Trump’s triumphant rhetoric on coronavirus testing

As the video above explains, the Trump administration bungled its initial effort to get a broad-based testing regime in place for the new coronavirus and has been playing catch-up ever since. But now the United States has conducted more than 5 million tests, more than any other country.

That would seem to be a good talking point for President Trump. But it also lacks important context, because what really matters is how many tests are performed per million people. Moreover, Trump keeps exaggerating the statistics or making claims that turned out to be incorrect. “Anyone who wants a test can get a test,” he declared March 6, a statement so false it needed to be corrected the next day by Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar.

Here’s a tour through Trump’s recent rhetoric on testing. Continue reading.