Highlights:
January – August 2019: Trump’s Department Of Health And Human Services Ran A Respiratory Virus Pandemic Simulation Code-Named “Crimson Contagion.” According to the New York Times, “The outbreak of the respiratory virus began in China and was quickly spread around the world by air travelers, who ran high fevers. In the United States, it was first detected in Chicago, and 47 days later, the World Health Organization declared a pandemic. By then it was too late: 110 million Americans were expected to become ill, leading to 7.7 million hospitalized and 586,000 dead. That scenario, code-named ‘Crimson Contagion’ and imagining an influenza pandemic, was simulated by the Trump administration’s Department of Health and Human Services in a series of exercises that ran from last January to August.” [New York Times, 3/22/20]
New York Times: Simulation Results Draft Report Laid Out How “Underfunded, Underprepared And Uncoordinated” The Federal Government Would Be In The Face Of A Pandemic. According to the New York Times, “The simulation’s sobering results — contained in a draft report dated October 2019 that has not previously been reported — drove home just how underfunded, underprepared and uncoordinated the federal government would be for a life-or-death battle with a virus for which no treatment existed. The draft report, marked “not to be disclosed,” laid out in stark detail repeated cases of “confusion” in the exercise. Federal agencies jockeyed over who was in charge. State officials and hospitals struggled to figure out what kind of equipment was stockpiled or available. Cities and states went their own ways on school closings.” [New York Times, 3/22/20]
July 2019: FEMA Released A Report That, Based On U.S. Pandemic Preparedness, Predicted Mass Shortages Of Medical Supplies, Overwhelmed Hospitals, And Economic Crisis. According to NPR, “In a remarkably prophetic report last summer, the Federal Emergency Management Agency accurately predicted that a nationwide pandemic would result in a shortage of medical supplies, hospitals would be overwhelmed and the economy would shut down. The warnings were contained in the 2019 National Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment, published last July. Its existence was first reported by E&E News. The pandemic warning was part of an array of nine scenarios that were gamed out by FEMA, including ‘both natural and human-caused incidents — that would most challenge the Nation’s capabilities.’ FEMA said the report was aimed at helping federal, state and local governments to prepare for various scenarios. Under the pandemic scenario, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention detect a novel influenza virus which infects 30% of the population in the U.S. and worldwide causing severe illness. ‘Conventional flu vaccines are ineffective against the current strain, and the CDC estimates that a new vaccine could be months away from mass production. Because of the pandemic, social distancing is in widespread effect,’ FEMA predicted.” [NPR, 4/9/20]
September 2019: Trump Ignored Warnings From The White House Council Of Economic Advisors Regarding The Potential Threat Posed To The United States In The Event Of A National Pandemic Scenario. According to the New York Times, “White House economists published a study last September that warned a pandemic disease could kill a half million Americans and devastate the economy. It went unheeded inside the administration. In late February and early March, as the coronavirus pandemic began to spread from China to the rest of the world, President Trump’s top economic advisers played down the threat the virus posed to the U.S. economy and public health. ‘I don’t think corona is as big a threat as people make it out to be,’ the acting chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers, Tomas Philipson, told reporters during a Feb. 18 briefing, on the same day that more than a dozen American cruise ship passengers who had contracted the virus were evacuated home. Public health threats did not typically hurt the economy, Mr. Philipson said. He suggested the virus would not be nearly as bad as a normal flu season. The 2019 study warned otherwise — specifically urging Americans not to conflate the risks of a typical flu and a pandemic. The existence of that warning undermines administration officials’ contentions in recent weeks that no one could have seen the virus damaging the economy as it has. The study was requested by the National Security Council, according to two people familiar with the matter.” [New York Times, 3/31/20]
Thanksgiving 2019: The Intelligence Community Circulated Bulletins That Said China’s Leaders Knew The Epidemic Was Out Of Control And Kept Information From Foreign Governments. According to ABC News, “The NCMI report was made available widely to people authorized to access intelligence community alerts. Following the report’s release, other intelligence community bulletins began circulating through confidential channels across the government around Thanksgiving, the sources said. Those analyses said China’s leadership knew the epidemic was out of control even as it kept such crucial information from foreign governments and public health agencies.” [ABC News, 4/8/20]
November 2019: A National Center For Medical Intelligence Report Warned Of A Potential “Cataclysmic Event” From The Spread Of The Coronavirus. According to ABC News, “As far back as late November, U.S. intelligence officials were warning that a contagion was sweeping through China’s Wuhan region, changing the patterns of life and business and posing a threat to the population, according to four sources briefed on the secret reporting. Concerns about what is now known to be the novel coronavirus pandemic were detailed in a November intelligence report by the military’s National Center for Medical Intelligence (NCMI), according to two officials familiar with the document’s contents. The report was the result of analysis of wire and computer intercepts, coupled with satellite images. It raised alarms because an out-of-control disease would pose a serious threat to U.S. forces in Asia -- forces that depend on the NCMI’s work. And it paints a picture of an American government that could have ramped up mitigation and containment efforts far earlier to prepare for a crisis poised to come home. ‘Analysts concluded it could be a cataclysmic event,’ one of the sources said of the NCMI’s report. ‘It was then briefed multiple times to’ the Defense Intelligence Agency, the Pentagon’s Joint Staff and the White House.” [ABC News, 4/8/20]
December 2019: The White House’s National Security Council And Policy-Makers Across The Government Were Briefed. According to ABC News, “From that warning in November, the sources described repeated briefings through December for policy-makers and decision-makers across the federal government as well as the National Security Council at the White House. All of that culminated with a detailed explanation of the problem that appeared in the President’s Daily Brief of intelligence matters in early January, the sources said. For something to have appeared in the PDB, it would have had to go through weeks of vetting and analysis, according to people who have worked on presidential briefings in both Republican and Democratic administrations. ‘The timeline of the intel side of this may be further back than we’re discussing,’ the source said of preliminary reports from Wuhan. ‘But this was definitely being briefed beginning at the end of November as something the military needed to take a posture on.’” [ABC News, 4/8/20]
Early January 2020: Briefings Culminated In A Detailed Explanation In The President’s Daily Brief Materials. According to ABC News, “From that warning in November, the sources described repeated briefings through December for policy-makers and decision-makers across the federal government as well as the National Security Council at the White House. All of that culminated with a detailed explanation of the problem that appeared in the President’s Daily Brief of intelligence matters in early January, the sources said. For something to have appeared in the PDB, it would have had to go through weeks of vetting and analysis, according to people who have worked on presidential briefings in both Republican and Democratic administrations. ‘The timeline of the intel side of this may be further back than we’re discussing,’ the source said of preliminary reports from Wuhan. ‘But this was definitely being briefed beginning at the end of November as something the military needed to take a posture on.’” [ABC News, 4/8/20]
January – February 2020: U.S. Intelligence Agencies Issued Reports That The Coronavirus Posed A Global Danger. According to the Washington Post, “U.S. intelligence agencies were issuing ominous, classified warnings in January and February about the global danger posed by the coronavirus while President Trump and lawmakers played down the threat and failed to take action that might have slowed the spread of the pathogen, according to U.S. officials familiar with spy agency reporting. The intelligence reports didn’t predict when the virus might land on U.S. shores or recommend particular steps that public health officials should take, issues outside the purview of the intelligence agencies. But they did track the spread of the virus in China, and later in other countries, and warned that Chinese officials appeared to be minimizing the severity of the outbreak. Taken together, the reports and warnings painted an early picture of a virus that showed the characteristics of a globe-encircling pandemic that could require governments to take swift actions to contain it. But despite that constant flow of reporting, Trump continued publicly and privately to play down the threat the virus posed to Americans. Lawmakers, too, did not grapple with the virus in earnest until this month, as officials scrambled to keep citizens in their homes and hospitals braced for a surge in patients suffering from COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. [Washington Post, 3/20/20]
Intelligence Agencies And Trump Advisers Warned That Chinese Officials Were Minimizing The Outbreak
Intelligence Agencies Warned That Chinese Officials Appeared To Be Minimizing The Severity Of The Outbreak. According to the Washington Post, “The intelligence reports didn’t predict when the virus might land on U.S. shores or recommend particular steps that public health officials should take, issues outside the purview of the intelligence agencies. But they did track the spread of the virus in China, and later in other countries, and warned that Chinese officials appeared to be minimizing the severity of the outbreak.” [Washington Post, 3/20/20]
Trump’s Advisers Told Him Chinese Officials Were Not Providing Accurate Numbers. According to the Washington Post, “Some of Trump’s advisers told him that Beijing was not providing accurate numbers of people who were infected or who had died, according to administration officials. Rather than press China to be more forthcoming, Trump publicly praised its response.” [Washington Post, 3/20/20]
Trump’s Advisors Could Not Get Him To Take The Coronavirus Seriously
Trump Advisors Struggled To Get Him To Take Coronavirus Seriously. According to the Washington Post, “Inside the White House, Trump’s advisers struggled to get him to take the virus seriously, according to multiple officials with knowledge of meetings among those advisers and with the president.” [Washington Post, 3/20/20]
Trump Dismissed The Coronavirus In Early Meetings Because He Believed It Had Not Spread Widely Through U.S. According to the Washington Post, “Mulvaney then began convening more regular meetings. In early briefings, however, officials said Trump was dismissive because he did not believe that the virus had spread widely throughout the United States.” [Washington Post, 3/20/20]
End Of January 2020: Intelligence Warnings Increased In Volume
End Of January 2020: Intelligence Warnings Increased In Volume To A Point When The Majority Of Daily Briefing Materials From ODNI And CIA Were Related To COVID-19. According to the Washington Post, “The warnings from U.S. intelligence agencies increased in volume toward the end of January and into early February, said officials familiar with the reports. By then, a majority of the intelligence reporting included in daily briefing papers and digests from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and the CIA was about COVID-19, said officials who have read the reports.” [Washington Post, 3/20/20]
February 7, 2020: There Were 12 Cases Of COVID-19 In The U.S.. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on February 7, 2020, there were 12 cases of and zero deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S.. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Trump Told Woodward The Coronavirus Was “More Deadly Than Even Your Strenuous Flus.” According to CNN, “When Woodward spoke to Trump on February 7, two days after he was acquitted on impeachment charges by the Senate, Woodward expected a lengthy conversation about the trial. He was surprised, however, by the President’s focus on the virus. At the same time that Trump and his public health officials were saying the virus was ‘low risk,’ Trump divulged to Woodward that the night before he’d spoken to Chinese President Xi Jinping about the virus. Woodward quotes Trump as saying, ‘We’ve got a little bit of an interesting setback with the virus going in China.’ ‘It goes through the air,’ Trump said. ‘That’s always tougher than the touch. You don’t have to touch things. Right? But the air, you just breathe the air and that’s how it’s passed. And so that’s a very tricky one. That’s a very delicate one. It’s also more deadly than even your strenuous flus.’” [CNN, 9/9/20]
February 10, 2020: There Were 13 Cases Of COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on February 10, 2020, there were 13 cases of and zero deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Providing No Scientific Research To Support His Claim, Trump Insisted Coronavirus Would Disappear By April As The Weather Got Warmer. According to USA Today, “Trump says Coronavirus will be gone by April when the weather gets warmer The president continued to suggest the Coronavirus outbreak, which has claimed 1,000 lives as of Monday, will be gone by April. He told the crowd that ‘in theory’ once the weather warms up Coronavirus, which he referred to as ‘the virus,’ will ‘miraculously’ go away. Trump did not offer any scientific explanation to back up his claim.” [USA Today, 2/10/20]
Trump Sought A 16% Cut To The Centers For Disease Control’s Budget In His FY 2021 Budget Proposal. According to the Washington Post, “The budget request would trim funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention by almost 16 percent. HHS officials said they want the CDC to focus on its core mission of preventing and controlling infectious diseases and on other emerging public health issues, such as opioid abuse.” [Washington Post, 2/10/20]
Trump Sought An $85 Million Cut To Programs Addressing Emerging And Zoonotic Infectious Disease Programs As Part Of His FY 21 Budget Proposal.
| Centers for Disease Control and Prevention FY 2021 (Dollars in Thousands) | ||||
| Program | FY 2019 Final CA | FY 20 Enacted CA | FY 2021 President’s Budget | +/- FY 2020 Enacted |
| Emerging & Zoonotic Infectious Diseases | $623,859 | $635,772 | $550,464 | ($85,308) |
[Centers for Disease Control and Prevention FY 2021 President’s Budget, Accessed 2/24/20]
Trump Requested A $65 Million Cut To The WHO, More Than 50% Of The U.S. Contribution, As Part Of His FY 21 Budget Proposal. According to CNN, “The newly unveiled Trump administration budget proposal includes steep cuts for global health programs and the World Health Organization, even as the world grapples with the spread of the novel coronavirus. However, it does increase its proposed funding for Global Health Security. The FY21 Budget Proposal, released today, outlines a nearly $65M proposed cut to the World Health Organization – a more than 50% decrease from FY20 funding.” [CNN, 2/10/20]
February 12, 2020: There Were 14 Cases Of COVID-19 In The U.S.. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on February 12, 2020, there were 14 cases of and zero deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
The Trump Administration Delayed Delivery Of An Annual Intelligence Report That Warned That The U.S. Remained Unprepared For A Global Pandemic. According to Time, “An annual intelligence report that has been postponed without explanation by President Donald Trump’s administration warns that the U.S. remains unprepared for a global pandemic, two senior government officials who have reviewed a draft of the report tell TIME. The office of the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) was scheduled to deliver the Worldwide Threat Assessment to the House Intelligence Committee on Feb. 12 and the hearing has not been rescheduled, according to staffers and members of the House and Senate intelligence committees […] The final draft of the report remains classified but the two officials who have read it say it contains warnings similar to those in the last installment, which was published on January 29, 2019. The 2019 report warns on page 29 that, ‘The United States will remain vulnerable to the next flu pandemic or large-scale outbreak of a contagious disease that could lead to massive rates of death and disability, severely affect the world economy, strain international resources, and increase calls on the United States for support.’” [Time, 3/9/20]
February 14, 2020: There Were 15 Cases Of COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on February 14, 2020, there were 15 cases of and zero deaths related to COVID-19. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
The CDC Announced A Plan To Conduct Surveillance Testing In New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, And Seattle, But The Cities Could Not Carry It Out Because They Had No Tests. According to the New York Times, “The lack of tests in the states also meant local public health officials could not use another essential epidemiological tool: surveillance testing. To see where the virus might be hiding, nasal swab samples from people screened for the common flu would also be checked for the coronavirus. The C.D.C. announced a plan on Feb. 14 to perform the screening in five high-risk cities: New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle. An agency official said it could provide “an early warning signal to trigger a change in our response strategy.” But most of the cities could not carry it out.” [New York Times, 3/28/20]
February 24, 2020: There Were 43 Cases Of COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on February 24, 2020 there were 43 cases of and zero deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
The Trump Administration Gave Wall Street A Heads Up As To The True Danger Of The Virus On The Same Day Trump Tweeted That It Was “Very Much Under Control.” According to the New York Times, “On the afternoon of Feb. 24, President Trump declared on Twitter that the coronavirus was ‘very much under control’ in the United States, one of numerous rosy statements that he and his advisers made at the time about the worsening epidemic. He even added an observation for investors: ‘Stock market starting to look very good to me!’ But hours earlier, senior members of the president’s economic team, privately addressing board members of the conservative Hoover Institution, were less confident. Tomas J. Philipson, a senior economic adviser to the president, told the group he could not yet estimate the effects of the virus on the American economy. To some in the group, the implication was that an outbreak could prove worse than Mr. Philipson and other Trump administration advisers were signaling in public at the time.” [New York Times, 10/14/20]
A Hedge Fund Consultant Who Attended The Meeting Where Trump Administration Officials All Mentioned COVID-19 As A Concern Wrote A Memo, Which Later Spread Through The World Of Finance. According to the New York Times, “The document, written by a hedge fund consultant who attended the three-day gathering of Hoover’s board, was stark. ‘What struck me,’ the consultant wrote, was that nearly every official he heard from raised the virus ‘as a point of concern, totally unprovoked.’ The consultant’s assessment quickly spread through parts of the investment world. U.S. stocks were already spiraling because of a warning from a federal public health official that the virus was likely to spread, but traders spotted the immediate significance: The president’s aides appeared to be giving wealthy party donors an early warning of a potentially impactful contagion at a time when Mr. Trump was publicly insisting that the threat was nonexistent. Interviews with eight people who either received copies of the memo or were briefed on aspects of it as it spread among investors in New York and elsewhere provide a glimpse of how elite traders had access to information from the administration that helped them gain financial advantage during a chaotic three days when global markets were teetering.” [New York Times, 10/14/20]
The Trump Administration Sent A $2.5 Billion Coronavirus Supplemental Budget Request To Congress. According to Politico, “The Trump administration sent to Capitol Hill on Monday night its $2.5 billion supplemental budget request for additional money to fight the coronavirus, but House Democrats immediately labeled it as insufficient, indicating a battle ahead in Congress over the emergency aid. The administration’s request would require enhanced authority to move around federal funds — a non-starter with Democrats, who are already livid over White House moves to reshuffle existing federal funds toward the border wall. The package proposes using untouched money, including hundreds of millions of dollars in fiscal 2020 cash to fight Ebola. In total, the administration is seeking just $1.25 billion in new funding, relying on extra flexibility to unlock the rest.” [Politico, 2/24/20]
Congressional Leaders Expressed Concern That The Trump Administration’s “Lowball” Funding Request Was Evidence Of A Lack Of Preparation And Appreciation For The Potential Severity Of The Outbreak. According to the Washington Post, “The evening before, the administration had unveiled a $2.5 billion spending plan to combat the virus, and both at the closed-door briefing and in a subsequent open hearing with Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, a number of Republican senators voiced a variety of concerns. They fretted about the administration’s level of preparation to date, communication failures with Capitol Hill and, in the words of Appropriations Committee Chairman Richard C. Shelby (R-Ala.), the ‘lowball’ funding request.” [Washington Post, 2/29/20]
February 25, 2020: There Were 45 Cases Of COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on February 25, 2020, there were 45 cases of and zero deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub – New York Times, Accessed ¾/24]
