Kamala Harris says Donald Trump 'deliberately misled' Americans on coronavirus

While referring to Donald Trump’s comments on downplaying the COVID-19 threat, Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris said that the US President ‘deliberately misled’ Americans on coronavirus. Trump confessed to ‘playing it down’ the coronavirus threat in interviews with journalist Bob Woodward from December 2019 to July 2020 in Woodward's latest book ‘Rage’. He told the veteran journalist that he played down the pandemic because he did not want to create a panic among Americans. 

However, while reacting to the comments, Harris said, "He deliberately misled the American people, because he thought it would look bad for him.”

“These are real people, people with families, with plans, with dreams that have been taken from them in many cases, and, you know, obviously Donald Trump didn't cause COVID-19, but he has failed in his most basic duty, which is the duty of a leader, especially in a moment of crisis to not only protect but to tell the truth,” she added. 

While addressing a virtual fundraiser, the India-American Senator said that “this is just unforgivable for a president”. Further, she added that the reality is Americans are not going to stay for it. 

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‘Didn’t intentionally mislead US’ 

Meanwhile, the White House explained on September 9 that the President did not intentionally mislead the people of America about the COVID-19 outbreak. While critics badgered Trump over his handling of the pandemic, an interview from March 19, revealed that Trump, in fact, did want to play down the pandemic, to avoid panic. "I wanted to always play it down. I still like playing it down, because I don’t want to create a panic," Trump told Woodward.

Trump in July had told the author, “Don't worry about it (coronavirus), Bob. OK? Don't worry about it. We'll get to do another book. You'll find I was right”. Woodward conducted around 18 interviews with Donald Trump for the book which is due to be released on September 15. 

(With inputs from PTI) 

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