Wary of irking China, Trump offers rosy take on virus threat

President Donald Trump had plenty to talk about during his latest big campaign rally, regaling a friendly crowd in New Jersey with his thoughts about impeachment, ecomy, border wall, local politics and much more.But president was conspicuously quiet about one big issue that has much of globe on pins and needles: spread of a deadly new type of coronavirus.

A self-described germaphobe, Trump has had little to say in public about new virus that so far has killed more than 170 people in China, sickened thousands more re and led to a handful of confirmed cases in U.S.And he speaks in broad terms when he does talk about it.

“We’re very much involved with m, right w, on virus that’s going around,” Trump said of China before signing a trade deal at White House on Wednesday. He said he had discussed situation with Chinese President Xi Jinping and added, “We’re working very closely with China.”

Aides and confidants say Trump’s careful approach is part of a political strategy crafted to avoid upsetting stock market or angering China by calling too much attention to virus or blaming Beijing for t managing situation better, according to a White House official and a Republican close to White House. y spoke on condition of anymity because y were t authorized to discuss private conversations.

Later Wednesday, Trump tweeted out photos from a briefing on virus he attended with administration officials in Situation Room, writing that “we have best experts anywhere in world and y are on top of it 24/7!”

In keeping with low-profile approach, White House anunced by email Wednesday night that meeting included members of a task force that will lead U.S. response to new virus. 12-person team is chaired by Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar and coordinated through National Security Council.

president’s comments contrast sharply with fierce criticism he lobbed at his predecessor, President Barack Obama, during 2014-15 Ebola crisis, which left more than 11,000 dead in three West African nations.

At time, Trump ripped into Obama as a “dope” and “incompetent” and called for a travel ban on visitors from Ebola-infected countries. Trump also advocated preventing infected American health care workers from coming home for treatment.

Obama faced some criticism from public health officials for being slow to address Ebola crisis initially, but also received plaudits for eventually attacking it with vigor. He nudged Congress to make a $5.4 billion emergency appropriation to aid fight and sent 3,000 U.S. troops to West Africa to help with international response.

Lawrence Gostin, a professor of global health law at Georgetown University, said he’s taken a measure of comfort in fact that Trump, so far, hasn’t overreacted and has resisted “fanning flames” as he did with his rhetoric during Ebola crisis. That leaves room, Gostin said, for public health professionals to take lead.

“As long as that continues and as long as re isn’t political interference or mass quarantines in U.S. or outright travel bans, I will feel comfortable with how White House is handling it,” Gostin said. He added that he’d like to see Trump ask Congress for a $1 billion emergency appropriation to help ncies battling to contain virus.

Trump is well aware virus outbreak in China could create a wild card for U.S. ecomy during an election year. And he has long prioritized U.S. ecomic relationship with China, especially during trade negotiations, and similarly largely held his tongue during widespread protests in Hong Kong. He also takes ermous pride in personal relationship he’s developed with Xi and has commended him for demonstrating “transparency” as he deals with crisis.

Trump said “we have it totally under control” when he was asked about new type of coronavirus while in Switzerland last week to attend an ecomic conference. And in a separate Twitter posting, he offered reassurance but scant detail for his confidence.

“China has been working very hard to contain Coronavirus,” Trump tweeted. “ United States greatly appreciates ir efforts and transparency. It will all work out well.”

But some public health experts say Trump’s rosy assessments of situation don’t match ground truth.

Gostin pointed to Chinese government bureaucratic delays that led to tens of thousands of people traveling outside of Wuhan province, increasing likelihood that virus will travel far beyond China.

“It’s t accurate at all,” Gostin said of Trump’s assessment of China’s handling of outbreak. “China manifestly does t have this under control.”

Trump’s Democratic presidential rivals have zeroed in on president’s efforts to reduce financing for public health organizations.

Former Vice President Joe Biden and ors have criticized Trump for eliminating a senior director position for global health security and biothreats at National Security Council earlier in his term. Trump has also repeatedly sought budget cuts to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and National Institutes for Health.

Congress resisted that, and 2020 budget includes $8 billion for CDC, $1.4 billion more than Trump’s budget request. It also includes $41.7 billion for NIH, $7.5 billion more than Trump’s budget request.

Biden wrote in an opinion article for USA Today this week that “possibility of a pandemic is a challenge Donald Trump is unqualified to handle as president.” Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, ar Democratic contender for 2020 mination, tweeted that after Ebola outbreak, Congress “invested to prevent pandemics like coronavirus. Donald Trump tried to cut that funding.”

(Im Credit: AP)