Breaking With The CDC Officials, Kudlow Claimed That The Administration Had “Contained” The Virus. According to Politico, ‘White House National Economic Council Director Larry Kudlow said Tuesday that the U.S. has ‘contained’ the threat of a domestic coronavirus outbreak, breaking with the warnings of officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. ‘We have contained this, I won’t say airtight but pretty close to airtight,’ Kudlow told CNBC’s Kelly Evans on Tuesday afternoon. Kudlow’s confidence was set against U.S. stocks, which suffered their worst day in two years on Monday and were down again Tuesday amid fears that the coronavirus could mushroom into a pandemic. But the White House economic adviser suggested that the virus’ impact is ‘not going to last forever.’ ‘This is a human tragedy,’ particularly in China, Kudlow emphasized multiple times. But warning against overreaction, he added, ‘The business and the economic side, I don’t think it’s going to be an economic tragedy at all. There’ll be some stumbles.’ [Politico, 2/25/20]
The Trump Administration Proposed Reallocating Funds To Address The Coronavirus By Cutting The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program Budget. According to an opinion piece in the Washington Post, “House Democrats tell us they are outraged by one aspect of the White House response in particular: The White House appears to have informed Democrats that they want to fund the emergency response in part by taking money from a program that funds low-income home heating assistance. A document that the Trump administration sent to Congress, which we have seen, indicates that the administration is transferring $37 million to emergency funding for the coronavirus response from the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, or LIHEAP, which funds heating for poor families. Democrats see this as provoking budgetary bickering and unnecessary political friction at a time when a clean emergency appropriation could easily avoid both.” [Opinion - Washington Post, 2/25/20]
Wolf Was Unable To Give A Number On How Many Cases Of Coronavirus Had Been Repatriated Back To The United States. According to the Washington Post. “Wolf got started on the wrong foot almost immediately, when Kennedy asked him how many cases of the coronavirus there were in the United States. Wolf stated there were 14 but was uncertain about how many cases had been repatriated back to the United States from cruise ships, placing the number at ‘20- or 30-some-odd.’ Asked how many DHS was anticipating, Wolf didn’t have an answer and suggested this was the Department of Health and Human Services’ territory. ‘We do anticipate the number will grow; I don’t have an exact figure for you, though,’ Wolf said. ‘You’re head of Homeland Security, and your job is to keep us safe,’ Kennedy responded, asking him again what the estimates might be. Wolf talked around the question, which led Kennedy to say, ‘Don’t you think you ought to check on that, as the head of Homeland Security?’ ‘We will,’ Wolf responded. He referred to a task force that is working on that issue. ‘I’m all for committees and task forces,” Kennedy said. “I think you ought to know that answer.’” [Washington Post, 2/25/20]
February 26, 2020: There Were 60 Cases Of COVID-19 In The U.S.. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on February 26, 2020, there were 60 cases of and zero deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Trump Put Pence In Charge Of The Coronavirus Response, As Opposed To Appointing An Outside Expert. According to Politico, “President Donald Trump on Wednesday appointed Vice President Mike Pence to lead a task force to combat the spread of the coronavirus, defying calls to appoint an outside expert to coordinate the response. Speaking during a rare appearance in the White House briefing room, Trump said Pence's experience handling health crises as Indiana governor qualified him to spearhead the growing threat of a global coronavirus outbreak. The move came as the Centers for Disease Control confirmed a coronavirus infection in California that was not linked to overseas travel, a concerning development that brought the total number of U.S. infections to 15.” [Politico, 2/26/20]
It Was Reported That Kushner Encouraged Trump To Downplay The Latest Coronavirus Developments. According to CNN, ‘Trump has been publicly downplaying coronavirus’ effects, because he thinks doing otherwise could cause further panic in the markets -- and he’s been frustrated with officials issuing warnings about the unknowns of the virus’s spread. His son-in-law, Jared Kushner, is one aide who has encouraged him to downplay the latest developments, at least publicly, one person says.’ [CNN, 2/26/20]
A Trump Administration Official Expressed Concern About The CDC’s Ability To Recover From Failed Coronavirus Lab Tests. According to Politico, “‘CDC’s stumbled,’ said one official, referencing the agency’s lab-testing failures. ‘It's too early to tell if those stumbles will mean we miss an outbreak ... It’s a pray-and-see situation.’ Others said Redfield is caught between competing pressures, as he seeks to protect his agency’s career scientists as Trump’s anger over the situation grows, and that HHS Secretary Alex Azar, who pushed to lead the president's coronavirus task force, bears ultimate responsibility for any missteps at CDC, an agency he oversees.” [Politico, 2/26/20]
February 27, 2020: There Were 60 Cases Of COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on February 27, 2020, there were 60 cases of and zero deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Trump: “When You Have 15 People, And The 15 Within A Couple Of Days Is Going To Be Down To Close To Zero, That’s A Pretty Good Job We’ve Done.” According to a transcript from the White House, “What it’s going to do is keep people home, and they’re going to travel to places that we have. We have the greatest — it’s the greatest tourism country in the world. So instead of leaving our country, leaving our shores, they’ll stay here. And again, when you have 15 people, and the 15 within a couple of days is going to be down to close to zero, that’s a pretty good job we’ve done.” [Trump White House, 2/27/20]
Pence Planned To Control All Coronavirus Messaging From Health Officials In An Attempt To Impose A More Disciplined Approach To Communications. According to the New York Times, “The White House moved on Thursday to tighten control of coronavirus messaging by government health officials and scientists, directing them to coordinate all statements and public appearances with the office of Vice President Mike Pence, according to several officials familiar with the new approach […] Mr. Trump announced Wednesday evening that Mr. Pence would coordinate the government’s response to the public health threat while playing down the immediate danger from the virus that is spreading rapidly across the globe. Officials insist Mr. Pence’s goal is not to control what experts and other officials say, but to make sure their efforts are coordinated, after days of confusion with various administration officials making contradictory statements on television.” [New York Times, 2/27/20]
A Health And Human Services Whistleblower Claimed That U.S. Workers Without Protective Gear Or Training Assisted Coronavirus Evacuees. According to the Washington Post, “Officials at the Department of Health and Human Services sent more than a dozen workers to receive the first Americans evacuated from Wuhan, China, the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak, without proper training for infection control or appropriate protective gear, according to a whistleblower complaint. The workers did not show symptoms of infection and were not tested for the virus, according to lawyers for the whistleblower, a senior HHS official based in Washington who oversees workers at the Administration for Children and Families, a unit within HHS […] The complaint alleges HHS staffers were ‘improperly deployed’ and were ‘not properly trained or equipped to operate in a public health emergency situation.’ The complaint also alleges the workers were potentially exposed to coronavirus because appropriate steps were not taken to protect them and staffers were not trained in wearing personal protective equipment, even though they had face-to-face contact with returning passengers. The workers were in contact with passengers in an airplane hangar where evacuees were received and on two other occasions: when they helped distribute keys for room assignments and hand out colored ribbons for identification purposes.” [Washington Post, 2/27/20]
After HHS Workers Were Deployed To Assist Evacuees, They Returned To Normal Duties In Offices Around The Country With Some Taking Commercial Flights. According to the Washington Post, “The deployments took place Jan. 28 to 31, around the time when the first planeload of evacuees arrived at March, and Feb. 2 to Feb. 7, during the time when additional flights were arriving at Travis. The planes each carried about 200 Americans who were repatriated from Wuhan. After their deployments, the workers returned to their normal duties, some taking commercial airline flights to return to their offices around the country, the lawyers said. “Our client was concerned that ACF staff — who were potentially exposed to the coronavirus — were allowed to leave quarantined areas and return to their communities, where they may have spread the coronavirus to others,” said Lauren Naylor, one of the whistleblower’s lawyers.” [Washington Post, 2/27/20]
February 28, 2020: There Were 65 Cases Of COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on February 28, 2020 there were 65 cases of and zero deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
At A Rally, Trump Called The Coronavirus “Their New Hoax.” According to Politico, ‘President Donald Trump on Friday night tried to cast the global outbreak of the coronavirus as a liberal conspiracy intended to undermine his first term, lumping it alongside impeachment and the Mueller investigation. He blamed the press for acting hysterically about the virus, which has now spread to China, Japan, South Korea, Iran, Italy and the U.S, and he downplayed its dangers, saying against expert opinion it was on par with the flu. ‘The Democrats are politicizing the coronavirus. They’re politicizing it,’ he said. ‘They don’t have any clue. They can’t even count their votes in Iowa. No, they can’t. They can’t count their votes. One of my people came up to me and said, ‘Mr. President, they tried to beat you on Russia, Russia, Russia.’ That did not work out too well. They could not do it. They tried the impeachment hoax.’ Then Trump called the coronavirus ‘their new hoax.’ Trump’s comments came as the White House has struggled to adequately respond to and contain the coronavirus’s increasingly sweeping path.’ [Politico, 2/28/20]
The CDC Refuted The Claim Stating, “At This Time, It Is Not Known Whether The Spread Of COVID-19 Will Decrease When Weather Becomes Warmer.” According to The Hill, “President Trump has suggested that the coronavirus outbreak will be gone by April because ‘the heat generally speaking kills this kind of virus,’ as reported by USA Today. He has appointed Vice President Pence to take charge of the U.S. response to the disease. But, will the coronavirus be responsive to seasonal changes similar to the flu? In short, there is no conclusive evidence to suggest that the spread of the disease will abate with warmer weather. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) notes that ‘at this time, it is not known whether the spread of COVID-19 will decrease when weather becomes warmer.’ COVID-19 is different from the virus strains that cause the flu even though it can lead to similar symptoms of respiratory problems.” [Hill, 2/28/20]
Then-Acting White House Chief Of Staff Mick Mulvaney Claimed That The Media Exaggerated The Seriousness Of Coronavirus To “Bring Down The President.” According to the New York Times, “Mick Mulvaney, the acting White House chief of staff, on Friday blamed the media for exaggerating the seriousness of coronavirus because ‘they think this will bring down the president, that’s what this is all about.’ Speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference, an annual gathering of conservative activists, Mr. Mulvaney played down concerns about the virus that is spreading around the globe and panicking investors […] But Mr. Mulvaney claimed that the news media was too preoccupied covering impeachment, he said, ‘because they thought it would bring down the president.’ The media’s focus switched to the coronavirus for the same reason, he continued. ‘The reason you’re seeing so much attention to it today is that they think this is going to be the thing that brings down the president,’ he added. ‘That’s what this is all about it.’” [New York Times, 2/28/20]
February 29, 2020: There Were 70 Cases Of And One Death Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on February 29, 2020, there were 70 cases of and one death related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
It Was Reported That Only Four Of The White House COVID-19 Task Force’s 17 Members Had Training In Science And Medicine. According to the Intercept, “Although Grogan and his friends may have a lot to gain from his participation on the task force, it is not clear what expertise he and most of the others serving on the group bring to it. Of the task force’s 16 members — 17, if you include Vice President Mike Pence, who is heading the effort — only four have any training in science or medicine. The others mostly hail from the business world, including Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, an investment banker who was sued for asset stripping; Ken Cuccinelli, a lawyer and self-described ‘opponent of homosexuality’ now serving as acting deputy secretary of homeland security; and Christopher Liddell, a former executive at Microsoft and General Motors, who worked with Jared Kushner on the modernization of federal IT systems before directing the country’s response to what may be the biggest public health crisis in over a century.” [Intercept, 2/29/20]
Alex Azar, Former President Of Eli Lilly’s U.S. Operations, Profited At The Expense Of People Relying On The Company’s Medications. According to the Intercept, “ALEX AZAR, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, admitted Wednesday that a vaccine for the coronavirus might not be affordable for all Americans. ‘We can’t control that price,’ Azar told Rep. Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill., during a congressional hearing about the virus, which has been spreading throughout the world and is widely expected to become a serious public health issue in the United States […] But Azar, who served as the top lobbyist for Eli Lilly before becoming president of the drug company’s U.S. operations in 2012 and the secretary of Health and Human Services in 2018, knows of what he unthinkingly speaks. Exorbitant drug pricing often leaves life-saving treatment out of reach for the poorest Americans. And to the extent that Azar and the other businessmen who make up the majority of the president’s task force on the coronavirus have any experience with pharmaceuticals, one of the most profitable sectors of the economy, it’s been making money off the system that keeps them out of reach. In the case of Azar, who earned nearly $2 million during his last year at Lilly, that profit came at the expense of the people who needed the drugs, according to a lawsuit filed in 2017. While Azar was leading the pharmaceutical giant, the cost of its drugs went up significantly.” [Intercept, 2/29/20]
Member Of Coronavirus Task Force, Director Of Domestic Policy Council Joe Grogan, Was Formerly A Lobbyist For Pharmaceutical Company Gilead Sciences. According to the Intercept, “For another task force member, the profits could come from the coronavirus itself. Joseph Grogan was a lobbyist for the pharmaceutical giant Gilead Sciences before he joined the Trump administration as director of the Domestic Policy Council and led the Drug Pricing and Innovation Work Group. On Wednesday, after Gilead announced that it would be starting two clinical trials of an antiviral drug that could be used to treat the virus, the company’s stock price surged. As a former lobbyist for a company that stands to gain hugely from a possible treatment for the virus, Grogan’s participation on the task force poses a host of ethical problems, according to Robert Klitzman, professor of psychiatry and director of the bioethics master’s program at Columbia University. ‘Does he have a conflict of interest? Yes!’ said Klitzman, who points out that the government is likely to spend money on both the research and purchase of treatments for the virus.” [The Intercept, 2/29/20]
At A Rally Trump Dismissed The Coronavirus As A Serious Threat And Misidentified The First U.S. Casualty Of The Disease. According to the Washington Post, “As Trump was dismissing the virus as a serious threat, the infection continued spreading in the country. California officials Friday evening announced the state’s second case of coronavirus of unknown origin, and just hours later, a northwest Oregon resident tested positive for the virus. By Saturday, officials in Washington state revealed the first U.S. death attributed to the virus — the person misidentified by Trump at a hastily called news conference as a ‘wonderful woman’ in her 50s who had underlying health problems. The CDC later said that it had erroneously identified the patient as female in a briefing earlier Saturday with Trump and Pence and that the patient was a man.” [Washington Post, 2/29/20]
Trump, Pence, Mulvaney, And Administration Officials Attended Political Fundraisers And Rallies As The Coronavirus Situation In The U.S. Escalated. According to the Washington Post, “For a president and campaign team that have long relied on a strong economy to help buoy Trump’s reelection prospects, the precipitous market plunge raised deep concerns. Yet administration officials plowed forward with their previous schedules, modifying them only slightly as they tried to minimize the coronavirus threat. Mulvaney spoke, as previously planned, at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference outside Washington, where he assured the crowd, ‘We know how to handle this,’ and accused the news media of overhyping the virus to ‘bring down the president.’ Pence, too, continued with a prior commitment Friday evening — a closed-door, high-dollar fundraiser in Sarasota, Fla. — while tacking on a brief coronavirus response meeting with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) at the airport when he landed in the state. And Trump held a long-standing campaign rally Friday in North Charleston, S.C., where he accused Democrats of ‘politicizing’ the coronavirus.” [Washington Post, 2/29/20]
March 1, 2020: There Were 88 Cases Of And Three Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on March 1, 2020, there were 88 cases of and three deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Trump Announced A European Travel Ban. According to the New York Times, “After announcing the barring of foreigners from China in late January, Mr. Trump expanded the travel restrictions to more than two dozen European countries in March.” [New York Times, 5/7/20]
March 2, 2020: There Were 104 Cases Of And Six Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on March 2, 2020, there were 104 cases of and six deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
CMS Administrator Seema Verma Doubted Her Agency Would Cover The Costs Of The Treatment And Services Needed By Victims Of Coronavirus. According to Business Insider, “Seema Verma, the administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, said on Monday evening that her agency may not be able to pay for all ‘products and services’ required for coronavirus patients dependent on government insurance. ‘We are looking at what we cover and clarifying the types of products and services that our programs will be able to pay for in terms of Medicare and Medicaid,’ Verma said. Verma made the comments during a press briefing held by Vice President Mike Pence on Monday to discuss the novel coronavirus, the risk it poses to Americans, and the government’s response efforts. It opens the door to the possibility that older Americans — a demographic at greater risk from coronavirus — will have to pay up to receive medical treatment. Many Medicare beneficiaries are subject to a $1,408 deductible, with coinsurance that kicks in after the second month starting at $352 per day and gradually scaling upward.” [Business Insider, 3/2/20]
Trump Added Seema Verma To The White House Coronavirus Taskforce. According to The Hill, “The Trump administration has added Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robert Wilkie and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Seema Verma to its coronavirus task force. The office of Vice President Pence, who is overseeing the White House’s response to the disease, announced their additions on Monday. Wilkie and Verma will join a handful of officials, many of them focused on health and national security issues, already on the task force led by Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar.” [Hill, 3/2/20]
March 3, 2020: There Were 125 Cases Of And 10 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on March 3, 2020, there were 125 cases of and 10 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S.. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Pence: “Any American Can Be Tested” For The Coronavirus
Pence Said, “Any American Can Be Tested, No Restrictions” For The Coronavirus. According to the New York Times, “Vice President Mike Pence said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had lifted all restrictions on testing for the coronavirus and would be releasing new guidelines to fast-track testing for people who fear they have the virus, even if they are displaying mild symptoms. ‘Today we will issue new guidance from the C.D.C. that will make it clear that any American can be tested, no restrictions, subject to doctor’s orders,’ Mr. Pence told reporters at the White House. ‘Any American can be tested. We’re removing that barrier.’” [New York Times, 3/3/20]
The CDC Misrepresented The Progress Of Coronavirus Testing To HHS Representatives As Evidence Showed The Virus Spread Undetected Within The U.S. For Weeks. According to Politico, “The CDC had spent days reassuring HHS leaders that the lab tests were imminent, even as delays prevented their delivery. The delays prevented many Americans, who didn’t fit the CDC’s strict criteria, from being tested for coronavirus. CDC initially limited testing to people who had recently traveled to China or had close contact with a confirmed case and were also symptomatic. Health officials have reported more than 100 cases of coronavirus across the United States, with increasing evidence that the virus has been spreading undetected for weeks.” [Politico, 3/3/20]
