President Trump acknowledged the danger of COVID-19 in recorded interviews even as he publicly downplayed the threat of the emerging coronavirus pandemic, according to a new book from Bob Woodward.
Trump told the Washington Post journalist in a March 19 interview that he “wanted to always play it down” to avoid creating a panic, according to audio published by CNN. But the president was privately aware of the threat of the virus.
“You just breathe the air and that’s how it’s passed,” Trump said in a Feb. 7 call with Woodward for his book, “Rage,” due out next week. “And so that’s a very tricky one. That’s a very delicate one. It’s also more deadly than even your strenuous flu.” Continue reading.