Tag: Trump trying to lie to Americans about COVID-19

Stephen Hahn, F.D.A. Chief, Is Caught Between Scientists and the President

Many medical experts — including members of his own staff — worry about whether Dr. Hahn has the fortitude and political savvy to protect the scientific integrity of the F.D.A. from Mr. Trump.

New York Times logo As the coronavirus surged across the Sunbelt, President Trump told a crowd gathered at the White House on July 4 that 99 percent of virus cases are “totally harmless.”

The next morning on CNN, the host Dana Bash asked Dr. Stephen Hahn, the commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration and one of the nation’s most powerful health officials: “Is the president wrong?”

Dr. Hahn, an oncologist and former hospital executive, certainly understood the deadly toll of the virus, and the danger posed by the president’s false statements. But he ducked the journalist’s question. Continue reading.

While Virus Spikes Across America, White House Praises Its Own Response

As the COVID-19 pandemic shows no sign of slowing, Donald Trump is declaring victory.

On Monday, the seven-day average for new coronavirus cases surged 30 percent higher than a week before. On Wednesday, the nation broke its previous record for most new cases in a day, with 36,880. Hospitals in hot spots are running out of beds, and more than half of states are seeing increasing numbers of cases.

The Trump administration has spent the week praising itself for a job well done.

The Washington Post reported that Mike Pence had told Republican senators on Wednesday to pay attention to “encouraging signs,” such as the fact that cases were only increasing in 12 states. The Post debunked this false claim, noting the number of states with increasing infection rates was actually much higher. Continue reading.