The CDC Barred Senior FDA Official Timothy Stenzel From Entering Facilities To Assist With The Development Of The Delayed Stalled Coronavirus Screening Tests. According to Politico, “In a sign of growing tension among the Trump administration’s health agencies, officials are expressing frustration that a top scientist was initially rebuffed when attempting to visit the CDC in Atlanta last month to help coordinate the government’s stalled coronavirus testing, two individuals with knowledge of the episode told POLITICO. Timothy Stenzel, who is the director of the Food and Drug Administration’s Office of In Vitro Diagnostics and Radiological Health, was made to wait overnight on the weekend of Feb. 22 — as senior health department officials negotiated his access in a series of calls — before Centers for Disease Control granted him permission to be on campus. Stenzel’s visit had been expected, the individuals said. The FDA had dispatched Stenzel to the CDC in an effort to expedite the development of lab tests for the novel coronavirus outbreak. Problems with the CDC-developed test delayed the Trump administration’s plan to expand screening for weeks, POLITICO first reported on Feb. 20. A senior HHS official confirmed the episode.” [Politico, 3/3/20]
March 4, 2020: There Were 161 Cases Of And 12 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S.. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on March 4, 2020, there were 161 cases of and 12 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S.. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Trump’s CMS Received Criticism For Introducing Proposed Rule That Sought To Reduce The Amount Of Time That Infection Specialists Devote To Individual Long-Term Care Facilities. According to Politico, “CMS has received criticism for a proposed rule the agency says would reduce burdensome requirements on long-term care facilities. Under the rule, facilities would no longer require an infection preventionist to work part-time at facilities; instead, they would have to ensure the infection preventionist spends ‘sufficient time’ at the facility. Verma said the agency is still reviewing the proposal, and that ‘we want to hold nursing homes accountable for outcomes.’ ‘One of the things that not just this particular regulation but just generally, a lot of our regulations have a tendency to dictate detailed processes and minutiae. … The feedback that we’ve gotten with our Patients Over Paperwork initiative is that sometimes that’s not helpful,’ Verma said, referring to a Trump administration effort to cut red tape.” [Politico, 3/4/20]
Trump Nonsensically Blamed The Obama For The Spread Of COVID-19. According to the New York Times, “President Trump sought on Wednesday to deflect criticism of his administration’s response to the coronavirus onto his predecessor, complaining that a federal agency decision under President Barack Obama had made it harder to quickly enact widespread testing for the virus […] It was not entirely clear what he was referring to. Health experts and veterans of the government during Mr. Obama’s presidency said they were unaware of any policy or rule changes during the last administration that would have affected the way the Food and Drug Administration approved tests during the current crisis. Moreover, if there were, Mr. Trump did not explain why his administration did not change the rules during its first three years in office.” [New York Times, 3/4/20]
March 5, 2020: There Were 228 Cases Of And 12 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on March 5, 2020, there were 228 cases of and 12 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S.. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Trump Stated That He Thought The World Health Organization’s Coronavirus Death Rate Was A “False Number” Because Of A “Hunch.” According to Politico, “And he's raised doubts about other aspects of coronavirus using language that scientists find troubling. Appearing Wednesday night on Sean Hannity's Fox News show, Trump described the World Health Organization’s official 3.4 percent coronavirus death rate as a ‘false number’ based on a ‘hunch.’ While the figure may eventually come down, as the current data may not include some undetected cases, it is not ‘false.’ Trump explained it this way: ‘If we have thousands or hundreds of thousands of people that get better, just by, you know, sitting around and even going to work, some of them go to work, but they get better.’” [Politico, 3/5/20]
Pence Acknowledged, “We Don’t Have Enough Tests.” According to CNN, “Confusion and delays appear to persist in testing Americans for coronavirus even after an outcry from state and local health authorities that the United States was behind in determining the extent of the outbreak. Vice President Mike Pence, who is leading the administration's response to the coronavirus crisis, acknowledged Thursday there was a shortfall in the number of testing kits required to meet demand. ‘We don't have enough tests today to meet what we anticipate will be the demand going forward,’ Pence told reporters while touring 3M facilities in Minnesota. The vice president said the government would be able to provide testing ‘for those that we believe have been exposed, for those who are showing symptoms.’ But his remarks were an acknowledgment that the administration is still not prepared to meet an expected spike in demand in tests for coronavirus, which has spread to 17 states.” [CNN, 3/5/20]
Trump Publicly Asked Health Officials, “So You’re Talking Over The Next Few Months, You Think You Could Have A Vaccine?” According to Politico, “Nearly every time President Donald Trump has talked about a coronavirus vaccine, he has gotten a real-time fact check from a health expert sitting nearby. “So you’re talking over the next few months, you think you could have a vaccine?” Trump asked during a meeting with top health officials on Monday. ‘You won’t have a vaccine,’ corrected Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar after some cross talk. ‘You’ll have a vaccine to go into testing.’ ‘All right, so you’re talking within a year,’ Trump said moments later. ‘A year to a year and a half,’ interjected Anthony Fauci, a government veteran of disease outbreaks under six presidents. ‘So you’re talking over the next few months, you think you could have a vaccine?’ Trump asked during a meeting with top health officials on Monday. At a time when the federal government is trying to carefully control messaging about the possibility of a cure for a disease that has already claimed the lives of 11 Americans, the president’s penchant for on-camera hyperbole has been a constant challenge.” [Politico, 3/5/20]
Trump Questioned Whether The Traditional Flu Vaccine Could Have An Impact On Coronavirus. According to Politico, “Already, Trump has muddied the waters on the difference between a vaccine entering various trial phases and it being ready for widespread public use. While vaccines are able to be quickly developed by researchers, it takes time to get the vaccine on the market. Trump has also raised questions about whether a vaccine for the flu could work on this completely different virus. ‘You take a solid flu vaccine, you don’t think that could have an impact, or much of an impact, on corona?’ Trump asked. ‘No,’ a pharmaceutical researcher quickly replied.” [Politico, 3/5/20]
March 6, 2020: There Were 311 Cases Of And 15 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on March 6, 2020, there were 311 cases of and 15 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Trump Said, “Anybody That Wants A Test Can Get A Test. That’s What The Bottom Line Is.” According to a White House Transcript, “THE PRESIDENT: Anybody that wants a test can get a test. That’s what the bottom line is.” [White House – Press Conference Transcript, 3/7/20]
March 6, 2020: Trump Signed A $8.3 Billion COVID-19 Funding Bill. According to The Hill, “President Trump on Friday signed a bill providing $8.3 billion in emergency funding to combat the coronavirus outbreak. The bill provides $7.76 billion to federal, state and local agencies to combat the coronavirus and authorizes an additional $500 million in waivers for Medicare telehealth restrictions.” [Hill, 3/6/20]
After Congressional Criticism That The White House Proposal Was Too Low, Trump Said He Was Willing To Spend More And Let Congress Settle On Amount. According to The Hill, “The House and Senate passed the funding measure in overwhelming bipartisan votes on Wednesday and Thursday, respectively, sending the bill to the president’s desk. Trump’s signing of the bill on Thursday capped a week of aggressive action on Capitol Hill to secure a deal on the funding and pass the legislation in both chambers. After lawmakers criticized the initial funding proposal from the White House as too low, Trump said he was willing to spend more to combat the virus, and the White House largely left it up to Congress to settle on a dollar amount.” [Hill, 3/6/20]
Amid Criticism Of The Poor Federal Response To The Coronavirus Outbreak, Trump Took To Twitter To Defend HHS Secretary Azar’s Role As Part Of The White House Taskforce. According to CNBC, “President Donald Trump on Friday defended Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar as he faces mounting criticism for his response to the deadly coronavirus outbreak. ‘It is FAKE NEWS that @HHSGov @SecAzar is ‘sidelined’ from the great job he is doing on the Coronavirus Task Force,’ Trump tweeted Friday. ‘He has the total confidence of the @VP and myself, and is doing a fantastic job, as the numbers would indicate!'” [CNBC, 3/6/20]
March 7, 2020: There Were 428 Cases Of And 19 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on March 7, 2020, there were 428 cases of and 19 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Public Health Experts Involved In The Response To The 2015 HIV Crisis Questioned Whether Pence Can Put Evidence Ahead Of His Own Beliefs. According to the Guardian, “Public health experts who offered recommendations on combatting the HIV outbreak in Indiana have questioned whether Pence can put evidence ahead of his own beliefs. In combatting COVID-19 ‘we need a leader who is not only data-driven, but somebody who understands evidence – and somebody who can communicate it. Neither one of those things is in Mike Pence’s skillset,’ said Beth Meyerson, the co-director of Indiana University’s Rural Center for Aids/STD Prevention. Carrie Lawrence, the associate director of the center, said the Austin HIV outbreak showed that when Pence has to make a public health decision ‘his go to is his ideology or faith instead of going to the data or the evidence.’” [Guardian, 3/7/20]
CDC Medical Workers Expressed Serious Concerns About The Lack Of Effective Resources To Protect Them From Contracting The Virus. According to Reuters, “As coronavirus cases exploded across the world, federal medical workers tasked with screening incoming passengers at U.S. airports grew alarmed: Many were working without the most effective masks to protect them from getting sick themselves. Screeners with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention asked their supervisors this week to change official protocols and require stronger masks, according to an internal document reviewed by Reuters. On Friday evening, they learned their worst fears were realized: Two screeners, both working at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), had tested positive for the virus. [Reuters, 3/7/20]
March 8, 2020: There Were 547 Cases Of And 22 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on March 8, 2020, there were 547 cases of and 22 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Trump Claimed That He Was “Not Concerned At All” That The Coronavirus Was Getting Closer To The White House. According to the New York Times, “But he has also taken a business-as-usual approach to the rest of his schedule, refusing to cancel campaign rallies, fund-raisers or social events even as other large gatherings of Americans are scrubbed. Asked by a reporter on Saturday night if he was worried that infections were getting closer to the White House, Mr. Trump said, ‘No, I’m not concerned at all.’” [New York Times, 3/8/20]
Trump Claimed He Had “A Natural Ability” In Understanding The Science Of Coronavirus. According to the New York Times, “By the president’s own account, the coronavirus has been an education for him. He has acknowledged that ‘I didn’t know people died from the flu’ — tens of thousands, in fact, each year in the United States — even though, as The Washington Post pointed out, his own grandfather died of influenza during the 1918 epidemic. But he has credited himself with instinctive understanding of the science. ‘I like this stuff. I really get it,’ he said at the C.D.C. on Friday. ‘People are surprised that I understand it. Every one of these doctors said, ‘How do you know so much about this?’ Maybe I have a natural ability. Maybe I should have done that instead of running for president.’ Mr. Trump rejected criticism of the slow distribution of test kits, framing it in terms evoking his battle against impeachment. ‘The tests are all perfect,’ he told reporters, ‘like the letter was perfect. The transcription was perfect, right?’ — a reference to the rough transcript of his telephone call with Ukraine’s president that led to his own impeachment for abuse of power.” [New York Times, 3/8/20]
The White House Clashed With Airline Officials Over The Administration’s Demand That Airlines Collect New Data From Passengers To Help Track Potential Virus Carriers. According to CNN, “The US aviation industry and the Trump administration are in a pitched battle over the response to the coronavirus pandemic, three sources familiar with recent calls between officials from several government agencies and US airlines have told CNN. In a series of contentious conversations, agency officials and aviation executives have clashed over the administration's demand that airlines collect new kinds of data from passengers to help officials track potential virus carriers. Airlines say they can't meet that demand right away -- a claim some administration officials say they don't believe, according to several sources who tell CNN the calls have deteriorated so badly that agency officials have issued threats, spat expletives and accused airline executives of lying. It is an ‘epic battle,’ said one source familiar with the talks.” [CNN, 3/9/20]
Administration Officials Reportedly Displayed “A Lot Of Ignorance About What” Could Be Possible. According to CNN, “The administration officials' vitriol has left airline officials in a state of ‘shock and disbelief,’ one source said. Government officials have displayed ‘a lot of ignorance about what is possible,’ the source said. Others familiar with the talks contend the airlines seem to be acting unreasonably by not providing the data more quickly. Another factor adding to the friction is that the administration is considering an advisory discouraging Americans from commercial air travel. Airlines oppose this because of the body blow it would deal their industry, according to four sources familiar with the discussions. The battle over data is raging as the administration is coming under fire for failing to move quickly or competently enough to protect Americans from a virus that has already killed thousands worldwide and is beginning to hit the US, with more than 500 people infected and 22 dead.” [CNN, 3/9/20]
March 9, 2020: There Were 748 Cases Of And 26 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on March 9, 2020, there were 748 cases of and 26 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Time Reported That The Trump Administration Delayed An Annual Intelligence Report That Warned That The U.S. Remained Unprepared For A Global Pandemic. According to Time, “An annual intelligence report that has been postponed without explanation by President Donald Trump’s administration warns that the U.S. remains unprepared for a global pandemic, two senior government officials who have reviewed a draft of the report tell TIME. The office of the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) was scheduled to deliver the Worldwide Threat Assessment to the House Intelligence Committee on Feb. 12 and the hearing has not been rescheduled, according to staffers and members of the House and Senate intelligence committees […] The final draft of the report remains classified but the two officials who have read it say it contains warnings similar to those in the last installment, which was published on January 29, 2019. The 2019 report warns on page 29 that, ‘The United States will remain vulnerable to the next flu pandemic or large-scale outbreak of a contagious disease that could lead to massive rates of death and disability, severely affect the world economy, strain international resources, and increase calls on the United States for support.’” [Time, 3/9/20]
Tension Between The Trump Administration And CDC Officials Escalated As The White House Continued Attempts To Downplay The Crisis And Was Met With Opposition From Health Officials Seeking To Present A Realistic View Of The Growing Pandemic. According to CNN, “Fissures between the White House and national health agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, have begun to expand as the coronavirus pandemic spreads to more American states, creating dissonance between President Donald Trump and the professionals tasked with containing the virus further. The two sides have grown increasingly distrustful of one another, people inside both the CDC and the White House say, as officials on each side question decisions that either appear designed to downplay the growing crisis or to generate further concern. The cracks are falling along predictable lines. While health officials have sought to present a realistic and cautious picture of the national situation, Trump and his political allies are hoping to relay an altogether different message: that the virus is contained, Americans face little risk, and life should proceed as normal.” [CNN, 3/9/20]
March 10, 2020: There Were 1,018 Cases Of And 31 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on March 10, 2020, there were 1.018 cases of and 31 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Acting OMB Director Vought Defended Proposed Cuts To The CDC. According to MSNBC, “But there was another element that Team Trump probably didn't appreciate the significance of at the time: as the coronavirus threat was just starting to come into focus in early February, the White House recommended significant cuts to investments at the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention. To be sure, this president had called for deep cuts to the CDC budget before, and Congress ignored those requests. But calling for CDC cuts in the midst of a global viral outbreak seemed especially bizarre. Stranger still, the White House apparently hasn't changed its mind. The Hill reported yesterday: Russ Vought, the acting director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, on Tuesday doubled down on proposed cuts to health services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), despite the coronavirus outbreak.” [MSNBC, 3/11/20]
HHS Secretary Azar Admitted That The Federal Government Did Not Know How Many Americans Had Been Tested For Coronavirus. According to CNN, “Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said Tuesday the department does not know how many Americans have been tested for coronavirus and suggested older Americans avoid large gatherings such as campaign rallies. ‘We don’t know exactly how many, because hundreds of thousands of our tests have gone out to private labs and hospitals that currently do not report in to (the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention),’ Azar told CNN’s John Berman on ‘New Day’ when asked how many Americans have been tested for coronavirus at this point. ‘We’re working with the CDC and those partners to get an I.T. reporting system up and running hopefully this week where we would be able to get that data to keep track of how many we’re testing.’ The HHS chief also said there are 2.1 million testing kits currently available and more than 1 million have been shipped. The availability of test kits to health care providers has been one of the most scrutinized aspects of the federal government’s response to the crisis, leading to frustrations from state and local officials, and there has been confusion among Trump administration officials over the number of testing kits that have been mailed out.” [CNN, 3/10/20]
Trump Administration Officials Repeatedly Contradicted One Another On The Number Of Americans Tested For Coronavirus And Tests Available. According to CNN, “Trump administration officials have repeatedly been asked about the number of Americans who have been tested for the virus and the number of testing kits available and have given various answers. CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield said Tuesday during a House Appropriations hearing that 4,856 coronavirus tests have been run in public health labs across the US, but that number, last updated on Monday, does not include clinical labs or private labs. When asked on Sunday by CNN’s Jake Tapper on ‘State of the Union’ how many people had been tested, US Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams explained that ‘the numbers are tough because they’re changing minute by minute.’ ‘They should know that we have 75,000 tests available right now for folks. By early next week, tomorrow, we should have over 2 million tests available,’ he also told Tapper. ‘By the end of the week, through partnerships with private industry, over 4 million tests available,’ he said when asked for a rough estimate on the number testing kits available. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Dr. Ben Carson, a member of the White House coronavirus task force, told ABC’s George Stephanopolous on ‘This Week’ Sunday ‘over a million tests were shipped out already this past week.’ ‘Tomorrow another 640,000 will be available,’ he said. ‘And those are only the ones that are being dealt with on a federal official level.’” [CNN, 3/10/20]
A Day-Long Email Crash In February Impeded The HHS Response To Coronavirus And Added Fuel To Tensions Among Department Leaders. According to Politico, “As health department officials worked quickly to negotiate an emergency funding package to fight the spreading coronavirus outbreak on Feb. 23, they came to a frustrating realization: Their email system had crashed. The outage in the Health and Human Services secretary’s office stretched on much of the day, with some messages delayed up to 11 hours, creating frustration and slowing the Trump administration’s coronavirus response.” [Politico, 3/10/20]
The Crash Was Caused By An Email Test Conducted By CMS After CMS Failed To Brief HHS Leaders Before The Test. According to Politico, “The HHS officials soon discovered the culprit: An email test conducted by the team at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, a branch of the health department that hadn’t briefed HHS leaders or alerted the department’s chief information officer before sending thousands of messages through their shared system. Although it was a Sunday, top officials were negotiating with the White House over a soon-to-be-announced coronavirus funding plan and tackling other urgent decisions — which were interrupted by the email outage. The previously unreported episode was the latest in a series of information technology snafus caused by the department’s Medicare branch dating back more than a year.” [Politico, 3/10/20]
