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Political fact-checkers have flourished under Donald Trump, a president who according to one count uttered more than 16,000 misleading or false claims during his first three years in the White House.

The coronavirus outbreak has seen Trump add to that total. Here are some of his most misleading and most often repeated claims about Covid-19, his administrations response to the outbreak and what might lie ahead.

Trump has repeatedly expressed his surprise at the scale of the coronavirus as it spread around the world and raced across the US.

I would view it as something that just surprised the whole world, he said in a press conference earlier this month. Nobody knew there would be a pandemic or epidemic of this proportion.

In a separate briefing, Trump said: I just think this is something that you can never really think is going to happen.

There is evidence, however, that not only was the Trump administration warned about the potential of a pandemic and its dangers to Americans, it was given a plan on how to deal with it, which it promptly shelved.

During the Obama administration, the national security council drew up a 69-page playbook on fighting pandemics, Politico has reported. The document, crafted in the wake of the 2016 Ebola outbreak, contained advice on tracking the spread of a new virus, how to ensure testing was conducted effectively and the need to stockpile emergency resources.

The incoming Trump administration was briefed on the playbook but it was was thrown on to a shelf, according to an anonymous official quoted by Politico.

This wasnt the administrations only insight into the threat posed by a pandemic. In October, an internal federal government report warned how underprepared and underfunded the US would be in terms of tackling a virus without a cure.

Trumps reaction to coronavirus has spanned disbelief, a severe understating of the problem and an optimism that appears unmoored from reality.

In February, Trump said the virus could maybe go away. Well see what happens. Nobody really knows. He predicted it is going to disappear. One day its like a miracle it will disappear.

This position has been repeatedly contradicted by public health experts who predicted the sharp increase in Covid-19 infections, blunted only by social distancing measures and the shut down of large gatherings.

Even in China, which instituted the most severe crackdown on the movement of people, it has taken several months for cases to start tapering off.

Youve got to be realistic, and youve got to understand that you dont make the timeline, the virus makes the timeline, Dr Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said recently.

Without basis, Trump has claimed the US has done an excellent job in testing people for the coronavirus. As early as January, the president said the situation was totally under control. Just six weeks later the US had emerged as the new global center of the pandemic.

In reality, healthcare providers faced a severe shortage of testing kits as coronavirus hit the US, with the situation exacerbated by faults in the testing system and restrictions on who could actually take a test. A big disparity opened up whereby rich or famous people were able to get tests while others struggled to do so.

Mike Pence, the vice-president, has admitted we dont have enough tests today to meet what we anticipate will be the demand. Dr Fauci told a congressional hearing the US system was not really geared to what we need right now regarding the test kits. He added: That is a failing. Lets admit it.

As is the case with many of Trumps statements, his claim he has always taken the pandemic seriously deviates wildly from his previous comments. Perhaps most infamously, Trump said I dont take responsibility at all when asked about the faltering US response.

The president has repeatedly downplayed the threat posed by Covid-19, criticising concern over the crisis as a hoax, fretting that letting infected Americans off a cruise ship would increase the number of confirmed cases and claiming that only a couple of Americans had it as cases began to soar across the country.

He has compounded this by suggesting social distancing restrictions be lifted around Easter a timeline wildly out of kilter with public health experts who warn this would cause hospitals to overflow with sick and dying patients.

In a White House meeting with pharmaceutical company bosses and public health officials, Trump suggested a vaccine for Covid-19 will be available over the next few months.

He was contradicted by Alex Azar, the health and human services secretary, who pointed out: You wont have a vaccine. Youll have a vaccine to go into testing.

Dr Fauci and others at the meeting confirmed that clinical trials standard for any new vaccine would have to take place first. A vaccine is more likely to be a year or 18 months away.

Despite being told this, Trump told a rally in North Carolina on 2 March that there will be a vaccine relatively soon.

Here is the original post:
Five of Donald Trump's most misleading coronavirus claims - The Guardian

It's been an historic week for the U.S. with president Donald Trump signing a record $2.2 trillion coronavirus-induced emergency stimulus package.

