Published 13:04 IST, March 17th 2020
Donald Trump makes racist Coronavirus reference, even after China's "Wuhan virus" umbrage
Making a racist remark amid the coronavirus outbreak, United States President Donald Trump on Tuesday (IST) called the deadly virus as a 'Chinese virus."
Making a racist remark amid the coronavirus outbreak, United States President Donald Trump on Tuesday (IST) called the deadly virus as a 'Chinese virus." Taking to Twitter, the US president wrote that he will provide full support to industries affected by the "Chinese virus." This remark from the President comes even after China's strong criticism following Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's "Wuhan Virus" statement.
Meanwhile, Trump after his racist tweet, added that Americans must support each other by 'not hoarding unnecessary amounts of food and essentials'. "TOGETHER we will stay STRONG and overcome this challenge,!" Trump wrote. He added: "Yesterday I spoke with the great American Grocers and Supply Chain Executives. We are confident that the supply will continue to meet demand nationwide. These beacons of our community will remain open for you, no matter what. We are working hard to remove any barriers to that effort!"
Apart from Pompeo, Trump’s national security adviser, Robert O’Brien, also made similar remarks.“Unfortunately, rather than using best practices, this outbreak in Wuhan was covered up. There’s lots of open-source reporting from China, from Chinese nationals, that the doctors involved were either silenced or put in isolation, or that sort of thing, so that the word of this virus could not get out. It probably cost the world community two months,” O’Brien had said
China condemns US
Replying to such remarks from US politicians, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang had on March 9 said, "Certain U.S. politicians turning a blind eye to science and the decision of the WHO has rushed to stigmatise China and Wuhan under the pretext of COVID-19. We condemn such despicable behaviour."
Trump tested negative
After three 'Mar-a-Lago' guests tested positive for the Coronavirus, with confirmed contact with President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence, the White House confirmed that he has been tested negative. The White House released the test results Saturday night after Trump told reporters hours earlier that he had taken the coronavirus test, following days of resisting being screened despite the fact that he had been in recent contact with three people who have tested positive for the virus, including members of the Brazilian president’s delegation who visited with him at his Florida resort.
Trump declared a national emergency.
Flanked by Vice President Mike Pence, various doctors, and CEOs, Trump formally declared National Emergency with a monetary package of $50 Billion to deal with the Coronavirus crisis in the country. The National Emergency granted the Secretary of Health and Human Services sweeping new powers which included the ability to waive the restrictions on telehealth and federal license restrictions and allows doctors from other states to provide services in different states.
The US also came up with the Coronavirus Relief Bill which will offer ' free coronavirus testing for all Americans who should be tested. Moreover, Trump extended the travel ban imposed on Europe to the UK and Ireland too. The White House informed that officials will check the temperature of all in close contact with Trump and Pence.
However, Trump said on March 17 that it is “unnecessary” to postpone the upcoming US elections in the wake of the pandemic. The comments by the US President came shortly after Ohio announced that it was cancelling the in-person voting on March 18 Democratic presidential primary.
Updated 13:04 IST, March 17th 2020