March 11, 2020: There Were 1,263 Cases Of And 37 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on March 11, 2020 there were 1,263 cases of and 37 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
In An Oval Office Address, Trump Announced A 30-Day Ban On “All Travel From Europe To The United States” With “Exemptions For Americans Who Have Undergone Appropriate Screenings.” According to the New York Times’ transcript of Donald Trump’s Oval Office Address, “After consulting with our top government health professionals, I have decided to take several strong but necessary actions to protect the health and well being of all Americans. To keep new cases from entering our shores, we will be suspending all travel from Europe to the United States for the next 30 days. The new rules will go into effect Friday at midnight. These restrictions will be adjusted subject to conditions on the ground. There will be exemptions for Americans who have undergone appropriate screenings, and these prohibitions will not only apply to the tremendous amount of trade and cargo, but various other things as we get approval. Anything coming from Europe to the United States is what we are discussing. These restrictions will also not apply to the United Kingdom.” [New York Times, 3/11/20]
As Trump Finished His Oval Office Address, DHS Clarified That Trump’s Travel Ban Would Not Bar All Travelers, Just Foreign Nationals. According to Politico, “And his speech did still generate some confusion. After Trump finished his remarks, the Department of Homeland Security clarified that the new order would not bar all travelers from Europe, just foreign nationals traveling from Europe to the U.S. The order also doesn't prohibit the travel of legal permanent residents and the immediate family members of U.S. citizens. The guidance does apply, however, to people transporting cargo from Europe, the White House told POLITICO. Still, goods and cargo will be permitted to enter the U.S., another statement that needed clarification after Trump was finished.” [Politico, 3/11/20]
Trump Announced Restrictions On Trade And Cargo Between U.S. And Europe In An Oval Office Address. According to the New York Times’ transcript of Donald Trump’s Oval Office Address, “To keep new cases from entering our shores, we will be suspending all travel from Europe to the United States for the next 30 days. The new rules will go into effect Friday at midnight. These restrictions will be adjusted subject to conditions on the ground. There will be exemptions for Americans who have undergone appropriate screenings, and these prohibitions will not only apply to the tremendous amount of trade and cargo, but various other things as we get approval. Anything coming from Europe to the United States is what we are discussing. These restrictions will also not apply to the United Kingdom.” [New York Times, 3/11/20]
Trump Travel Restrictions Did Not Apply To Cargo And Trade. According to BuzzFeed News, “2. The European travel restrictions actually DO NOT apply to cargo. […] The presidential proclamation doesn't mention anything about trade restrictions. In the proclamation, Trump says, "The free flow of commerce between the United States and the [affected European countries] remains an economic priority for the United States, and I remain committed to facilitating trade between our nations." After finishing his speech, Trump walked back his comment on trade, saying that it would not be affected by the restrictions.” [BuzzFeed News, 3/12/20]
Several Of The Policy Announcements Trump Shared During His Oval Office Address On Coronavirus Were Contradicted By The Department Of Homeland Security. According to Politico, “Following Donald Trump’s Oval Office address on the federal response to the coronavirus outbreak, the Washington Post had a report with a striking sentence: ‘Although he read from a prepared script as he delivered a rare prime-time televised address to the nation from the Oval Office, Trump incorrectly described his own policy.’ That, unfortunately, is an accurate description of what transpired. The president said, for example, ‘To keep new cases from entering our shores, we will be suspending all travel from Europe to the United States for the next 30 days.’ That’s not necessarily wise -- even Trump’s own former homeland security advisor has said this won’t make much of a difference -- and given the wide number of exceptions, what the Republican said wasn’t even an accurate description of the policy.” [Politico, 3/11/20]
Trump Announced Health Insurance Industry Leaders Agreed To Waive Co-Payments For Coronavirus Treatment. According to the New York Times, “Earlier this week, I met with the leaders of health insurance industry who have agreed to waive all co-payments for coronavirus treatments, extend insurance coverage to these treatments, and to prevent surprise medical billing.” [New York Times, 3/11/20]
Insurance Companies Waived Copayments For Testing, Not Treatment. According to BuzzFeed News, “3. Insurance companies are waiving copayments for COVID-19 testing, NOT treatment […] That's not true. Following Trump's speech, America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), a major health insurance lobby, clarified that they would only be waiving costs for tests, not treatment, and referred Americans to their previous statements on their planned actions to combat the virus's spread. In a press release Mar. 6, AHIP's board of directors said that insurance providers ‘will cover needed diagnostic testing when ordered by a physician.’ When it comes to treatment, however, they said that providers will ‘take action to ease network, referral, and prior authorization requirements and/or waive patient cost sharing.’ In other words, they are not removing costs all together.” [Buzzfeed News, 3/12/20]
Trump Was Reluctant To Make An Emergency Declaration Fearing That It Would Stoke Panic And Contradict His Coronavirus Messaging. According to Politico, “Trump’s concern at this point is that going further could hamper his narrative that the coronavirus is similar to the seasonal flu and could further agitate Wall Street, said the three people familiar with the discussions. ‘The president isn’t persuaded because [an emergency declaration] contradicts his message that this is the flu,’ said a Republican who speaks to Trump. Health experts have rigorously disputed any assertion that the coronavirus is equivalent to the seasonal flu, noting it is much more lethal and particularly dangerous to the elderly and those with other health conditions. Trump is walking a fine line as coronavirus cases in the U.S. sail past 1,000. As the president ramps up for a 2020 reelection campaign, he is trying to simultaneously signal calm to the American public, comfort businesses whose customers have disappeared amid self-isolation directives and ensure there‘s enough money to combat the still-new disease.” [Politico, 3/11/20]
Trump Planned To Wait On Kushner Before Deciding To Make Emergency Declaration For Coronavirus. According to Politico, “President Donald Trump is reluctant to declare an expansive emergency to combat the escalating coronavirus outbreak, fearful of stoking panic with such a dramatic step, according to three people familiar with the situation […] There’s no deadline for a decision, but one of the people familiar with the talks said Trump's aides will not give the president a final verdict until Jared Kushner, the president’s senior adviser and son-in-law, talks to relevant parties and presents his findings to the president.” [Politico, 3/11/20]
In An Unusual Step, The White House Ordered Federal Health Officials to Treat Top-Level Coronavirus Meetings As Classified, Which Restricted Participants. According to Reuters, “The White House has ordered federal health officials to treat top-level coronavirus meetings as classified, an unusual step that has restricted information and hampered the U.S. government’s response to the contagion, according to four Trump administration officials. The officials said that dozens of classified discussions about such topics as the scope of infections, quarantines and travel restrictions have been held since mid-January in a high-security meeting room at the Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), a key player in the fight against the coronavirus […] ‘We had some very critical people who did not have security clearances who could not go,’ one official said. ‘These should not be classified meetings. It was unnecessary.’” [Reuters, 3/11/20]
March 12, 2020: There Were 1,668 Cases Of And 43 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S.. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on March 12, 2020, there were 1,668 cases of and 43 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
At The Onset Of The Coronavirus Outbreak, The Trump Administration Confirmed Plans To Proceed With Implementing The SNAP Eligibility Work Requirements Which Threaten To Strip SNAP From Over 700,000 People With Food Insecurity. According to BuzzFeed, “The Trump administration is moving ahead with its plan to enact strict work requirements on people who use food stamps despite the coronavirus pandemic — a move that could result in hundreds of thousands of people losing their eligibility for the program. People could soon be forced to work public-facing jobs when they should stay home or else risk losing access to the assistance they get to buy food. The Department of Agriculture confirmed this week it is sticking to its timeline to tighten work requirements starting April 1. People without a disability or children must work 20 hours per week to qualify for SNAP, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program formerly known as food stamps. The White House projects 700,000 people would lose SNAP eligibility. Lauren Bauer, a fellow with the Brookings Institution, filed access to information requests for figures from all 50 states and projected the number of people losing assistance would be much higher, at 1.3 million to 1.5 million. But those projections all came out before the novel coronavirus swept across the United States, causing a wave of self-quarantines and threatening economic downturn. ‘That number is going to be much, much higher,’ she said. ‘It’s going to cause harm both to the people who are eligible for SNAP, but it’s also going to cause harm for the economy.’” [BuzzFeed, 3/12/20]
March 13, 2020: There Were 2,224 Cases Of And 50 Deaths Related To COVID-19. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on March 13, 2020, there were 2,224 cases of and 50 deaths related to COVID-19. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
In Response To Questions On The Lack Of Wide Spread Testing Trump Faulted Obama And Said, “I Don't Take Responsibility At All,” According to Politico, “President Donald Trump on Friday deflected blame for his administration’s lagging ability to test Americans for the coronavirus outbreak, insisting instead — without offering evidence — that fault lies with his predecessor, Barack Obama. ‘I don't take responsibility at all,’ Trump said defiantly, pointing to an unspecified ‘set of circumstances’ and ‘rules, regulations and specifications from a different time.’ The remarks from the president came in response to questions at a Friday press conference about the lack of widespread access to testing, an aspect of his administration's coronavirus response that has been the subject of widespread, steady criticism. Administration officials told lawmakers yesterday that the U.S. tested about 11,000 people during the first seven weeks of the outbreak — roughly as many as South Korea is testing each day.” [Politico, 3/13/20]
Trump Claimed That Google Would Create A Website For Americans To Figure Out If They Needed A Test. According to Wired, “President Donald Trump announced Friday that the US government’s coronavirus testing apparatus, which has lagged badly behind other developed nations, would soon get an assist from Google. The search and advertising giant will create a website, Trump said, that would help Americans figure out if they need a test for the virus, and if so where they can find one.” [Wired, 3/13/20]
Google Had No Idea Trump Planned To Mention A Site. According to Wired, “The only problem: There is no nationwide site like the one Trump described. And Google had no idea the president was going to mention one. A source at Google tells WIRED that company leadership was surprised that Trump announced anything about the initiative at the press conference. What he did say was also almost entirely wrong. There will be a coronavirus testing site, not from Google but from Alphabet sister company Verily. ‘We are developing a tool to help triage individuals for COVID-19 testing,’ Google tweeted in a statement. ‘Verily is in the early stages of development, and planning to roll testing out in the Bay Area, with the hope of expanding more broadly over time.’ Even that, though, was not the original plan. The Verge reported Friday afternoon that Verily had intended the site for health care workers only. After Trump unexpectedly publicized the effort, Verily decided it will let anyone visit it, but can still only provide people with testing site information in the San Francisco area.” [Wired, 3/13/20]
Kushner Took Ideas Ultimately Sourced From A Facebook Group Of ER Doctors Solicited By His Sister-In-Law’s Father. According to Politico, “Just before midnight Wednesday, a doctor asked a group of fellow emergency room physicians on Facebook how they would combat the escalating coronavirus outbreak. ‘I have direct channel to person now in charge at White House,’ Kurt Kloss wrote in his post. The next morning, after hundreds of doctors responded, Kloss explained why he sought the suggestions: Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and senior adviser, had asked him for recommendations. Kloss, whose daughter is married to Kushner’s brother, sent Kushner 12 recommendations Thursday morning.” [Politico, 3/13/20]
Trump Administration Refused To Allow States To Expand Medicaid Services To More Effectively Respond To The Coronavirus Crisis. According to the Los Angeles Times, “Despite mounting pleas from California and other states, the Trump administration isn’t allowing states to use Medicaid more freely to respond to the coronavirus crisis by expanding medical services. In previous emergencies, including the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Hurricane Katrina and the H1N1 flu outbreak, both Republican and Democratic administrations loosened Medicaid rules to empower states to meet surging needs. But months into the current global disease outbreak, the White House and senior federal health officials haven’t taken the necessary steps to give states simple pathways to fully leverage the mammoth safety net program to prevent a wider epidemic. That’s making it harder for states to quickly sign up poor patients for coverage so they can get necessary testing or treatment if they are exposed to coronavirus. And it threatens to slow efforts by states to bring on new medical providers, set up emergency clinics or begin quarantining and caring for homeless Americans at high risk from the virus. ‘If they wanted to do it, they could do it,’ said Cindy Mann, who oversaw the Medicaid program in the Obama administration and worked with states to help respond to the H1N1 crisis in 2009.” [Los Angeles Times, 3/13/20]
CMS Said It Could Not Provide Waivers Until And Unless Trump Declared A National Emergency.
According to the Los Angeles Times, “In response to questions about how her agency, known as CMS, is handling state concerns, Verma’s office noted that the agency is trying to assist states, providing answers to frequently asked questions and hosting nationwide calls with state health officials. The agency noted that some waivers are not possible because Trump hasn’t declared a national emergency. ‘Waivers cannot be invoked until and unless there is a Presidential Stafford Act declaration,’ the agency noted, saying that it was ‘prepared to exercise that authority should it become available.’ Medicaid, the half-century-old government safety net program, and the related Children’s Health Insurance Program provide health insurance to more than 70 million low-income Americans, many of whom gained coverage through the 2010 Affordable Care Act. To control fraud, the program has extensive rules dictating who is eligible and what kinds of medical services can be covered; federal officials can penalize states that don’t scrutinize who receives benefits. During major disasters, CMS has traditionally loosened these rules.” [Los Angeles Times, 3/13/20]
State Leaders Shared Numerous Ways They Attempted To Secure Supplies From The Federal Government Ranging From Filing FEMA Application To Calling And Pleading With Trump Directly. According to Politico, “The federal government’s haphazard approach to distributing its limited supplies has left states trying everything — filling out lengthy FEMA applications, calling Trump, contacting Pence, sending messages to Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law, and trade adviser Peter Navarro, who are both leading different efforts to find supplies, according to local and states officials in more than a half-dozen states. They’re even asking mutual friends to call Trump or sending him signals on TV and Twitter. Sometimes it works. Sometimes it doesn’t. ‘This is not something that we should ever be faced with,’ Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly, a Democrat, said in an interview. ‘It really is the federal government’s responsibility to build those stockpiles, and distribute those during the time of crisis.’” [Politico, 3/13/20]
March 14, 2020: There Were 2,898 Cases Of And 60 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on March 14, 2020, there were 2,898 cases of and 60 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
A Federal Judge Stopped The Trump Administration From Implementing SNAP Work Rules That Would Potentially Kick 700,000 Citizens Off The Program. According to Vox, “A federal judge blocked a new Trump administration rule on Friday that would have kicked at least 700,000 people off of food stamps in the next month — and she cited the coronavirus pandemic as part of the reason for her ruling. Despite indications that the outbreak of the novel coronavirus is slowing the global economy and the fact that it has already resulted in job losses, US Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue declined to delay the implementation of the rule, which tightens work requirements for access to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) among able-bodied people without dependents. Federal regulations on SNAP benefits have long required ‘work-eligible’ adults to meet a 20-hour-a-week work requirement in order to be eligible for the program. But states have had the ability to waive that requirement, which has proved particularly helpful for individuals in areas where meeting that work requirement is difficult, if not impossible, due to high unemployment, poor infrastructure, or other issues. The new Trump rule puts restrictions on states’ ability to issue those waivers, meaning the roughly 700,000 people who currently receive SNAP benefits under the waivers would no longer be eligible to do so.” [Vox, 3/14/20]
A Chronic Staffing Shortage At The Department Of Veterans Affairs Raised Concerns That Lives Could Be Put At Risk Amid Growing Coronavirus Outbreak. According to CNN, “A chronic staffing shortage across the Department of Veterans Affairs is fueling new concerns that lives could be put at risk as the country's largest integrated health care system confronts the growing coronavirus pandemic. Data released in August revealed 49,000 vacant positions across the department, which employs more than 390,000 people. While the agency's budget has since increased, tens of thousands of jobs remain unfilled. ‘It could end up killing people,’ one VA official who works for a regional system said, referring to the likelihood that medical personnel at its 1,243 health care facilities across the country will be overwhelmed by a significant rise in patients. Earlier this month, the VA confirmed the first case in its system. That veteran is currently being treated for coronavirus at a VA facility in Palo Alto, California. Fifteen other cases, either confirmed or presumed to be positive, have since surfaced at VA facilities in Nevada, Louisiana, Washington state, Georgia, South Dakota and Colorado.” [CNN, 3/14/20]
The VA Had Administered Only 140 Coronavirus Tests Nationwide, With Roughly 9% Of Those Tests Registering Indications Of Coronavirus. According to CNN, “As of Friday, the VA says it has administered 140 tests nationwide, up from 70 just two days prior. That means roughly 9% of those tests have registered indications of coronavirus, a staggering result considering the VA provides care for millions of veterans. The VA has 3,000 test kits available, 1,000 of which were provided by the CDC and will be used first. An additional 2,000 VA-developed tests will only be used if necessary, VA spokesperson Christina Mandreucci told CNN.” [CNN, 3/14/20]
The Demographic That Relied On The VA The Most Was Also The Demographic Most At Risk Of Coronavirus Related Fatalities. According to CNN, “Most concerning are staffing shortages at facilities that serve a high number of older veterans, a patient population that is among the most vulnerable to infection. ‘What demographic uses VA the most and who is most at risk? Elderly people,’ a former VA official told CNN. ‘Where are those people located? The same places where the system is already overwhelmed.’ On March 10, more than 134 nursing homes operated by the VA adopted a ‘no visitors’ policy in an effort to lower the risk of exposure to the coronavirus among older veterans.” [CNN, 3/14/20]
March 16, 2020: There Were 4,507 Cases Of And 91 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S.. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on March 16, 2020, there were 4,507 cases of and 91 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
When Asked To Rate His Response To The Coronavirus Crisis On A Scale Of One To 10, Trump Gave Himself A 10. According to the Huffington Post, “President Donald Trump said Monday that on a scale of 1 to 10, he would rate his performance in response to the coronavirus crisis at the top. During the White House’s daily coronavirus news briefing, Yahoo News reporter Hunter Walker brought up the president’s previous comments about not being responsible for the country’s lack of testing. ‘Very simple question: Does the buck stop with you?’ Walker asked. ‘And on a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate your response to this crisis?’ ‘I’d rate it a 10,’ Trump answered. ‘I think we’ve done a great job.’ The president also said the buck ‘normally’ stops with him, ‘but this has never been done in this country.’” [Huffington Post, 3/16/20]