The massive cross-party rescue deal is designed to help Americans and businesses cope with the economic shutdown caused by the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic.

The U.S. dollar has taken a beating, however, dropping almost 4% against a basket of currencies this weekits biggest weekly loss since the height of the global financial crisis over 10 years ago.

The U.S. dollar has sunk against a basket of major currencies this week after posting record gains ... [+] earlier this month. Some think the massive stimulus offered by the Trump administration and the Federal Reserve will undermine the dollar and open the door to alternatives such as bitcoin.

This week's losses come on the back of the dollar index's biggest weekly gain since the financial crisis, with the dollar surging as investors scrambled for the worlds most liquid currency amid crashing stock and debt markets.

"In short-term, huge dollar demand because short-covering, but it won't last," Wall Street veteran and founder of Wyoming-based crypto bank Avanti, Caitlin Long, said via Twitter, adding she expects the U.S. Federal Reserve's balance sheet to top $10 trillion before the coronavirus crisis is over and predicting the dollar's eventual crash.

On top the of the massive economic aid package, the Fed has been working hard to prop up plunging marketswith mixed results despite its shock-and-awe firepower.

Potential risks of the combined cross-party rescue bill and Fed's biggest-ever bazooka include out-of-control inflation, the dollar's displacement as the world's funding currency, and the complete destabilization of the U.S. financial system.

The Fed has pumped over $1 trillion to the system in recent weeks, with its chair Jerome Powell promising never before seen levels of money printing and so-called quantitative easing to infinity through an unlimited bond-buying program.

The Fed has also cut its benchmark interest rate to near zero and made sure commercial banks will continue lending to companies, cities and statesall told the extraordinary measures are expected to grow the Fed's balance sheet by $4.5 trillion this year.

Throughout and in the aftermath of the global financial crisis the Fed grew its balance sheet by a paltry $3.7 trillion.

"The beautiful thing about our country is $6.2 trillionbecause it is 2.2 plus four [combining the Fed's action and the cross-party rescue bill]its $6.2 trillion, and we can handle that easily because of who we are, what we are," Trump said, speaking after the bill's historic White House signing ceremony, and boasting the package was "twice as large" as any prior relief bill.

The bill will see individuals and companies whose livelihoods and businesses have been affected by the coronavirus pandemic receive direct payments, with every American earning less than $75,000 per year picking up a one off payment of $1,200, as well as $500 per child.

"Its our money; we are the ones, its our currency," Trump said.

U.S. President Donald Trump signed the historic $2.2 trillion stimulus bill in the White House's ... [+] Oval Office, marking the country's biggest-ever rescue package.

Critics of the historic stimulus measures have warned about the possibility of inflation, with many in the bitcoin and cryptocurrency community urging people to explore scarce digital assets.

"Fiat money is getting more plentiful. Bitcoin is getting more scarce," Anthony Pompliano, a well-known bitcoin advocate and partner at bitcoin and crypto-focused hedge fund Morgan Creek Digital, said via Twitter, alluding to bitcoin's upcoming May halving event where the supply of new bitcoin being created will be cut by half overnight and putting bitcoin directly at odds with the Fed's money printing program.

Meanwhile, Trump has said he expects the U.S. to be open for business again by April 12, Easter Sundaya goal that's been widely derided as impossible.

Regardless of when the country opens up again, it will against a wildly different economic landscape.

Read more from the original source:
Donald Trump And The Fed Are Destroying The U.S. Dollar - Forbes

In January the world watched in horror as Wuhan, China battled coronavirus. People criticized Beijing, they blamed Chinese culture and they debated how to properly manage such an outbreak.

Fast forward two months and the U.S. has found itself dealing with more cases than China as the virus spreads across the nation at a faster pace than anywhere else in the world.

When the virus spread from Wuhan to other parts of Asia it became clear coronavirus was a global problem. Covid-19 had ravaged Italy, France and Spain before cases started to spike in New York and California. The U.S. had the benefit of time and experience on its side, so how did we get here?

A short-sighted focus on economic growth is the answer to that question.

