.
February 24: In a tweet, Trump reiterates his claim that the virus is
We’re very much involved. We’re very — very cognizant of everything going on. We have it very much under control in this country.
February 24: In a tweet, Trump reiterates his claim that the virus is
“very much under control in the USA 
ebruary 25: Trump requests $2.5 billion in coronavirus response funding from Congress for vaccine development, testing, PPE, and more.
February 26: The first instance of community spread in the US is confirmed by the CDC.
February 26: Trump appoints Pence
February 26: The first instance of community spread in the US is confirmed by the CDC.
February 26: Trump appoints Pence
to lead the coronavirus task force; during the same press conference, he again downplays the virus.
And again, when you have 15 people, and the 15 within a couple of days is going to be down to close to zero, that’s a pretty good job we’ve done.
And again, when you have 15 people, and the 15 within a couple of days is going to be down to close to zero, that’s a pretty good job we’ve done.
February 27: Trump predicts that the coronavirus will disappear “like a miracle.”
It’s going to disappear. One day it’s like a miracle, it will disappear.
February 28: Trump refers to the coronavirus as the Democrats’ “new hoax” at a rally in South Carolina.
It’s going to disappear. One day it’s like a miracle, it will disappear.
February 28: Trump refers to the coronavirus as the Democrats’ “new hoax” at a rally in South Carolina.
The Democrats are politicizing the coronavirus… One of my people came up to me and said “Mr. President, they tried to beat you on Russia, Russia, Russia, that didn’t work out too well. They couldn’t do it. They tried the impeachment hoax that was
on a perfect conversation. They tried anything, they tried it over and over, they’ve been doing it since you got in… And this is their new hoax.”
March 2020
In March, the coronavirus for the first time began to intrude on daily life in a major way. The NBA shut down on March 11, the same night Trump addressed the nation in primetime from the Oval Office, announcing a European travel ban and promising
In March, the coronavirus for the first time began to intrude on daily life in a major way. The NBA shut down on March 11, the same night Trump addressed the nation in primetime from the Oval Office, announcing a European travel ban and promising
economic relief efforts.
Not long after that speech, California became the first state to implement a general stay-at-home order on March 19.
March 5: Trump suggests that closing the US to travel from China helped to keep the number of Covid-19 cases low.
Not long after that speech, California became the first state to implement a general stay-at-home order on March 19.
March 5: Trump suggests that closing the US to travel from China helped to keep the number of Covid-19 cases low.
March 6: At the CDC headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia, Trump says falsely that “anybody that wants a test can get a test”; he also comments that he would rather have infected people who were trapped on a cruise ship stay there to keep the number of confirmed US cases low.
Anybody that wants a test can get a test ... they’re making millions of more as we speak. But as of right now and yesterday, anybody that needs a test — that’s the important
thing — and the tests are all perfect, like the letter was perfect. The transcription was perfect, right? This was not as perfect as that, but pretty good. I like the numbers being where they are. I don’t need to have the numbers double because of one ship that wasn’t our fault.
March 9: Trump compares the coronavirus to the common flu, a comparison which at that time had already been debunked by experts including Dr. Anthony Fauci.
March 11: The WHO officially labels the coronavirus a pandemic.
March 11: Trump makes an error-ridden primetime address from the Oval Office that coincides with Tom Hanks announcing his coronavirus diagnosis and the NBA suspending its season.
Testing and testing capabilities are
March 11: Trump makes an error-ridden primetime address from the Oval Office that coincides with Tom Hanks announcing his coronavirus diagnosis and the NBA suspending its season.
Testing and testing capabilities are
expanding rapidly, day by day, we’re moving very quickly ... The vast majority of Americans, the risk is very, very low.
March 13: Trump declares a national emergency in response to the coronavirus, freeing up billions in federal funding for the virus response.
March 13: Trump declares a national emergency in response to the coronavirus, freeing up billions in federal funding for the virus response.
March 16: Trump announces “15 Days to Stop the Spread” CDC guidelines, encouraging social distancing.
March 18: Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau mutually close the US-Canada border; Trump officially invokes the Defense
March 18: Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau mutually close the US-Canada border; Trump officially invokes the Defense
Production Act (DPA) in order to push domestic manufacturing industries to produce badly needed medical supplies.
March 19: Trump incorrectly claims that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the antimalarial drug hydroxychloroquine for treating Covid-19.
March 19: Trump incorrectly claims that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the antimalarial drug hydroxychloroquine for treating Covid-19.
The nice part is, it’s been around for a long time, so we know that if things don’t go as planned it’s not going to kill anybody. When you go with a brand new drug, you don’t know that that’s going to happen. It’s shown very very encouraging early results
March 19: Trump labels the coronavirus the “Chinese Virus” in a press conference; photos show that he revised prepared remarks to add the xenophobic term.