Trump Told Governors To Buy Their Own Equipment, Including Respirators And Ventilators. According to the New York Times, “President Trump told a group of governors on Monday morning that they should not wait for the federal government to fill the growing demand for respirators needed to treat people with coronavirus. ‘Respirators, ventilators, all of the equipment — try getting it yourselves,’ Mr. Trump told the governors during the conference call, a recording of which was shared with The New York Times. ‘We will be backing you, but try getting it yourselves. Point of sales, much better, much more direct if you can get it yourself.’” [New York Times, 3/16/20]
Internal Tensions Between Azar And Director Of The CDC Robert Redfield Had Broken Out In The Open Following A Meeting In The Oval Office. According to the New York Times, “At times the internal tensions have broken out in the open. In an Oval Office meeting last week, Mr. Trump was told that Dr. Redfield had told Politico reporters about a looming shortage in materials the C.D.C. uses to extract genetic material from patient samples. After Mr. Trump asked about the supply problem, Mr. Azar turned to his C.D.C. chief and asked whether he was going to answer the president, according to three senior administration officials who heard about the testy exchange. In an implicit rebuke of Dr. Redfield’s testing oversight, Mr. Azar announced on Friday that the assistant secretary for health, Adm. Brett P. Giroir, would oversee the federal government’s revived testing efforts, with Dr. Redfield and Dr. Hahn reporting up to him.” [New York Times, 3/16/20]
After A Week Of Confusion, The Federal Government Directed Its Employees To Work From Home. According to the New York Times, “The federal government on Monday began directing its employees to work from home, after a week of confusion as some workers were told to report to the office even as public health officials implored employers to keep people at home. Facing mounting criticism and anxiety from federal employees, the Trump administration on Sunday night issued new guidance that allowed some to voluntarily work from home. That memo replaced an earlier directive that said only people at high risk of health problems could telework, and it came days after waves of schools, libraries, restaurants, churches, arenas and other businesses had shuttered to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.” [New York Times, 3/16/20]
The Directive Was Another Example Of The Trump Administration Lagging Behind The Private Sector And State And Local Governments. According to the New York Times, “The latest directive was yet another moment when the Trump administration lagged behind the private sector — and some state and local governments — in moving to confront the pandemic and combat its rapid spread, contributing to a general sense of disarray in the government’s response. It is also emblematic of the tone projected by President Trump, who has worked to play down the threat from the virus even as his public health officials have issued increasingly urgent warnings. The result has been that the nation’s 2.1 million federal workers — spread across law enforcement, diplomatic functions, education, the military and the country’s social safety nets — have received mixed messages about whether they can take the advice of public health officials to take aggressive action to distance themselves from others to slow the spread of the virus.” [New York Times, 3/16/20]
March 17, 2020: There Were 5,906 Cases Of And 117 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on March 17, 2020 there were 5,906 cases of and 117 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
New York Times: “After Many Pleas,” Trump Moved To Enlist More Agencies In A “Whole Of Government” Response To The Virus Four Days After HHS Report Concluded That The “Pandemic Will Last 18 Months Or Longer.” According to the New York Times, “After so many pleas, President Trump moved on Tuesday to begin enlisting much of his government in what the White House had called for weeks a ‘whole of government’ approach to the rampaging coronavirus. ‘We are starting the process,’ Mr. Trump said during a news conference Tuesday afternoon, referring to New York’s request to enlist the Army Corps of Engineers. ‘The state is working on it very hard themselves, but we’ll probably supplement what they’re doing.’ The shift came four days after an internal report from the Department of Health and Human Services — not yet shared with the public — concluded that the ‘pandemic will last 18 months or longer and could include multiple waves of illness.’” [New York Times, 3/17/20]
Government Agencies Had Not Been Deployed Or Supported To Operate At Their Fullest Capabilities In Response To The Coronavirus Crisis. According to the New York Times, “Much of that capacity is untapped. Hospital ships are at port. The Department of Veterans Affairs, legally designated as the backup health care system in national emergencies, awaits requests for help. The veterans department has a surplus of beds in many of its 172 hospital centers and a robust number of special rooms for patients with breathing disorders. The sprawling system of emergency doctors and nurses ready to be deployed by the Department of Health and Human Services — known as the National Disaster Medical System — is also still waiting for orders, other than to staff locations where passengers offloaded from cruise ships are being quarantined. And the Defense Department, home to 1.3 million active-duty troops and a civilian and military infrastructure that has made planning for national emergencies almost an art form, has yet to be deployed to its fullest capabilities.” [New York Times, 3/17/20]
Cuomo Said New York Wanted Help From Army Corps Of Engineers To Help Set Up Temporary Hospitals. According to the New York Times, “Mr. Cuomo expressed appreciation for the rapidly growing capacity to conduct coronavirus tests, which has been the delay that so far has drawn the most attention. But the real need now is for a much broader response, he said. His wants the Army Corps of Engineers to help New York set up temporary hospitals — as he said he fears the state is about to face a disastrous shortage of hospital beds, particularly in intensive care units.” [New York Times, 3/17/20]
Trump Said He Was “Starting The Process” To Enlist The Army Corps Of Engineers. According to the New York Times, “After so many pleas, President Trump moved on Tuesday to begin enlisting much of his government in what the White House had called for weeks a ‘whole of government’ approach to the rampaging coronavirus. ‘We are starting the process,’ Mr. Trump said during a news conference Tuesday afternoon, referring to New York’s request to enlist the Army Corps of Engineers. ‘The state is working on it very hard themselves, but we’ll probably supplement what they’re doing.’ The shift came four days after an internal report from the Department of Health and Human Services — not yet shared with the public — concluded that the ‘pandemic will last 18 months or longer and could include multiple waves of illness.’” [New York Times, 3/17/20]
The Army Corps Of Engineers Said It Had Not Been Given Directions By The Trump Administration. According to the New York Times, “Yet despite promises of a “whole of government” effort, key agencies — like the Army Corps of Engineers, other parts of the Defense Department, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Department of Veterans Affairs — had not been asked to play much of a role. Even after Mr. Trump committed to supporting the states on Tuesday, the Army Corps of Engineers said it still had not received direction from the administration.” [New York Times, 3/17/20]
State Requests To The Federal Government For N95 Masks Have Gone Unanswered Or Unfulfilled. According to the New York Times, “Oregon sent a letter to Vice President Mike Pence on March 3 asking for 400,000 N95 masks. For days, it got no response, and only by March 14 received its first shipment, of 36,800 masks. But there was a problem. Most of the equipment they got was well past the expiration date and so ‘wouldn’t be suitable for surgical settings,’ the state said. New York City also put in a request for more than 2 million masks and only received 76,000; all were expired, said Deanne Criswell, New York City’s emergency management commissioner. The city is also requesting additional beds for intensive care units and medical teams to staff a convention center that may be turned into a temporary medical facility.” [New York Times, 3/17/20]
New York City Asked For 2 Million Masks, Ultimately Receiving 76,000, All Of Which Were Expired. According to the New York Times, “New York City also put in a request for more than 2 million masks and only received 76,000; all were expired, said Deanne Criswell, New York City’s emergency management commissioner. The city is also requesting additional beds for intensive care units and medical teams to staff a convention center that may be turned into a temporary medical facility.” [New York Times, 3/17/20]
March 18, 2020: There Were 8,350 Cases Of And 162 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on March 18, 2020 there were 8,350 cases of and 162 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
USDA Announced Plans To Appeal The Court Order Barring SNAP Work Requirements. According to The Hill, “The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) will appeal a court order barring a change to the food stamps program that could remove up to 700,000 recipients, the Associated Press reports. While the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program requires non-disabled adults without dependents to document that they have worked at least 80 hours a month for more than three months, states have the option to waive the requirements for areas with high unemployment rates. The proposed change would do away with this option. Judge Beryl Howell, an Obama appointee, ruled last week that the changes could not take effect, citing the coronavirus pandemic. ‘Especially now, as a global pandemic poses widespread health risks, guaranteeing that government officials at both the federal and state levels have flexibility to address the nutritional needs of residents and ensure their well-being through programs like SNAP, is essential,’ Howell wrote in her ruling. Asked for comment, the Department of Agriculture told the AP the ‘USDA disagrees with the court’s reasoning and will appeal its decision.’” [Hill, 3/18/20]
Kushner Created A Team Of Government Allies And Private Industry Representatives To Combat Coronavirus Outside Of The White House Task Force. According to the Washington Post, “Jared Kushner, President Trump’s son-in-law and a senior adviser, has created his own team of government allies and private industry representatives to work alongside the administration’s official coronavirus task force, adding another layer of confusion and conflicting signals within the White House’s disjointed response to the crisis.” [Washington Post, 3/18/20]
Kushner’s Team Caused Confusion In Chain Of Command Due To His Dual Roles Of Sr. Advisor And Family Member. According to the Washington Post, “But Kushner’s team is causing confusion among many officials involved in the response, who say they are unsure who is in charge given Kushner’s dual role as senior adviser and Trump family member. Some have privately dubbed his team a ‘shadow task force’ whose requests they interpret as orders they must balance with regular response efforts.” [Washington Post, 3/18/20]
Kushner Chose To Consult A Group Of Billionaires And Bankers, Some Of Whom Had No Public Health Experience. According to Vanity Fair, “Countries that have successfully contained their outbreaks have empowered scientists to lead the response. But when Jared Kushner set out in March to solve the diagnostic-testing crisis, his efforts began not with public health experts but with bankers and billionaires. They saw themselves as the “A-team of people who get shit done,” as one participant proclaimed in a March Politico article. Kushner’s brain trust included Adam Boehler, his summer college roommate who now serves as chief executive officer of the newly created U.S. International Development Finance Corporation, a government development bank that makes loans overseas. Other group members included Nat Turner, the cofounder and CEO of Flatiron Health, which works to improve cancer treatment and research. A Morgan Stanley banker with no notable health care experience, Jason Yeung took a leave of absence to join the task force. Along the way, the group reached out for advice to billionaires, such as Silicon Valley investor Marc Andreessen.” [Vanity Fair, 7/30/20]
Kushner Told His Shadow Taskforce That “The Free Market Will Solve” The Shortage Of PPE, Adding, “It’s Up To The States To Figure Out What They Want To Do.” According to Vanity Fair, “What actually transpired in the room stunned a number of those in attendance. Vanity Fair has reconstructed the details of the meeting for the first time, based on recollections, notes, and calendar entries from three people who attended the meeting. All quotations are based on the recollections of one or more individual attendees. Kushner, seated at the head of the conference table, in a chair taller than all the others, was quick to strike a confrontational tone. ‘The federal government is not going to lead this response,’ he announced. ‘It’s up to the states to figure out what they want to do.’ One attendee explained to Kushner that due to the finite supply of PPE, Americans were bidding against each other and driving prices up. To solve that, businesses eager to help were looking to the federal government for leadership and direction. ‘Free markets will solve this,’ Kushner said dismissively. ‘That is not the role of government.’” [Vanity Fair, 9/17/20]
DHS Lacked A Senate-Confirmed Leader And Had Vacancies Or Acting Appointees In 65 Percent Of The Top Department Jobs. According to NBC News, “As President Donald Trump imposes sweeping entry restrictions in a bid to stop the spread of the coronavirus — and considers still more — he's relying on an agency to help implement them that has been hollowed out at the top ranks in a revolving door of leadership, potentially hampering his administration's response to the crisis. It has been nearly a year since the Department of Homeland Security has had a Senate-confirmed leader. Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf, the fourth person to lead the agency in three years, has been on the job less than six months. In addition, 65 percent of top jobs in the department are vacant or filled by acting appointees, more than in any other federal agency, according to the Partnership for Public Service, a nonprofit group that advocates for more effective government. Among the vacancies are the No. 2 official at the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the department's top lawyer and the head of the country's immigration system.” [NBC News, 3/18/20]
Unfilled Jobs And A Leadership Vacuum Caused Major Decisions To Be Deferred And A Drop In Morale. According to NBC News, “That has led to a cascade of other unfilled jobs, a vacuum of leadership causing major decisions to be deferred and a drop in morale at the agency that was born out of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, to coordinate the government's response to threats, said people close to DHS. After a chaotic rollout over the weekend of restrictions on many travelers from Europe — where those returning to the U.S. were held for hours in cramped conditions — there are new concerns that the agency isn't prepared to manage what's to come. ‘You have the vacancies, the musical chairs with positions throughout the organization and policies that come down without a lot of forethought putting added stress on a workforce that already has an extremely crucial job to protect the homeland,’ said David Lapan, who was a spokesman for DHS during Trump's first year in office. ‘So at what point do we break them?’” [NBC News, 3/18/20]
Trump Announced He Was Invoking The Defense Production Act To Combat COVID-19. According to CNN, “President Donald Trump said during Wednesday’s White House press briefing that he will be invoking the Defense Production Act to help make up for potential medical supply shortages and deploy two hospital ships as the US battles the coronavirus pandemic. Trump said that he sees the country on wartime footing and himself as a wartime president amid the coronavirus crisis. ‘I view it -- in a sense as a wartime president,’ Trump said after announcing he was invoking the Defense Production Act, which was established in 1950 in response to production needs during the Korean War.” [CNN, 3/18/20]
The Defense Department Announced The Donation Of Essential Medical Equipment Weeks After Concerns Were Raised About Looming Supply Shortages. According to CNN, “Defense Secretary Mark Esper said at Wednesday’s briefing that the Defense Department will make available up to 5 million N95 masks and other personal protective equipment from US strategic reserves. ‘The first 1 million masks will be available immediately,’ he said. He also said they are also prepared to distribute ‘up to 2,000 operational deployable ventilators for use as needed’ the Department of Health and Human Services. The medical supply and personnel assistance comes following growing concerns for weeks, if not months, about a broad variety of shortages at hospitals. Former US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy said Sunday some doctors and nurses are already short on equipment such as gowns and gloves, and industry groups have been sounding the alarm with the Trump administration about possible shortages in supplies for several days, even weeks. State officials and hospitals have also been sounding the alarm about projected shortages of hospital beds to deal with critical coronavirus cases. The major US lab industry group has raised concerns with federal agencies over the past week about potential shortages of supplies, including N95 face masks and hand sanitizer.” [CNN, 3/18/20]
March 19, 2020: There Were 12,393 Cases Of And 212 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on March 19, 2020, there were 12,393 cases of and 212 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Trump Admitted He Played Down The Virus Publicly, Saying, “I Wanted To Always Play It Down” And, “I Still Like Playing It Down.” According to CNN, “‘I wanted to always play it down,’ Trump told Woodward on March 19, even as he had declared a national emergency over the virus days earlier. ‘I still like playing it down, because I don't want to create a panic.’ 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.” [CNN, 9/9/20]
Trump Knew The Virus Affected Children, Though He Would Go On To Later Downplay The Effect It Had On Young People
Trump Acknowledged The Threat To Young People In Woodward Interview. According to CNN, “By March 19, when Trump told Woodward he was purposely downplaying the dangers to avoid creating a panic, he also acknowledged the threat to young people. ‘Just today and yesterday, some startling facts came out. It's not just old, older. Young people too, plenty of young people,’ Trump said. Publicly, however, Trump has continued to insist just the opposite, saying as recently as August 5 that children were ‘almost immune.’” [CNN, 9/9/20]
The FDA Refused To Waive Regulations On Abortion Medication That Requires Patients To Receive Medication In-Person. According to VICE, “When Donald Trump used ‘two very big words’ to declare a national emergency over the novel coronavirus on Friday, he bragged about giving his top health official the ‘ability to waive laws to enable telehealth’ during the pandemic. But it appears that the president’s latitude will not apply to medication abortion care, a federal agency confirmed to VICE. People who want to end their pregnancies will have to navigate the same restrictions as always, which will become all the more complicated in a pandemic environment. While telemedicine abortion specifically enables providers to prescribe abortion pills from a distance, longstanding federal regulations require that clinics dispense mifepristone, one of the two drugs commonly used together in medication abortions, in person—meaning the drugs can’t be picked up at a pharmacy or sent in the mail. An abortion patient can choose to take their medication at home, but they can’t get it without leaving their home. These federal rules prevent people from staying home and flattening the pandemic curve, an action that saves lives.” [VICE, 3/19/20]
Trump Claimed The FDA Had Approved Chloroquine To Treat COVID-19. According to CNN, “President Donald Trump claimed during a White House briefing on Thursday that the Food and Drug Administration had approved the ‘very powerful’ drug chloroquine to treat coronavirus. Chloroquine is used to treat malaria, lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. ‘It's shown very encouraging -- very, very encouraging early results. And we're going to be able to make that drug available almost immediately. And that's where the FDA has been so great. They -- they've gone through the approval process; it's been approved. And they did it -- they took it down from many, many months to immediate. So we're going to be able to make that drug available by prescription or states,’ Trump said. He added: "Normally the FDA would take a long time to approve something like that, and it's -- it was approved very, very quickly and it's now approved, by prescription.” [CNN, 3/19/20]
After Trump’s Press Conference, FDA Said Chloroquine Had Not Been Approved For COVID-19. According to CNN, “Facts First: Chloroquine has not been approved by the FDA to treat the coronavirus -- and nor has any other drug, the FDA made clear in a post-briefing statement that said ‘there are no FDA-approved therapeutics or drugs to treat, cure or prevent COVID-19.’ Because chloroquine has been approved for other purposes, doctors are legally allowed to prescribe it for the unapproved or ‘off-label’ use of treating the coronavirus if they want. But its safety and effectiveness has not been proven with regard to the coronavirus. FDA Commissioner Dr. Stephen Hahn, speaking after Trump at the briefing, said that chloroquine would be tested through a ‘large, pragmatic clinical trial’ with coronavirus patients.” [CNN, 3/19/20]
There Was Little Evidence That The Drugs Had Any Positive Impact On Coronavirus Patients. According to Politico, “Health policy experts warn that while the drugs showed early promise in France, a just-released Chinese study suggested no effect at all, and far more data is needed before the medicines become the go-to treatment in a pandemic. Trump’s own health officials have preached caution and tried to temper his expectations for the drugs as a cure-all, sometimes even on stage with him at daily briefings.” [Politico, 3/27/20]
Trump Administration Official: Some White House Aides Learned Of Testing Shortage From Media, Not Public Health Officials. According to the Wall Street Journal, “Some White House aides learned of complaints about the availability of testing from the media, not the public-health officials in their own government, an administration official familiar with the matter said. Only in the first week of March did discussions in a White House coronavirus task force about the testing shortfall take on a sense of urgency, the person said.” [Wall Street Journal, 3/19/20]