Governments around the world demanded social distancing and urged their populations to protect each other. Meanwhile, Donald Trump and politicians in Washington debated how to minimize the economic impact of coronavirus with little regard to slowing its spread. Instead they looked for ways to minimize the threat in the eyes of voters.

The stock market and economy were where the U.S. placed its focus, and it shows. Even as medics in New York City donned trash bags and pleaded for more medical supplies, President Trump continued to focus on the economy.

As the number of cases rose exponentially, he refused to consider a nationwide lockdown. He continued to push to reopen businesses and schools by Easter. He encouraged people to believe coronavirus was no worse than the flu.

Mr. Trump congratulated himself and Congress upon passing a coronavirus relief package that did very little to stop the virus spread or help hospitals in dire need of medical supplies.

He commended the governments efforts to support New York City hospitals by sending 400 ventilators to the regions worst-hit hospitals. But the city was in need of 15,000 of the life-saving devices, making Trumps generous donation too little too late.

As the rest of the world worked to flatten the curve, the U.S. continued to question the severity of coronavirus. Despite scientific evidence showing that social distancing is the most powerful tool in the fight against coronavirus, the U.S. waited and watched. Even as health experts warned that millions would likely die if the U.S. allowed its healthcare system to become overwhelmed, the government did nothing.

And now as the number of coronavirus cases continues to climb, Donald Trump is still looking for ways to hide the truth. Increased testing was cited as a reason for the rising numbers. Some pointed to a low mortality rate among U.S. coronavirus patientsbut all of that masks a grim reality: things are already out of control.

The lack of federal intervention means travel between U.S. cities and states is unrestricted. Those living in places like New York where the outbreaks are most serious have traveled to other parts of the country, likely bringing the infection with them.

It remains to be seen whether the staggering number of cases will be enough to push Trump into action. Unlikely, considering his track record of blaming the media and spewing lies to the American public. But at some point the impact of coronavirus in America will become undeniablesomething that touches everyones life in some way.

But by then it will be too late to slow the spread and save the healthcare system.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of CCN.com.

This article was edited by Sam Bourgi.

Last modified: March 28, 2020 11:31 AM UTC

Here is the original post:
U.S. Has the Most Coronavirus Cases in the World, But Donald Trump Still Wont Act - CCN.com

The wisest fool in Christendom.Henri IV,referring to James I of England.

At first blush it seemed like nothing more than a coincidence.And the first reaction was to think he had not even thought of it since he is not a religious man.Sober reflection and awareness of the high esteem in which he holds himself, repeatedly assuring us that few, if any, are, or have been, as brilliant, selfless and talented as he, however, gives rise to the thought that it is more than a coincidence.It is deliberate, symbolic, and comports with his view of himself, a view shared by his devoted followers who cheer for him at rallies, and his devoted disciples, such as Mike Pence and Ben Carson, who stand behind him at press conferences gazing admiringly at their beloved leader. And here it is.The same day that Christians the world over will be celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the trump has decreed that he, like Christ, will be celebrated throughout the United StatesChrist for religious reasons and the trump for ending the mandatory quarantining in the United States that was designed to mitigate the spread of the COVID-19 in the United States.Just as Christians resume normal activities after celebrating Christs resurrection, the people in the United States will be able to resume all their normal activities, thanks to the inspired leadership of the trump and his proven ability to solve what, to lesser mortals, seem like intractable problems.The trump can see the similarity between himself and Christ as he stands at the podium and makes statements about how quickly the pandemic will be over. Of course there are a few non-believers standing next to him who contradict him when he finishes speaking, but the trump and his disciples all know that the trump knows best. The trump is not, nor should he be, offended bycomments made by the non-believers standing next to him any more than Christ was offended by those who crucified him.Indeed when considering those who publicly contradict him, it might serve the trump well to recall Christs words when he said:Forgive them father, for they know not what they do.Those in need of forgiveness are those who rely on science rather than the trumps optimism.The trump has many reasons to be satisfied that by ending the quarantine on Easter Sunday he is doing what is in the best interests of his people.As heobserved, the number of deaths that may be caused by the pandemic in the United States is nothing when compared with the number of people killed each year in car accidents in the United States. In the United States, 90 people die every day in car accidents.Three million people are injured of which two million have permanent injuries.As of the date the trump was explaining why the country should reopen on Easter Sunday, fewer than 200 people in the United States had died from the coronavirus.On March 23 he told a gathering that:You look at automobile accidents, which are far greater than any numbers were talking about.That doesnt mean were going to tell everybody no more driving of cars.So we have to do things to get our country open.And hes absolutely right that no one is suggesting that cars be banned to save lives. Viewed in that light the pandemic is, as the trump knows better than the scientists who stand behind him at his daily briefings, there is no reason to continue to keep the country shut down.And if the comparison to car deaths is not enough for the trump, he brings up another reason that the country must reopen.If the lockdown continues, as the trumpexplains, Youre going to lose more people by putting a country into a massive recession or depression.Youre going to lose people.Youre going to have suicides by the thousands.At another appearance he said:Im talking about where people suffer massive depression, where people commit suicide, where tremendous death happensI mean it definitely would be in far greater numbers than the numbers that were talking about with regard to the virus.Of course hes right.As of March 25, at an estimated 928 victims of CoVID-19 in the United States have died from this virus. By comparison, in 2017, 47,173 American died by suicide and that figure goes up annually.With less than two weeks until Easter Sunday, believers and non-believers alike can look forward to that day. Believers, of course, may have more reason to rejoice since their belief has sustained them throughout their lives and they can find joy in celebrating the event that took place many years ago.Non-believers should not become too excited about the prospects for celebrating on Easter Sunday.The trump is no match for Jesus, contrary to what he may believe, and there is an outside chance that none of what he has promised will happen.