March 20: Trump closes the US-Mexico border, saying:
[Unauthorized entries] threaten to create a perfect storm that would spread the infection to our border agents, migrants, and to the public at large. Left unchecked, this would cripple our immigration system,
[Unauthorized entries] threaten to create a perfect storm that would spread the infection to our border agents, migrants, and to the public at large. Left unchecked, this would cripple our immigration system,
overwhelm our healthcare system, and severely damage our national security. We’re not going to let that happen.
March 20: Trump touts hydroxychloroquine, a malaria drug unproven as a Covid-19 treatment, at the White House Coronavirus Task
March 20: Trump touts hydroxychloroquine, a malaria drug unproven as a Covid-19 treatment, at the White House Coronavirus Task
Force daily briefing; in the same exchange, he attacks NBC News correspondent Peter Alexander as a “terrible reporter.”
Let’s see if it works. It might and it might not. I happen to feel good about it, but who knows, I’ve been right a lot. Let’s see what happens.
Let’s see if it works. It might and it might not. I happen to feel good about it, but who knows, I’ve been right a lot. Let’s see what happens.
March 22: As the economic impact of coronavirus lockdowns becomes more apparent, Trump shies away from a prolonged shutdown following a historically bad day for the Dow Jones stock index the previous week
March 24: Trump floats Easter Sunday, April 12, as a potential reopening date.
I would love to have it open by Easter. I will — I will tell you that right now. I would love to have that — it’s such an important day for other reasons, but I’ll make it an important day for this too. I would love to have the country opened up and just raring to go by Easter.
March 26: The US hits 1,000 reported Covid-19 deaths.
March 27: Trump attacks General Motors CEO Mary Barra on Twitter over ventilator manufacturing amid a desperate shortage of the machines, and threatens to “invoke ‘P’” — the
March 27: Trump attacks General Motors CEO Mary Barra on Twitter over ventilator manufacturing amid a desperate shortage of the machines, and threatens to “invoke ‘P’” — the
Defense Production Act — to compel the company to make more, the first of many such threats made against companies producing essential materials
March 27: Trump signs a $2.2 trillion coronavirus relief package that includes direct cash payments to Americans, additional funding for hospitals, and some $500 billion in loans for companies.
March 29: Trump extends CDC social distancing guidance through April 30;
March 29: Trump extends CDC social distancing guidance through April 30;
in the Rose Garden, he also says he believes his administration will have “done a very good job” if the US avoids the worst-case 2.2 million deaths predicted by London’s Imperial College.
“If we have between 100,000 and 200,000 we’ve all together done a very good job,” Trump says, about up to 200,000 Americans dying of #COVID19.pic.twitter.com/ricnlAbKKK
— Jason Sparks (@sparksjls) March 30, 2020
— Jason Sparks (@sparksjls) March 30, 2020
March 31: Trump drops his comparison to the flu, saying the coronavirus is “vicious”:
It’s not the flu. It’s vicious. When you send a friend to the hospital, and you call up to find out how is he doing — it happened to me, where he goes to the hospital, he says goodbye. He’s
It’s not the flu. It’s vicious. When you send a friend to the hospital, and you call up to find out how is he doing — it happened to me, where he goes to the hospital, he says goodbye. He’s
sort of a tough guy. A little older, a little heavier than he’d like to be, frankly. And you call up the next day: “How’s he doing?” And he’s in a coma? This is not the flu.
April 2: Trump employs the DPA to direct 3M and other companies to manufacture masks and ventilators:
Moments ago, I directed Secretary Azar and Acting Secretary Wolf to use any and all available authority under
Moments ago, I directed Secretary Azar and Acting Secretary Wolf to use any and all available authority under
the Defense Production Act to ensure that domestic manufacturers have the supplies they need to produce ventilators for patients with severe cases of C-O-V-I-D 19. You know what that is, right? Become a very famous term: C-O-V-I-D — COVID.
April 4: Trump again invokes the DPA to combat the hoarding of medical supplies by “wartime profiteers.”
April 6: The US hits 10,000 reported Covid-19 deaths.
April 9: The Trump campaign releases a misleading ad attacking Biden’s record on China.
April 13: Trump
April 6: The US hits 10,000 reported Covid-19 deaths.
April 9: The Trump campaign releases a misleading ad attacking Biden’s record on China.
April 13: Trump
Trump claims to have the legal right to overrule governors’ shelter-in-place orders, asserting at a press conference that the president’s “authority is total.”
April 14: Trump announces plans to halt funding to the WHO, accusing the organization of “severely mismanaging and covering up the spread of the coronavirus.”
April 15: The US hits 25,000 reported Covid-19 deaths.
April 16: The Trump administration releases its reopening
April 15: The US hits 25,000 reported Covid-19 deaths.
April 16: The Trump administration releases its reopening
guidelines:
Every state is very different. They’re all beautiful. We love them all. But they’re very, very different. If they need to remain closed, we will allow them to do that. And if they believe it is time to reopen, we will provide them the freedom and guidance to
Every state is very different. They’re all beautiful. We love them all. But they’re very, very different. If they need to remain closed, we will allow them to do that. And if they believe it is time to reopen, we will provide them the freedom and guidance to
accomplish that task — and very, very quickly — depending on what they want to do.