The Trump Administration Stated It Could Take Up To 18 Months To Deliver Additional N95 Masks Due To Slow Manufacturing And Incremental Distribution. According to Bloomberg, “The 500 million N95 air-filtering respirator masks President Donald Trump said the federal government ordered could take up to 18 months to be delivered, according to the grant application. There has been a shortage of the masks, and health-care workers are being told to reuse them. The government is expecting the masks to be delivered incrementally, according to the application, but will allow those deliveries to occur over 18 months. Manufacturers in China aren’t able to fulfill the request. Health & Human Services Secretary Alex Azar could direct companies to produce and distribute the masks under an executive order signed Wednesday, but Trump said it would be used for a ‘worst-case scenario’ and hopefully wouldn’t be needed.” [Bloomberg, 3/19/20]
March 20, 2020: There Were 18,012 Cases Of And 277 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on March 20, 2020, there were 18,012 cases of and 277 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
The Pentagon Sought To Limit Troop Travel To Contain Coronavirus, But White House Pushed Back Citing Political Ramifications And Economic Impact. According to Politico, “The Pentagon and the White House, in the weeks leading up to the president’s national emergency declaration on Friday, quarreled over the response to the coronavirus outbreak that was sweeping the country. Defense Department leaders urged measures such as restricting troop travel in order to contain the virus. But other administration officials pushed back, arguing against any ‘rash’ steps that could have political ramifications and economic impact, defense officials told POLITICO.” [Politico, 3/20/20]
March 22, 2020: There Were 33,073 Cases Of And 458 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on March 22, 2020 there were 33,073 cases of and 458 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Trump Rejected Calls From Governors, Hospitals To Use Defense Production Act To Increase Supplies To Fight Coronavirus. According to the Hill, “President Trump on Sunday rejected calls from governors, hospitals and others to direct companies to ramp up production of critical supplies for the coronavirus fight through the use of the Defense Production Act.” [Hill, 3/22/20]
Trump Said He Used DPA For Leverage In Talking With Companies. According to the Hill, “President Trump on Sunday rejected calls from governors, hospitals and others to direct companies to ramp up production of critical supplies for the coronavirus fight through the use of the Defense Production Act. Trump argued that he has used the Defense Production Act (DPA) as leverage in negotiations with companies to get them to produce supplies and equipment for the coronavirus fight.” [Hill, 3/22/20]
Hospitals Said Market For Protective Gear Was Sold Out. According to the Hill, “Hospitals say that they need Trump to invoke the law to ramp up production of protective gear for health workers that is running dangerously low. They say the normal channels on the private market are sold out.” [Hill, 3/22/20]
Reuters Reported That The Trump Administration Cut A U.S. CDC Expert Embedded In China’s CDC. According to Reuters, “Several months before the coronavirus pandemic began, the Trump administration eliminated a key American public health position in Beijing intended to help detect disease outbreaks in China, Reuters has learned. The American disease expert, a medical epidemiologist embedded in China’s disease control agency, left her post in July, according to four sources with knowledge of the issue. The first cases of the new coronavirus may have emerged as early as November, and as cases exploded, the Trump administration in February chastised China for censoring information about the outbreak and keeping U.S. experts from entering the country to help.” [Reuters, 3/22/20]
The U.S. Expert Left After Learning Her Post Would Be Discontinued In September 2019. According to Reuters, “Quick left amid a bitter U.S. trade dispute with China when she learned her federally funded post, officially known as resident adviser to the U.S. Field Epidemiology Training Program in China, would be discontinued as of September, the sources said. The U.S. CDC said it first learned of a “cluster of 27 cases of pneumonia” of unexplained origin in Wuhan, China, on Dec. 31.” [Reuters, 3/22/20]
Trump Falsely Made Claims That Auto Manufacturers GM, Ford, And Tesla Had Begun Manufacturing Ventilators With His Permission. According to the Associated Press, “President Donald Trump is falsely asserting how quickly automakers including GM, Ford and Tesla can manufacture ventilators to help fill an acute U.S. shortage of the medical equipment for coronavirus patients. Ford and GM have yet to start production, and it would take them months, if not longer, to begin production, if it’s even possible. A look at the claim: TRUMP: ‘Ford, General Motors and Tesla are being given the go ahead to make ventilators and other metal products, FAST! @fema Go for it auto execs, lets see how good you are?’ — tweet Sunday. TRUMP, on addressing a shortage of ventilators: ‘General Motors, Ford, so many companies — I had three calls yesterday directly, without having to institute like: ‘You will do this’ — these companies are making them right now.’ — briefing Saturday. THE FACTS: No automaker is anywhere close to making medical gear such as ventilators and remain months away — if not longer. Nor do the car companies need the president’s permission to move forward. Neither GM or Ford is building ventilators at present, while Tesla CEO Elon Musk tweeted Friday that his company was ‘working on ventilators’ but he didn’t specify how long it might take. His tweets also questioned the need and said it couldn’t be done immediately. Unless automakers can move with unprecedented speed, redirecting plants to make completely different products will take a long time — possibly too long to help with medical gear shortages.” [Associated Press, 3/22/20]
General Motors Partnered With Ventec Life Systems To Support Ventilator Production, But Did Not Commit To Manufacturing Ventilators Independently. According to the Associated Press, “GM announced on Friday that it is working with ventilator maker Ventec Life Systems to ramp up production. The automaker said it would help with logistics, purchasing and manufacturing, but stopped short of saying it would make ventilators in its own factories, which have been idled for two weeks after workers who’d been fearful of the contagion put pressure on the company. Any manufacturing at GM would come much later. GM does have a lot of 3D printers and could make parts and other things to help, but it does not need permission from Trump. In fact, GM manufacturing engineers were at Ventec late last week working on this, well before Trump’s tweet.” [Associated Press, 3/22/20]
Ford Shared They Held Discussion With The Trump Administration To Review The “Feasibility” Of Ventilator Manufacturing, But Had Not Begun Any Production. According to the Associated Press, “Ford, which also suspended factory production along with other automakers with operations in North America, confirmed that it too was in discussions with the Trump administration about helping, but had not started. ‘We’re looking at feasibility,’ Ford spokesman T.R. Reid said. ‘It may be possible, but it’s not you go from Rangers (small pickups) one day to ventilators the next. We’re figuring out what is possible now.’” [Associated Press, 3/22/20]
Trump’s Endorsement Of Hydroxychloroquine To Treat COVID-19 Caused A Run On The Drug. According to ProPublica, “Trump’s push to use hydroxychloroquine to treat COVID-19 has triggered a run on the drug. Healthy people are stocking up just in case they come down with the disease. That has left lupus patients like Valdez and those with rheumatoid arthritis suddenly confronting a lack of medication that safeguards them, and not only from the effects of those conditions. If they were required to take stronger drugs to suppress their immune systems, it could render them susceptible to more serious consequences should they get COVID-19.” [ProPublica, 3/22/20]
Lupus Patients Faced A Shortage Of The Critical Drug Hydroxychloroquine Following Trump’s Baseless Claims That The Drug May Be Used Treatment For COVID-19. According to ProPublica, “The drug Plaquenil keeps Anna Valdez’s lupus in check. Late last week, as she sheltered in place at her home outside Santa Rosa, California, Valdez called her local pharmacy and ordered a refill to treat her autoimmune disorder, thinking a 90-day supply would help her ride out the coronavirus outbreak. But the pharmacy told her it had only 10 pills left. Valdez called other pharmacies. They, too, had run out. Valdez and lupus patients around the country have learned in recent days that an extraordinary force has upended the supply chain they all rely on: President Donald Trump. These days, Plaquenil is better known by its generic name, hydroxychloroquine. It is the medication Trump has been hyping as a potential treatment for the novel coronavirus, even though it is not approved for this use and there is scant medical evidence so far that it works to treat the virus.” [ProPublica, 3/22/20]
Despite Trump Initial Promises Of Widespread Retail-Chain Hosted Drive-Thru Testing, Very Few Test Sites Opened To The Public. According to the Associated Press, “Drive-thru sites have been opening around the United States to make it quicker and safer to test people for the new coronavirus. But much like the rest of the U.S. response to the pandemic, the system has been marked by inconsistencies, delays, and shortages. Many people who have symptoms and a doctor’s order have waited hours or days for a test. More than a week after President Donald Trump promised that states and retail stores such as Walmart and CVS would open drive-thru test centers, few sites are up and running, and they’re not yet open to the general public. Some states are leaving it to the private sector to open test locations; others are coordinating the effort through state health departments. Patients have complained that they had to jump through cumbersome bureaucratic hoops and wait days to get tested, then wait even longer for a result. Testing centers opened in some places only to be shut down shortly afterward because of shortages of supplies and staff. And while the drive-thru test centers that have opened are generally orderly, there have been long lines at some.” [Associated Press, 3/22/20]
Patients Across The U.S. Had Varied Results In Their Drive-Thru Testing Experiences With Numerous Drive Though Testing Sites Closed For Lack Of Supplies. According to the Associated Press, “The slow ramp-up of the COVID-19 testing and the spotty nature now of the system makes it hard for public health officials to track the spread of the disease and bring it under control. […] Dozens of people waiting in cars at a center in Homestead, Florida, on Wednesday, waited their turn to speak with a screener wearing a gown and mask and carrying a clipboard. Some were apparently turned away. Others were waved through, had their temperatures checked and were swabbed for samples. But supply shortages have shut down drive-thrus in several states, including Colorado, New Mexico, Virginia, Florida, Louisiana, Alabama, North Carolina, and Utah. One Las Vegas site was closed because it didn’t have enough workers. New York state opened several centers to great fanfare on Tuesday. By Friday, however, New York City’s health department issued an alert saying only people who require hospitalization should be tested, due to shortages of protective equipment such as face masks. Drive-thru sites in New York State remain open, but only to people who meet certain criteria. The vast network of drive-thru sites at retail chains that Trump said more than a week ago was coming has so far failed to materialize. CVS has opened one site in Massachusetts, which it calls a ‘model for testing.’ Walmart launched two sites Sunday, and Walgreens said it’s launching one, all three in Illinois. Only health care workers and first responders are allowed, and Walmart said a maximum 150 tests per day could be performed at its federal sites.” [Associated Press, 3/22/20]
Varied Levels Of Accessibility Spread Confusion Of How Individuals Could Procure Tests. According to the Associated Press, “The patchwork of approaches has caused confusion for patients. Caroline Mauldin was ordered to get a test by her doctor in Charleston, South Carolina, on Tuesday, after experiencing aches and chills for several days. To get an appointment at a drive-thru site at a medical center, she had to fill out a lengthy online questionnaire and she spent two days calling a number that rolled to voicemail and wouldn’t take messages. She resorted to tweeting at the hospital several times just to move things forward. Finally, on Thursday, she got an appointment for Monday. And she was told the results would not come back until four to five days after that. The visit will cost her $25, she said. Complicating matters, she doesn’t have a car and has to borrow one from a friend. ‘We have a lot of elderly, low-income people here who don’t have access to the internet and who don’t have access to transportation. And given that they’re the highest risk population, how are we getting tests to them?’ she asked. In urban area such as New York and Philadelphia, some sites are providing ‘walk-up’ appointments for people with no cars.” [Associated Press, 3/22/20]
FEMA Director Gaynor Was Unable To Give Accurate Details How His Agency Planned To Distribute Masks To Address The National Shortage. According to Politico, “Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Peter Gaynor said Sunday that masks are currently being shipped to states, particularly hot spots like New York City and California — an announcement that comes as health care workers grow increasingly desperate for critical medical gear. However, Gaynor was unable to give more detail on when the masks would arrive or provide specific numbers. ‘They have been distributed. They’ve been distributed over the past couple of weeks. They’re shipping today. They’ll ship tomorrow,’ he said on ABC’s ‘This Week.’ ABC’s Martha Raddatz asked Gaynor if facilities would get them in time before the health system in critically affected states is overwhelmed. ‘Again, they’re shipping today, they shipped yesterday and they’re shipping tomorrow.’ The White House coronavirus task force announced Saturday that 600 million N-95 masks were ordered to protect U.S. health care workers, but officials were unable to answer when they would be ready for use. At the briefing, Gaynor told reporters: ‘Every single governor across the country is looking for the exact same thing, so it’s a balance’ and added that the masks ‘are out there now.’” [Politico, 3/22/20]
March 23, 2020: There Were 43,505 Cases Of And 579 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on March 23, 2020, there were 43,505 cases of and 579 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Trump Compared Coronavirus To Car Crash Fatalities. According to Politico, “Still, Trump leaned on several dubious arguments to support his position. He fell back on a widely panned comparison between the fatality rates of coronavirus and the common flu, the latter of which can kill tens of thousands of Americans a year. He also repeated a similarly criticized comparison of coronavirus to the number of Americans killed in car crashes annually. Experts have called both attempts to draw parallels with coronavirus instances of false equivalency.” [Politico, 3/23/20]
Experts Called It A False Equivalency. According to Politico, “Still, Trump leaned on several dubious arguments to support his position. He fell back on a widely panned comparison between the fatality rates of coronavirus and the common flu, the latter of which can kill tens of thousands of Americans a year. He also repeated a similarly criticized comparison of coronavirus to the number of Americans killed in car crashes annually. Experts have called both attempts to draw parallels with coronavirus instances of false equivalency.” [Politico, 3/23/20]
Without Evidence, Trump Claimed That The Economic Downturn Caused By Social Distancing Could Result In More Deaths “Than Anything We Are Talking About With Respect To The Virus.” According to Politico, “The president complained that he didn’t want to let the ‘cure’ to the fast-spreading pandemic — social isolation that has prompted the shuttering of businesses across the country and cratered the economy — to be worse than the disease itself. He even claimed, without evidence, that the economic downturn caused by continuing the social distancing recommendation could result in more deaths ‘than anything we are talking about with respect to the virus’ […] Then Trump asserted that economic downturns could be fatal in their own right. ‘People get tremendous anxiety and depression, and you have suicides over things like this, when you have terrible economies. You have death,’ the president argued, adding — without evidence — that ‘probably ... definitely, it would be in far greater numbers than the numbers we’re talking about with regard to the virus.” [Politico, 3/23/20]
Trump Tweeted That The Coronavirus Cure Cannot “Be Worse Than The Problem Itself.” According to the New York Times, “President Trump on Sunday night said that the government would reassess the recommended period for keeping businesses shut and millions of workers at home after this week, amid millions of job losses caused by the efforts to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus. ‘WE CANNOT LET THE CURE BE WORSE THAN THE PROBLEM ITSELF,’ Mr. Trump tweeted in all capital letters shortly before midnight. ‘AT THE END OF THE 15 DAY PERIOD, WE WILL MAKE A DECISION AS TO WHICH WAY WE WANT TO GO!’” [New York Times, 3/23/20]
After Six Trump Businesses Closed Due To The Coronavirus Outbreak, Trump Began To Publicly Share His Intention To Ease Restrictions On Movement. According to The Washington Post, “President Trump’s private business has shut down six of its top seven revenue-producing clubs and hotels because of restrictions meant to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, potentially depriving Trump’s company of millions of dollars in revenue. Those closures come as Trump is considering easing restrictions on movement sooner than federal public health experts recommend, in the name of reducing the virus’s economic damage. In a tweet late Sunday, Trump said the measures could be lifted as soon as March 30. ‘WE CANNOT LET THE CURE BE WORSE THAN THE PROBLEM ITSELF,’ he wrote on Twitter. In his unprecedented dual role as president and owner of a sprawling business, Trump is facing dual crises caused by the coronavirus. As he is trying to manage the pandemic from the White House, limiting its casualties as well as the economic fallout, his company is also navigating a major threat to the hospitality industry.” [Washington Post, 3/23/20]
Trump Refused To Commit To Following The Advice Of Health Experts Stating That “America Will Again And Soon Be Open For Business.” According to Politico, “President Donald Trump on Monday said he planned to pull the U.S. economy out of its coronavirus-induced slumber in a matter of weeks, and refused to commit to following the advice of his handpicked health experts — many of whom have warned that it will be a matter of months before it will be safe to reopen the country again — when reassessing guidelines for social isolation. ‘Our country wasn’t built to be shut down. This is not a country that was built for this,’ Trump insisted to reporters during a White House press briefing with his coronavirus task force on Monday evening, predicting that ‘America will again and soon be open for business. Very soon. A lot sooner than three or four months that somebody was suggesting.’” [Politico, 3/23/20]
Trump Initially Resisted Fauci’s First Social Distancing Recommendation. According to CNN, “Officials aren’t sure where Trump will ultimately land after 15 days -- and Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease specialist who has pushed for tough mitigation steps -- will continue to act as a critical voice behind the scenes. Trump was initially resistant to Fauci’s recommendations that he take steps to encourage social distancing during the first go-around, people familiar with the deliberations said. After coming under intense criticism for not acting more decisively, Trump went ahead with the recommendations -- but remains unconvinced it was the right decision. […] One person who is not easing back is Fauci. If it were up to him, an official said, ‘there would be no contact between humans until July.’ In recent days, Fauci has been vocal in his disagreements with Trump -- including in interviews openly discussing his role in correcting the President’s false or misleading statements. ‘I can’t jump in front of the microphone and push him down,’ Fauci said in an interview with Science magazine. ‘OK, he said it. Let’s try and get it corrected for the next time.’” [CNN, 3/23/20]
Trump Admitted The Coronavirus Crisis Could Worsen, But Still Advocated For Easing Social Distancing Guidelines To Boost The Economy. According to CNN, “President Donald Trump signaled Monday he is aware things may get worse before they get better as the country battles the coronavirus pandemic. But nonetheless he is itching to ease federal guidelines that have shuttered businesses and kept workers at home, insisting the economy must be reopened even if some of the health professionals on his team appear to disagree. ‘Our country wasn’t built to be shut down. This is not a country that was built for this. It was not built to be shut down,’ he said during an evening briefing at the White House, even as he acknowledged Monday the effects of coronavirus are likely to worsen. ‘Certainly, this is going to be bad,’ Trump said. The dueling positions underscored the dynamic currently animating Trump’s coronavirus task force, which is split on whether the self-isolating measures are worth the cost to the economy.” [CNN, 3/23/20]
Unable To Host Campaign Rallies, Trump Organized His Daily Coronavirus Press Conferences To Serve As A Replacement. According to CNN, “President Donald Trump complained that he is treated unfairly. He touted his tax cuts. He told his usual lie about how he is the one who got the Obama-era Veterans Choice program passed into law. He told a story about how he had never been booed before 2015. He said, three times, that his wife is ‘very popular.’ The coronavirus crisis has prevented Trump from holding his signature campaign rallies. So he has turned his daily White House coronavirus briefings, like the one on Sunday, into a kind of special spinoff of the familiar Trump Show -- replete with all the usual misinformation, self-promotion and potshots. Trump’s marathon Monday briefing ran for more than 100 minutes. Like his arena addresses, his appearances in the briefing room tend to follow a rough formula” [CNN, 3/23/20].