The rest is here:
Donald Trump Meets the Easter Bunny - Common Dreams

CLEVELAND, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine could find himself in direct conflict soon with President Donald Trumps response to the coronavirus crisis.

The two Republicans have already had starkly different approaches to COVID-19. DeWine reacted early and instituted dramatic restrictions on Ohioans lifestyles to curtail its spread. Trump has seemed more preoccupied with the economy sliding.

In his latest move, the president sent a letter to governors across the country saying guidelines were coming to pave the way for easing social distancing measures a key tool in combating the spread of coronavirus. Washington would provide county-by-county data to determine low-risk counties. Trump has said his goal is to open businesses back up by April 12.

At that point, DeWine and Ohio Department of Health Director Dr. Amy Acton have said, the deadly infection probably will not have even peaked in Ohio. They hope to continue the clamp down to slow the spread and push the peak into May. They also have noted that because of a lack of widespread testing, tens of thousands of people could have COVID-19 and not know it.

That makes for a likely scenario where the governor does not adhere to Trumps desires. And Trump has shown that those who openly defy him find themselves the object of his rage.

Could I see this being a point of contention? Yeah, said one Ohio Republican who has communicated with the governors team during the response. Do I already have friends who think DeWines overreaching and ruining the economy and are blind to the Trump thing? Yeah.

Thus far, DeWine has been diplomatic any time hes asked about Trump.

I think the president and I are aligned," DeWine said at the governors Tuesday briefing. "We want this over with as fast as we can. We want people back to work. The frustration he has, I share that frustration. And each day we cant move forward in that regard is a very frustrating thing.

But how would he respond if he found himself at the receiving end of Trumps attacks?

In his 40-plus years in politics, DeWine has not gained a reputation as someone who bucks the party often. There have been times in his history, such as his support of an assault weapons ban in the 1990s, where he has, but DeWine has mostly been a party loyalist.

And hes stuck by Trump. When other Republicans jumped ship in 2016 after recordings surfaced of Trump describing how he gropes women, DeWine stayed aboard. The president, in kind, campaigned for him just days before his 2018 gubernatorial election, possibly giving him the bump he needed to secure victory in a year that was otherwise good for Democrats.

But in the year-plus hes been governor, DeWine has shown a willingness to eschew the party norms. One of his first actions in office was calling for an increase in the gas tax, rankling many Statehouse Republicans. After the August 2019 mass shooting in Dayton, he put forth several proposed restrictions on guns, despite the gun lobbys significant influence in the GOP.