April 17: As small groups of — sometimes armed — protesters demonstrating against shelter-in-place orders begin to receive media coverage, Trump calls on his supporters, including those who
April 17: As small groups of — sometimes armed — protesters demonstrating against shelter-in-place orders begin to receive media coverage, Trump calls on his supporters, including those who
attended these protests, to “liberate” Michigan, Minnesota, and Virginia, all of which have Democratic governors.
April 17: Trump attacks Biden and the Obama administration’s handling of the 2009 H1N1 pandemic.
April 22: Trump, who has spent the last few days promoting reopening, announces that he opposes Georgia reopening.
"I told the governor of Georgia, Brian Kemp, that I disagree strongly with his decision to open certain facilities which are in violation of the phase one
"I told the governor of Georgia, Brian Kemp, that I disagree strongly with his decision to open certain facilities which are in violation of the phase one
guidelines for the incredible people of Georgia ... I think it’s too soon.
"
April 23: Trump signs an executive order blocking green cards for most categories of prospective immigrants; at a daily press briefing, he also floats bleach as a potential coronavirus treatment:
"
April 23: Trump signs an executive order blocking green cards for most categories of prospective immigrants; at a daily press briefing, he also floats bleach as a potential coronavirus treatment:
"And then I see the disinfectant, where it knocks it out in a minute. One minute. And is there a way we can do something like that, by injection inside or almost a cleaning. Because you see it gets in the lungs and it does a tremendous number on the lungs."
April 24:
April 24:
April 24: The US hits 50,000 reported Covid-19 deaths.
April 28: The US hits 1 million confirmed Covid-19 cases.
April 30: The Trump administration allows federal “Stay at Home” guidelines to expire, ceding the field to state efforts.
April 28: The US hits 1 million confirmed Covid-19 cases.
April 30: The Trump administration allows federal “Stay at Home” guidelines to expire, ceding the field to state efforts.
May 3: Trump again revises his estimate on the number of Covid-19 deaths the US will suffer and predicts 85,000 to 100,000 fatalities during a Fox News virtual town hall.
"Look, we’re going to lose anywhere from 75, 80 to 100 thousand people. That’s a horrible thing. We
"Look, we’re going to lose anywhere from 75, 80 to 100 thousand people. That’s a horrible thing. We
shouldn’t lose one person over this. This should have been stopped in China. It should have been stopped. But if we didn’t do it, the minimum we would have lost is a million-two, a million-four, a million-five. That’s the minimum. We would have lost probably higher than — it’s
possible higher than 2.2."
May 7: The US hits 75,000 reported Covid-19 deaths; the New York Times reports that the Trump administration elected to shelve detailed reopening guidelines from the CDC.
May 8: Trump claims that the US is “the world leader” in responding to
May 7: The US hits 75,000 reported Covid-19 deaths; the New York Times reports that the Trump administration elected to shelve detailed reopening guidelines from the CDC.
May 8: Trump claims that the US is “the world leader” in responding to
the coronavirus:
May 9: Although many states have yet to meet the minimum requirements for reopening based on the White House’s guidelines, Trump continues to push for the reopening of nonessential businesses, using the slogan “TRANSITION TO GREATNESS!”
May 10: Trump again goes after the Obama administration’s response to the 2009 swine flu pandemic, falsely calling it a “disaster.” As the Washington Post has explained, “some flaws in the system were discovered” in the Obama administration’s handling of the H1N1
pandemic, “but overall the government was praised for its response.”
May 11: Trump says that the US has “met the moment and we have prevailed” in responding to the coronavirus.
May 18: Trump tells reporters that he is taking hydroxychloroquine, an antimalarial drug that has been linked to an increased risk of death when used to treat coronavirus patients.
May 21: Trump claims falsely that he was “so early. I was earlier than anybody thought” in
May 21: Trump claims falsely that he was “so early. I was earlier than anybody thought” in
response to a Columbia University study suggesting that 36,000 lives could have been saved in the US alone by implementing social distancing measures just a week earlier. As noted above, the president reportedly ignored security briefings on the coronavirus for weeks and did
not roll out a social distancing campaign until mid-March.
May 22: Trump at a press conference announces he is labeling churches as “essential” and calls for governors to allow their reopening, as well as threatening — without authority — to “override” any governors who fail to do so.
May 23: For the
May 23: For the
first time since March, Trump hits the links at his own golf course in Sterling, Virginia, as the US death toll edges toward 100,000.
May 24: Trump bans non-US citizens traveling from Brazil from entering the country.
May 24: Trump bans non-US citizens traveling from Brazil from entering the country.
May 26: Trump again favorably compares the death toll to an Imperial College projection that estimated the death toll had the US taken no steps to stop the spread of Covid-19, tweeting that “if I hadn’t done my job well, & early, we would have lost 1 1/2 to 2 Million People.”
but lol Vox deleted a tweet so everything they've ever researched ever is wrong I gues retired guy
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