After Trump Endorsed The Use Of Chloroquine To Treat COVID-19, An Arizona Couple Attempted To Self-Medicate With A Drug That Contained Chloroquine Resulting In Both Their Hospitalization And The Man’s Eventual Death. According to BuzzFeed, “A man died and his wife needed critical care after they both took a drug meant for aquariums that contains chloroquine, a drug President Trump recently touted as a treatment for COVID-19 in spite of a lack of study by health officials or approval by the World Health Organization. According to the Banner Health hospital system in Phoenix, the couple, both in their sixties, ingested chloroquine phosphate, ‘an additive commonly used at aquariums to clean fish tanks.’ One aquarium supply store online described it as a ‘wonder drug’ that was once only available through veterinarians — for saltwater fish, not humans. The site is currently sold out of the drug. Thirty minutes after taking the chloroquine phosphate, the couple experienced serious, immediate effects that required them to go to the hospital.” [BuzzFeed, 3/24/20]
The Widow Of The Deceased Made A Statement Citing Trump’s Televised Press Briefing And Fear Of Contracting The Disease As The Couple’s Motivation For Ingesting The Drug. According to NBC News, “The man’s wife told NBC News she’d watched televised briefings during which President Trump talked about the potential benefits of chloroquine. Even though no drugs are approved to prevent or treat COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, some early research suggests it may be useful as a therapy. The name ‘chloroquine’ resonated with the man’s wife, who asked that her name not be used to protect the family’s privacy. She’d used it previously to treat her koi fish. ‘I saw it sitting on the back shelf and thought, ‘Hey, isn’t that the stuff they’re talking about on TV?’ The couple — both in their 60s and potentially at higher risk for complications of the virus — decided to mix a small amount of the substance with a liquid and drink it as a way to prevent the coronavirus. ‘We were afraid of getting sick,’ she said. Within 20 minutes, both became extremely ill, at first feeling ‘dizzy and hot.’” [NBC News, 3/23/20]
Trump Refused To Commit To Blocking His Companies From Seeking Congressional Bailout Funds To Address The Ongoing Coronavirus Crisis. According to the Huffington Post, “President Donald Trump on Sunday refused to say if he would bar his own company from receiving stimulus money included in any potential bailout package Congress passed to deal with the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. ‘I’ve learned, let’s just see what happens,’ the president told reporters at the White House when asked about the Trump Organization. ‘Because we have to save some of these great companies.’ […] While declining to give a firm answer about the Trump Organization, which owns many hotels and golf clubs already impacted by the coronavirus, the president also said he hadn’t gotten enough credit for refusing to take home a salary while in office. ‘Nobody said ‘thank you,’ the president said, also noting it was ‘very hard for rich people to run for office.’ Reporters also asked Trump whether he had sold any stocks in recent weeks. Reports have emerged indicating several lawmakers, including Sens. Richard Burr (R-N.C.), Kelly Loeffler (R-Ga.) and Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), sold hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars in holdings after Congress began receiving private briefings on the coronavirus outbreak. (All three have denied any impropriety.) ‘I don’t have stock,’ Trump said. ‘I own things.’ ‘Nasty question, and yet it deserves to be asked I guess,’ he added. ‘What I’ve done, by deciding to run … it costs me billions of dollars to become president.’” [Huffington Post, 3/23/20]
Asked About Who Would Oversee The Allocation Of The $500 Billion Corporate Slush Fund In The Senate Republican Economic Relief Package, Trump Dismissed Concerns Saying, “I’ll Be The Oversight.” According to Intelligencer, “Monday’s White House coronavirus press conference brought a slew of questions as reporters hoped to parse out why and when President Trump intends to lift the national social distancing measures and how the Republican stimulus bill would responsibly distribute a $500 billion corporate slush fund that currently allows for the Treasury Secretary to withhold the names of the businesses that receive bailout cash. […] Answering the question of who would provide accountability for the unrestricted distribution of half-a-trillion dollars, Trump’s response was even less promising: ‘I’ll be the oversight. I’ll be the oversight.’ Anyone with a cursory memory of Trump’s time in office should be hesitant to hand over a sum roughly equivalent to the GDP of Belgium to a figure that is legally not allowed to run a charity in New York state.” [Intelligencer, 3/23/20]
March 24, 2020: There Were 53,938 Cases Of And 785 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on March 24, 2020, there were 53,938 cases of and 785 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Politico Reported That In 2017, The Department Of Homeland Security Stopped Updating Its Annual Models Of The Havoc That Pandemics Would Wreak On America’s Critical Infrastructure. According to Politico, “The Department of Homeland Security stopped updating its annual models of the havoc that pandemics would wreak on America’s critical infrastructure in 2017, according to current and former DHS officials with direct knowledge of the matter. From at least 2005 to 2017, an office inside DHS, in tandem with analysts and supercomputers at several national laboratories, produced detailed analyses of what would happen to everything from transportation systems to hospitals if a pandemic hit the United States.” [Politico, 3/24/20]
Former Officials Claimed That The Trump Administration Stopped Updating The Models After A Bureaucratic Dispute Over Their Value. According to Politico, “But the work abruptly stopped in 2017 amid a bureaucratic dispute over its value, two of the former officials said, leaving the department flat-footed as it seeks to stay ahead of the impacts the COVID-19 outbreak is having on vast swathes of the U.S. economy. Officials at other agencies have requested some of the reports from the pandemic modeling unit at DHS in recent days, only to find the information they needed scattered or hard to find quickly. And while department leaders dispute that, others say the confusion is just the latest example of the Trump administration’s struggle to respond to an outbreak that has sickened more than 50,000 Americans and threatens to overwhelm hospitals and other healthcare providers. Officials are now scrambling to secure enough masks, respirators and ventilators to meet the rapidly exploding need. Doctors and nurses are reusing their protective gear as supplies dwindle; governors are begging the administration for federal help that has been slow to arrive.” [Politico, 3/24/20]
Trump Announced He Hoped To Have The Country “Opened Up” By Easter. According to The Hill, “President Trump on Tuesday said he hopes to have the country ‘opened up’ by Easter — Sunday, April 12 — his most concrete goal to date for easing off restrictions meant to curb the spread of the coronavirus. Trump in a Fox News virtual town hall doubled down on his push to reopen businesses in a matter of weeks in order to reinvigorate an economy stunned by the growing pandemic. ‘You can destroy a country this way, by closing it down, where it literally goes from being the most prosperous,’ Trump said. ‘I would love to have the country opened up and just raring to go by Easter,’ Trump later added. His decision to set a specific date came after days of discussion among advisers, but the truncated time frame breaks with public health experts and some lawmakers who have said containing the virus should take precedence.” [Hill, 3/24/20]
Following Fauci’s Repeated Assertions That There Was No “Definitive Proof” Supporting Chloroquine’s Effectiveness To Treat COVID-19, Trump Tweeted The Exact Opposite. According to BuzzFeed, “Fauci later went on Fox News to emphasize that there is no ‘definitive proof’ the drug is effective. But on Saturday, the president heralded the drug’s promise again, tweeting that coupling chloroquine with the antibiotic azithromycin has ‘a real chance to be one of the biggest game changers in the history of medicine.’” [BuzzFeed, 3/24/20]
FEMA Stated That It Would Use The DPA Then Later The Same Day Reversed Itself On Use Of The DPA To Secure Test Kits And Masks. According to Politico, “The Federal Emergency Management Agency said it ultimately did not have to use the Defense Production Act to secure medical equipment needed to fight the coronavirus pandemic, reversing an announcement by the head of the agency on Tuesday morning. FEMA Administrator Peter Gaynor had said earlier in the day that the Trump administration would formally implement the emergency measure to stock up on vital medical supplies. He said triggering the act would help access “about 60,000 test kits,” and added that the administration would insert “DPA language” into the mass contracts for the federal government’s order of 500 million personal protective masks. […] But late Tuesday night, FEMA press secretary Lizzie Litzow changed coursed, writing: ‘At the last minute we were able to procure the test kits from the private market without evoking the DPA.’ Federal delays in rolling out widespread testing have sparked criticism from state officials, who have said they are woefully underprepared to handle the unfurling outbreak. One testing kit serves roughly 300 to 400 patients.” [Politico, 3/24/20]
Trump Told Chera To Go To His Beach House In New Jersey Which Would Be “Safer” Than New York City. According to the New York Post, “The 78-year-old developer, who introduced his good pal President Trump at last fall’s Veterans Day Parade, was rushed to New York Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center in recent days from his summer home near Deal, New Jersey, with an unknown illness, sources said. As the coronavirus pandemic grew, Trump had advised his longtime friend to decamp to Deal, where many Syrian Jewish families have large homes on the Atlantic Ocean, saying it would be ‘safer’ than New York City, real estate sources said.” [New York Post, 3/24/20]
Chera Was Hospitalized During Coronavirus Pandemic. According to the New York Post, “Real estate honcho Stanley Chera has been hospitalized in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. The 78-year-old developer, who introduced his good pal President Trump at last fall’s Veterans Day Parade, was rushed to New York Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center in recent days from his summer home near Deal, New Jersey, with an unknown illness, sources said.” [New York Post, 3/24/20]
The White House Confirmed That Trump Had Recently Talked To Chera. According to the New York Post., “A White House spokesperson in a cryptic email only said that the president ‘connected with Stanley’ and that ‘all is resolved.’” [New York Post, 3/24/20]
Chera Donated $169,500 To Trump Victory. According to Politico, “But several of the six-figure donations to Trump’s campaign were made by donors with connections to the news: New York real estate mogul Stanley Chera, who is active in the city’s Sephardic Jewish community, gave $169,500 to Trump Victory on May 24th, ten days after the United States opened its embassy to Israel in Jerusalem.” [Politico, 7/15/18]
Chera Introduced Trump At A 2019 Veterans Day Parade. According to the New York Post, “Real estate honcho Stanley Chera has been hospitalized in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. The 78-year-old developer, who introduced his good pal President Trump at last fall’s Veterans Day Parade, was rushed to New York Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center in recent days from his summer home near Deal, New Jersey, with an unknown illness, sources said.” [Post, 3/24/20]
Chera And His Family Owned Stores In The Base Of 666 5th Avenue While The Building Was Owned By The Kushner Family. According to the New York Post, “One of his three sons, Haim Chera, now an executive with Vornado Realty Trust, texted on Monday that his father was ‘doing very well.’ Chera and brother, Isaac Sr., founded the family-owned Crown Acquisitions with clothing stores in Brooklyn before it started buying up real estate. Crown is now an investor in some World Trade Center buildings and the owner of numerous Brooklyn and Manhattan retail assets, including the Fulton Mall, stores in the base of Olympic Tower and the St. Regis Hotel. It also owned stores at the base of 666 Fifth Ave. when that building was owned and operated by the Kushner family, including Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner.” [New York Post, 3/24/20]
Chera Entered A Coma While Combating A Case Of Coronavirus. According to the Daily News, “A Manhattan real estate mogul and longtime friend of President Trump slipped into a coma after a coronavirus diagnosis, influencing the White House’s change of heart for an Easter Sunday relaxing of COVID-19 restrictions, according to Vanity Fair magazine. The president was deeply shaken by the news about Stanley Chera, a 78-year-old Trump pal and founder of Crown Acquisitions. Chera has been a frequent White House guest, and organized several fundraisers for his fellow developer. ‘Boy did that hit home,’ said Bill White, another New York donor to the Trump campaign, told the magazine. ‘Stan is one of his best friends.’ The bad news, along with worries about the November election and the virus’ spread, were enough to convince Trump that a less aggressive plan was in order, the magazine reported. The president was quoted as telling a friend that the pandemic was now the only issue going forward for his run at a second term.” [Daily News, 4/1/20]
April 11, 2020: Chera, Died After Contracting Coronavirus. According to Politico, “A friend and donor to President Donald Trump who the president had said was in a coma and seriously ill after becoming infected with the coronavirus has died. Stanley I. Chera’s death Saturday was reported by The Real Deal, which covers the New York real estate industry. The publication cited unidentified sources who have worked with Crown Acquisitions, the firm Chera founded and ran. Chera was in his late 70s. A White House official on Sunday confirmed Chera’s identity and ties to the president. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity to share details about Trump’s personal friendships.” [Politico, 4/12/20]
March 25, 2020: There Were 68,572 Cases Of And 1,054 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on March 25, 2020, there were 68,572 cases of and 1,054 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
The Trump Administration Slashed Staff By More Than Two-Thirds At A Key CDC Public Health Agency Operating Inside China As Part Of A Larger Rollback. According to Reuters, “The Trump administration cut staff by more than two-thirds at a key U.S. public health agency operating inside China, as part of a larger rollback of U.S.-funded health and science experts on the ground there leading up to the coronavirus outbreak, Reuters has learned. Most of the reductions were made at the Beijing office of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and occurred over the past two years, according to public CDC documents viewed by Reuters and interviews with four people familiar with the drawdown. The Atlanta-based CDC, America’s preeminent disease fighting agency, provides public health assistance to nations around the world and works with them to help stop outbreaks of contagious diseases from spreading globally. It has worked in China for 30 years. [Reuters, 3/25/20]
The Staff Cuts Included Epidemiologists And Other Health Professionals. According to Reuters, “The CDC’s China headcount has shrunk to around 14 staffers, down from approximately 47 people since President Donald Trump took office in January 2017, the documents show. The four people, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the losses included epidemiologists and other health professionals […] ‘The CDC office in Beijing is a shell of its former self,’ said one of the people, a U.S. official who worked in China at the time of the drawdown.” [Reuters, 3/25/20]
2018: USDA Transferred Animal Disease Monitoring Program Manager Out Of China. According to Reuters, “Separately, the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the global relief program which had a role in helping China monitor and respond to outbreaks, also shut their Beijing offices on Trump’s watch. Before the closures, each office was staffed by a U.S. official. In addition, the U.S. Department of Agriculture(USDA) transferred out of China in 2018 the manager of an animal disease monitoring program.” [Reuters, 3/25/20]
The National Science Foundation (NSF) And USAID, Which Had A Role In Helping China Monitor And Respond To Outbreaks, Also Shut Down Their Beijing Offices On Trump’s Watch. According to Reuters, “Separately, the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the global relief program which had a role in helping China monitor and respond to outbreaks, also shut their Beijing offices on Trump’s watch. Before the closures, each office was staffed by a U.S. official. In addition, the U.S. Department of Agriculture(USDA) transferred out of China in 2018 the manager of an animal disease monitoring program.” [Reuters, 3/25/20]
The Trump Administration Rejected Appeals To Slow Deregulatory Action By EPA. According to the Associated Press, “The Trump administration is rejecting appeals to slow its deregulatory drive while Americans grapple with the coronavirus, pushing major public health and environmental rollbacks closer to enactment in recent days despite the pandemic. As Americans stockpiled food and medicine and retreated indoors and business shuttered in hopes of riding out COVID-19, federal agencies in recent days moved forward on rollbacks that included a widely opposed deregulatory action by the Environmental Protection Agency. The proposed rule would require disclosure of the raw data behind any scientific study used in the rulemaking process. That includes confidential medical records that opponents say could be used to identify people […] The EPA has dismissed demands from 14 attorneys general, the National Governors Association, the National League of Cities and dozens of other government, public health and environmental groups and officials that it at least tap the brakes on that proposed rule while officials confront “the national emergency that arises from the COVID-19 pandemic.” [Associated Press, 3/25/20]
Politico Reported That Trump Ignored The Response Strategies Outlined In The NSC Pandemic Playbook. According to Politico, “The NSC devised the guide — officially called the Playbook for Early Response to High-Consequence Emerging Infectious Disease Threats and Biological Incidents, but known colloquially as ‘the pandemic playbook’ — across 2016. The project was driven by career civil servants as well as political appointees, aware that global leaders had initially fumbled their response to the 2014-2015 spread of Ebola and wanting to be sure that the next response to an epidemic was better handled. […] The document rested with NSC officials who dealt with medical preparedness and biodefense in the global health security directorate, which the Trump administration disbanded in 2018, four former officials said. The document was originally overseen by Beth Cameron, a former civil servant who led the directorate before leaving the White House in March 2017. Cameron confirmed to POLITICO that the directorate created a playbook for NSC staff intended to help officials confront a range of potential biological threats. But under the Trump administration, ‘it just sat as a document that people worked on that was thrown onto a shelf,’ said one former U.S. official, who served in both the Obama and Trump administrations. ‘It’s hard to tell how much senior leaders at agencies were even aware that this existed’ or thought it was just another layer of unnecessary bureaucracy.” [Politico, 3/25/20]
The Pandemic Playbook Was Designed To Coordinate An All-Of-Government Approach With Which The Trump Administration Has Struggled. According to Politico, “The NSC playbook would have been especially useful in helping to drive the administration’s response to coronavirus, given that it was intended to guide urgent decisions and coordinate the all-of-government approach that Trump so far has struggled to muster, said people familiar with the document. The color-coded playbook contains different sections based on the relative risk — green for normal operations, yellow for elevated threat, orange for credible threat and red once a public health emergency is declared — and details the potential roles of dozens of departments and agencies, from key players like the Health and Human Services department to the Department of Transportation and the FBI. It also includes sample documents intended to be used at coordinating meetings.” [Politico, 3/25/20]
March 26, 2020: There Were 85,570 Cases Of And 1,353 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S.. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on March 26, 2020, there were 85,570 cases of and 1,353 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Trump Downplayed The Urgent Need For Ventilators, Saying, “I Don’t Believe You Need 40,000 Or 30,000 Ventilators.” According to the New York Times, “But in an interview Thursday night with Sean Hannity, the president played down the need for ventilators. ‘I don’t believe you need 40,000 or 30,000 ventilators,’ he said, a reference to New York, where Gov. Andrew Cuomo has appealed for federal help in obtaining them. ‘You go into major hospitals sometimes, and they’ll have two ventilators. And now all of a sudden, they’re saying, ‘Can we order 30,000 ventilators?’’ […] The shortage of ventilators has emerged as one of the major criticisms of the Trump administration’s response to the coronavirus. The need to quickly equip hospitals across the country with tens of thousands more of the devices to treat those most seriously ill with the virus was not anticipated despite the Trump administration’s own projection in a simulation last year that millions of people could be hospitalized. And even now, the effort to produce them has been confused and disorganized.” [New York Times, 3/26/20]
