Trump admitted he intentionally downplayed coronavirus threat, new Bob Woodward book claims
Shocking new excerpt from Bob Woodward's book 'Rage' show Trump downplayed COVID-19 threat but knew how deadly and contagious it is
Trump: "I wanted to always play it down. I still like playing it down, because I don't want to create a panic."
An excerpt from RAGE, Bob Woodward's new book, reveals that Donald Trump admitted he intentionally downplayed the coronavirus threat. At least 190,000 Americans have died of COVID-19.
"I wanted to always play it down," Donald Trump is reported to have told Woodward.
Here is the full quote from Donald Trump: "I wanted to always play it down. I still like playing it down, because I don't want to create a panic."
The New York Times has more on the revelation here.
The news about Trump's admittance to Woodward just broke this morning, and may or may not be the reason a White House press briefing was delayed over an hour.
After an hour delay, Kayleigh McEnany is now addressing the press.
"The president has never lied to the American public on COVID," @PressSec told reporters at the White House, after recordings of on-the-record interviews with Trump confirmed the opposite.
We are living in the bad timeline, friends.
More below via Twitter, reporters and news organizations covering the shitshow live this Wednesday morning.
.@GeoffRBennett: POTUS by his own admission acknowledged the depth of this crisis, and yet told the American people something very different. How is that not an abject betrayal of the public trust?
- Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) September 9, 2020
McENANY: Your referencing something he allegedly said
BENNETT: It's on tape pic.twitter.com/ASVxHDLjDY
.@PaulaReidCBS: Did President Trump intentionally mislead people about COVID, a disease that has cost thousands of lives?
- Kathryn Watson (@kathrynw5) September 9, 2020
"Absolutely not," @PressSec says.
(Trump: "I wanted to always play it down. I still like playing it down, because I don't want to create a panic.")
.@PressSec now: "The president has never lied to the American public on COVID".
- Lisa Desjardins (@LisaDNews) September 9, 2020
Says he was "downplaying" virus fears to keep the nation calm.
"The president has never lied to the American public." https://t.co/1T8WrTKNMz
- Ben Jacobs (@Bencjacobs) September 9, 2020
More than an hour after the originally scheduled start time, @PressSec begins @WhiteHouse media briefing with comments about the nomination of @POTUS for #NobelPeacePrize. pic.twitter.com/1dLy4gVEXD
- Steve Herman (@W7VOA) September 9, 2020
The White House press briefing was scheduled for noon today. Then the Woodward book excerpts started to come out. Then it got pushed to 12:15. Then 12:30 pm. Hasn't started yet and no update on latest timing.
- Monica Alba (@albamonica) September 9, 2020
White House Press Briefing with @PressSec Kayleigh McEnany - LIVE online here: https://t.co/IV0TDhq9OQ pic.twitter.com/Igt3hcHbcx
- CSPAN (@cspan) September 9, 2020
In new tapes, President Trump admits to Bob Woodward he concealed critical details he knew about the coronavirus. "I wanted to always play it down." https://t.co/ANEv7WdsC5
- CNN (@CNN) September 9, 2020
"If instead of playing down what he knew, Trump had acted decisively in early February with a strict shutdown and a consistent message to wear masks, social distance and wash hands, experts believe that thousands of American lives could have been saved." https://t.co/UDoVadj4sy
- Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) September 9, 2020
#TrumpKnew pic.twitter.com/neTJS8Cw3x
- The Lincoln Project (@ProjectLincoln) September 9, 2020
In audio clips from Woodward's interview, playing on @CNN now, Trump says he thinks China's Xi has the virus under control and says clearly that the Coronavirus is more deadly than the flu. Trump lied to the public repeatedly after this.
- Abby D. Phillip (@abbydphillip) September 9, 2020