Throughout his response to the coronavirus, DeWine has mostly kept politics out of the discussion, even as Republicans have questioned or outright criticized his moves.

Republicans who spoke with cleveland.com said they didnt expect a change in his strategy or response even if pressure comes from the White House.

Im sure that Mike DeWine will continue to do what he and the medical experts around him think is best to save the lives of Ohioans, said Ryan Stubenrauch, a Republican crisis communications consultant who worked on DeWines 2018 gubernatorial campaign. Hes going to do what he thinks is right regardless of what critics say, whether that critic is the president of the United States or someone angry about sports cancellations on Facebook.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine speaks about his plans for the coming year during an interview at the Governor's Residence in Columbus, Ohio, on Friday, Dec. 13, 2019. Speaking during a year-end interview at the Governor's Residence, the first-term Republican told The Associated Press that it's all part of his commitment to help every Ohioan reach their "God-given potential." (AP Photo/John Minchillo)AP

Thus far, DeWine has been at the forefront of the response to the pandemic. Both Democrats and Republicans alike have lauded him for his strong and swift actions.

On Feb. 27, DeWine held a news conference saying Ohioans should have a sense of urgency about the coronavirus. At a rally the next day, Trump called concern about the disease a hoax by the Democrats.

Just hours after DeWine announced he would seek to postpone Ohios primary election on March 17, Trump said states shouldnt put off their elections.

Meanwhile, Trumps reaction since the disease started having broader effects especially after the stock market plummeted has been erratic. Those who have crossed him have, as they often do in any situation, found themselves the subject of one of his tweets or rants in conservative media. And hes consistently pushed to ease social distancing restrictions, despite warnings from health officials that doing so in the immediate future would jeopardize the work mitigating the damage so far.

Our people want to return to work, read one tweet from the president. They will practice Social Distancing and all else, and Seniors will be watched over protectively & lovingly. We can do two things together. THE CURE CANNOT BE WORSE (by far) THAN THE PROBLEM! Congress MUST ACT NOW. We will come back strong!

Just this week, Trump made light of Republican Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah, who voted to convict Trump during impeachment hearings, for Romneys negative coronavirus test and called GOP Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky a third rate grandstander for threatening to delay a coronavirus relief bill.

Some other Republican governors across the country have followed Trumps lead and delayed implementing coronavirus measures. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has refrained from issuing a stay-at-home order, even as the state surpassed 1,400 cases. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has mostly deferred to Trump while 18 people have died. Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves has mostly resisted more restrictive actions, including leaving restaurant dining floors open, drawing the ire of mayors in the state, who have largely taken the response into their own hands.

Theres reason to expect that DeWine could soon find himself drawing Trumps ire if the governor refuses to open the state at the presidents request.

But even Sen. Sherrod Brown, a Democrat who won his seat after defeating DeWine in 2006, said DeWine wouldnt fold to or even engage with any pressure from Trump.

Why should he bother with commenting on the president? Brown said. Everyone knows DeWine has done this so much better than Trump. He started this so much earlier. Hes told the truth and hes tried to unite people. I dont expect him to applaud the president or criticize the president.

Instead, Stubenrauch said, the governor will continue to follow the advice of Acton and other medical professionals from around the state.

People joke about him forming a commission or committee all the time, Stubenrauch said. He does that not because he likes bureaucracy. Its because he prides himself on knowing there is always someone smarter than you out there that knows more on a given issue.

The subject of potential conflict came up at Fridays daily coronavirus briefing with when DeWine was asked about the presidents letter.

DeWine didnt say much, but indicated he was holding steady on relying on his health team and the scientific models.

What weve outlined today is where we think we are at this point, DeWine said. We have to build out our hospital capacity moving into that new phase right now to do that. Were asking everyone to continue to help by following physical distancing that weve asked everyone to do.

Read more:
Mike DeWine and Donald Trump might be headed for a showdown over coronavirus. How will DeWine respond? - cleveland.com