Numerous Governors Said They Were Competing With The Federal Government And Other States For Medical Supplies. According to the Washington Post, “The governors of New York, Texas, Illinois and other states have said they are competing with the federal government and other states in a mad scramble for lifesaving supplies such as surgical masks, N95 respirators, isolation gowns and ventilators that are widely drained or out of stock. They are also dealing with a frenzy of pitches from unknown suppliers offering to sell them the materials directly from Chinese factories. Christian Mitchell, deputy governor of Illinois, said he’s on a team of more than a dozen staffers attempting to sort through a dizzying array of sellers offering masks and medical equipment. ‘You’ll have a friend of a friend of a guy who has a friend of a cousin who maybe does business in China, and you have to make sure: Is this person legitimate?’ Mitchell said in an interview. ‘Can they give you pictures, or can they actually send you samples? In Texas, officials with a Supply Chain Strike Force convened this week by Gov. Greg Abbott (R) are manning the phones inside the state’s emergency operations center in hopes of screening a rush of international brokers and businesses. ‘I’m getting emails, LinkedIn messages, Facebook messages from people I’ve never heard of in my entire life, saying, ‘I’ve got a supplier that can get you this or that,’ said John Wittman, an Abbott spokesman.” [Washington Post, 3/26/20]
Twenty Of The 75 Senior Positions At DHS Were Either Vacant Or Filled By Acting Officials. According to the New York Times, “The Department of Homeland Security, the agency tasked with screening at airports and carrying out the travel restrictions that were Mr. Trump’s first major action to combat the coronavirus, is full of vacancies. Of the 75 senior positions listed on the department’s website, 20 are either vacant or filled by acting officials. Mr. Wolf is the acting homeland security secretary, and Kenneth T. Cuccinelli II, a representative on the coronavirus task force, is the department’s acting deputy secretary. The deputy administrators of the Transportation Security Administration and Federal Emergency Management Agency also serve in acting capacities. [New York Times, 3/26/20]
Since Trump Came Into Office, 80% Of Senior Positions At The White House Had Turned Over With 500 Departures. According to the New York Times, “Ever since President Trump came into office, a record high turnover and unfilled jobs have emptied offices across wide sections of the federal bureaucracy. Now, current and former administration officials and disaster experts say the coronavirus has exposed those failings as never before and left parts of the federal government unprepared and ill equipped for what may be the largest public health crisis in a century. Some 80 percent of the senior positions in the White House below the cabinet level have turned over during Mr. Trump’s administration, with about 500 people having departed since the inauguration. Mr. Trump is on his fourth chief of staff, his fourth national security adviser and his fifth secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. Between Mr. Trump’s history of firing people and the choice by many career officials and political appointees to leave, he now finds himself with a government riddled with vacancies, acting department chiefs and, in some cases, leaders whose professional backgrounds do not easily match up ot the task of managing a pandemic.” [New York Times, 3/26/20]
Several Trump Businesses Resisted The Federal Call To Reduce Gatherings, While Others Met Reduced Services With Mass Employee Layoffs. According to Politico, “Some of Trump’s properties were initially slow to respond to government calls to limit business activities that involved large gatherings of people. Some kept advertising banquets and spa services, for instance. Other properties remain open in a limited capacity and are still promoting some activities, such as rounds of golf. The Trump International Hotel in Washington remains open even though only about 5 percent of its rooms are occupied, according to John Boardman, executive secretary-treasurer of the D.C. affiliate of Unite Here, which represents 172 employees at the hotel. About 160 employees, including bartenders, housekeepers, doormen, were laid off, he said.” [Politico, 3/26/20]
Trump Teased A New Plan To Reopen Swaths Of The Country Previously Shuttered By Coronavirus Via A County-By-County Mitigation Effort. According to Politico, “President Donald Trump on Thursday teased a new plan to reopen swaths of the country shuttered by the coronavirus pandemic via a targeted, county-by-county mitigation effort. In a letter to the nation's governors released by the White House, Trump outlined a system to conduct ‘robust surveillance testing’ that would allow the federal government to ‘classify counties with respect to continued risks posed’ by the coronavirus, rather than apply one set of nationwide social distancing guidelines, as the CDC did a little over a week ago. The promise of new guidelines, which the president said his administration is still working on, represents the latest push by Trump to roll back restrictions on Americans' activities with the goal of blunting the economic devastation from the still-surging outbreak.” [Politico, 3/26/20]
HHS Kept Its Gym Open As The Coronavirus Pandemic Closed Private Gyms. According to Politico, “The federal health department kept its own fitness center open even as the coronavirus outbreak raged and private gyms shuttered their doors. Staff at the Health and Human Services department received an email on Wednesday afternoon, which was shared with POLITICO, reminding them that ‘the HHS fitness center remains open.’ An attendant at the gym around 1 p.m. on Thursday also confirmed that the facility was open […] The HHS fitness center stayed open even as gyms around the country temporarily closed after the White House last week warned against gatherings of more than 10 people and called for Americans to self-isolate. Meanwhile, White House coronavirus coordinator Deborah Birx and other top health officials have warned that the coronavirus is likely being spread through traces of the virus left on commonly used surfaces, like subway poles, and have urged Americans to take caution when using shared spaces.” [Politico, 3/26/20]
After Considering The $1 Billion Price Tag For Ventilators, The White House Pulled Back An Announcement Of Their Deal With General Motors And Ventec Life Systems To Produce Up To 80,000. According to the New York Times, “The White House had been preparing to reveal on Wednesday a joint venture between General Motors and Ventec Life Systems that would allow for the production of as many as 80,000 desperately needed ventilators to respond to an escalating pandemic when word suddenly came down that the announcement was off. The decision to cancel the announcement, government officials say, came after the Federal Emergency Management Agency said it needed more time to assess whether the estimated cost was prohibitive. That price tag was more than $1 billion, with several hundred million dollars to be paid upfront to General Motors to retool a car parts plant in Kokomo, Ind., where the ventilators would be made with Ventec’s technology.” [New York Times, 3/26/20]
Health Organizations Across The Country Improvised With Household Materials And Repurposed Veterinary Devices. According to the Washington Post, “Rhonda Medows, president for population health at Providence St. Joseph Health in Seattle, one of the largest hospital systems on the West Coast, said she and other executives have been pleading for weeks with federal agencies for help to fill the shortfall in needed supplies. They’ve received few answers and pitifully small shipments. The only positive response came from the Department of Agriculture, which she said offered to help find large animal ventilators that could be converted for human use. Some medical professionals have pursued last-ditch attempts to safeguard their health. Lee Saunders, a union leader representing health-care workers, said Thursday that some health-care workers in New York have donned garbage bags because hospitals are short of protective gowns.” [Washington Post, 3/26/20]
The Department Of Veterans Affairs, Whose Leaders Lacked Experience In Disaster Response Failed To Prepare For An Influx Of Patients At Its Medical Centers. According to the New York Times, “At the Department of Veterans Affairs, workers are scrambling to order medical supplies on Amazon after its leaders, lacking experience in disaster responses, failed to prepare for the onslaught of patients at its medical centers.” [New York Times, 3/26/20]
The VA Inspector General’s Office Released A Report Detailing Red Flags In The Department’s Preparedness For The Crisis. According to the New York Times, “One example is the Department of Veterans Affairs, which is legally meant to back up the nation’s health care system in an emergency. On Thursday, the Office of Inspector General at the department released a report detailing red flags in its preparedness for the crisis. The secretary, Robert L. Wilkie, has no experience in emergency management, and he has been largely absent from public briefings with senior officials on the pandemic. ‘Secretary Wilkie has attended 20 coronavirus task force meetings since he joined the task force on March 3,’ said Christina Mandreucci, a spokeswoman for the department. Mr. Wilkie recently fired his second in command, who had worked in past disasters, and his head of emergency preparedness retired.” [New York Times, 3/26/20]
Washington Post Headline: Politicians Jockeying For COVID-19 Tests Find Proximity To Trump Is The Fastest Route. [Headline –Washington Post, 3/25/20]
Then-Acting Chief Of Staff Mick Mulvaney And Trump Allies Rep. Matt Gaetz And Incoming Chief Of Staff Mark Meadows Had Access To Tests. According to the Washington Post, “In the cases of Mulvaney, Trump’s incoming chief of staff Mark Meadows and Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), White House medical staffers arranged for their tests on the grounds that they risked infecting the president. Both Meadows and Gaetz came into contact with someone at last month’s CPAC gathering who then learned he had contracted COVID-19.” [Washington Post, 3/25/20]
March 27, 2020: There Were 102,900 Cases Of And 1,770 Deaths Related To COVID-19. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on March 27, 2020, there were 102,900 cases of and 1,770 deaths related to COVID-19. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Health Professionals Improvised For Protective Gear And Medical Resources
Photos Circulated On Social Media Showed Mt. Sinai Nurses In New York That Wore Black Trash Bags In Place Of Gowns. According to USA Today, “As coronavirus cases in New York City, the epicenter of the pandemic in the U.S., continue to rise, medical workers have said that they don't have enough personal protective equipment, like masks and gowns, to do their jobs safely. At Mount Sinai Hospital in Manhattan, where a staff member died of COVID-19 earlier this week, several nurses were photographed wearing trash bags over protective gear like masks, gloves and face shields. The images have been shared across social media, though some posts have been deleted or removed since they were first posted.” [USA Today, 3/27/20]
HHS Ignored An Eight-Year-Old Executive Order Mandating The Agency To Disclose Their Plan For The Procurement And Distribution Of Medication And Essential Supplies During A National Emergency. According to the Los Angeles Times, “Even as President Trump ordered General Motors Friday to begin manufacturing ventilators, the president’s broader strategy to get desperately needed medical supplies to hospitals and doctors across the country remained shrouded in uncertainty. Administration officials have refused to provide answers to questions from lawmakers, governors and healthcare leaders who have been pleading for federal assistance with masks, ventilators and other equipment. And the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services hasn’t outlined a plan for procuring and distributing medical supplies, despite an 8-year-old executive order that directed the agency to detail how it would identify and prioritize equipment and medications needed in a national emergency.” [Los Angeles Times, 3/27/20]
A Congressional Report Outlined That HHS Failed To Develop A System To Identify And Prioritize Needed Medication And Equipment. According to the Los Angeles Times, “Neither the Department of Health and Human Services nor the Federal Emergency Management Agency would answer questions from The Times about federal planning to address the crisis. Efforts to come up with a more effective system go back years. In 2012, President Obama issued an executive order directing the Department of Health and Human Services and other agencies to develop systems for prioritizing supplies in an emergency and establishing standards for ordering and distributing the supplies. But the federal health agency did not complete the regulations to develop this system, according to a June 2019 report to Congress by FEMA. Nor has the agency posted any regulations related to the act since then.” [Los Angeles Times, 3/27/20]
Trump’s All-Out Push To Advance Unproven Coronavirus Treatments Deepened A Divide Between The White House And Career Health Officials. According to Politico, “President Donald Trump’s all-out push to advance unproven coronavirus treatments is deepening a divide between the White House and career health officials, who are being pulled away from other potential projects to address the president’s hunch that decades-old malaria medicines can be coronavirus cures. The White House directed health officials to set up a project to track if the antimalarial drugs chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine show promise — a dayslong effort that distracted from urgent tasks like trials of other medicines thought to have more potential against the virus. Food and Drug Administration officials also reversed a nearly six-year ban on a troubled Indian manufacturer in a bid to secure the drugs, and top advisers to Trump have encouraged other agencies to locate as much of the product as possible. The White House is also pressuring Medicare officials to pay for unproven treatments being given to desperate patients during a pandemic.” [Politico, 3/27/20]
Despite Scant Evidence Of Chloroquine’s Efficacy Against Coronavirus, The White House Pulled FDA, NIH, And CMS Into A Project To Develop A Database Tracking Chloroquine’s Use Against Coronavirus. According to Politico, “Now, according to Agus and HHS officials, the White House has pulled multiple health agencies — including the Food and Drug Administration, the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services — into a project to develop a database tracking the drugs’ use against the coronavirus, despite scant evidence that they are effective. The White House is having second thoughts about working with Oracle on the project after a New York Times article this week raised questions about the partnership, said two HHS officials.” [Politico, 3/27/20]
The White House Ordered CMS To Explore How To Reimburse Doctors For Prescribing Chloroquine, A Then-Unapproved Therapy. According to Politico, “The White House also has ordered CMS, which oversees Medicare, Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act, to explore how to reimburse doctors for prescribing chloroquine to patients searching for a coronavirus treatment, said two officials with knowledge of the agency's strategy. The prospect of CMS payments to doctors for handing out unproven treatments raises immediate ethical questions, say bioethicists and health officials. ‘They’re basically creating a perverse incentive for physicians to use an unapproved therapy,’ said one official.” [Politico, 3/27/20]
The White House Directed FEMA To Locate As Much Chloroquine As Possible, Shifting Resources Within The Federal Coronavirus Response. According to Politico, “The White House has also directed FEMA to locate as much of the drugs as possible, pulling officials away from the agency’s ongoing effort to lead the federal coronavirus response, said two people with knowledge of the agency’s planning.” [Politico, 3/27/20]
Trump Ignored Requests From Officials In His Administration To Invoke The DPA For “Weeks.” According to CNN, “For weeks, the President had ignored requests by some officials in his administration to invoke the act. He said private companies had been willing to act and did not need to be coerced into doing so. But Navarro's appointment may be a potential sign of the President's changing attitude. Navarro was one of several who initially pushed Trump to sign the Defense Production Act.” [CNN, 3/27/20]
March 28, 2020: There Were 123,966 Cases Of And 2,300 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on March 28, 2020, there were 123,966 cases of and 2,300 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
The FDA Granted Emergency Approval To Hydroxychloroquine And Chloroquine Despite Anecdotal Evidence. According to the Washington Post, “The Food and Drug Administration has given emergency approval to a Trump administration plan to distribute millions of doses of anti-malarial drugs to hospitals across the country, saying it is worth the risk of trying unproven treatments to slow the progression of the disease in seriously ill coronavirus patients. There have only been a few, very small anecdotal studies that show a possible benefit of the drugs, hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine, to relieve the acute respiratory symptoms of COVID-19 and clear the virus from infected patients. […] With no established treatments available, the FDA said in an approval letter dated Saturday that, essentially, trying the anti-malarial drugs was worth a shot. It cited the actions of other countries to adopt the drugs as a coronavirus treatment and the limited laboratory tests and clinical experience that may show benefit.” [Washington Post, 3/30/20]
Early On, FDA Director Stephen Hahn Hesitated To Contact Private-Sector Manufacturers Significantly Delaying The Development of Testing Resources. According to the New York Times, “Private-sector tests were supposed to be the next tier after the C.D.C. fulfilled its obligation to jump-start screening at public labs. In other countries hit hard by the coronavirus, governments acted quickly to speed tests to their populations. In South Korea, for example, regulators in early February summoned executives from 20 medical manufacturers, easing rules as they demanded tests. But Dr. Hahn took a cautious approach. He was not proactive in reaching out to manufacturers, and instead deferred to his scientists, following the F.D.A.’s often cumbersome methods for approving medical screening. Even the nation’s public health labs were looking for the F.D.A.’s help. ‘We are now many weeks into the response with still no diagnostic or surveillance test available outside of C.D.C. for the vast majority of our member laboratories,’ Scott Becker, chief executive of the Association of Public Health Laboratories, wrote to Mr. Hahn in late February. ‘We believe a more expeditious route is needed at this time.’” [New York Times, 3/28/20]
FDA Commissioner Enforced Regulations That Made It Tougher For Hospitals To Deploy Diagnostic Tests. According to the New York Times, “The C.D.C. also tightly restricted who could get tested and was slow to conduct ‘community-based surveillance,’ a standard screening practice to detect the virus’s reach. Had the United States been able to track its earliest movements and identify hidden hot spots, local quarantines might have confined the disease. Dr. Stephen Hahn, 60, the commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, enforced regulations that paradoxically made it tougher for hospitals, private clinics and companies to deploy diagnostic tests in an emergency. Other countries that had mobilized businesses were performing tens of thousands of tests daily, compared with fewer than 100 on average in the United States, frustrating local health officials, lawmakers and desperate Americans.” [New York Times, 3/28/20]
Azar’s Public Health Emergency Declaration Established “Emergency Use Authorization” Process That Was An Additional Burden To Hospitals And Labs That Wanted To Create Their Own COVID-19 Test. According to the New York Times, “Ironically, it was Mr. Azar’s emergency declaration that established the rules Dr. Hahn insisted on following. Designed to make it easier for drugmakers to pursue vaccines and other therapies during a crisis, such a declaration lets the F.D.A. speed approvals that could otherwise take a year or more. But the emergency announcement created a new barrier for hospitals and laboratories that wanted to create their own tests to diagnose the coronavirus. Usually, they faced minimal federal regulation. But once Mr. Azar took action, they were subject to an F.D.A. process called an “emergency use authorization.” [New York Times, 3/28/20]
Researchers Across The Country Said They Were Hindered By FDA’s Approval Process. According to the New York Times, “Even though researchers around the country quickly began creating tests that could diagnose COVID-19, many said they were hindered by the F.D.A.’s approval process. The new tests sat unused at labs around the country.” [New York Times, 3/28/20]
March 29, 2020: There Were 142,486 Cases Of And 2,718 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on March 29, 2020, there were 142,486 cases of and 2,718 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Mother Jones Reported That The State Department Sent Nearly 18 Tons Of Medical Supplies To China Three Weeks After The First U.S. Case Was Reported. According to Mother Jones, “The United States government sent nearly 17.8 tons of donated medical supplies to China—including masks and respirators—almost three weeks after the first case of the coronavirus was reported in the state of Washington. In a press release from the State Department dated Feb. 7, the agency announced it was prepared to spend up to $100 million to assist China as the number of COVID-19 cases and deaths continued to rise there. The day the press release went out, Trump tweeted that he spoke with China’s President Xi Jinping and that China would be ‘successful especially as the weather starts to warm & the virus hopefully becomes weaker and then gone.’” [Mother Jones, 3/29/20]
The State Department Said It Was Prepared To Spend $100 Million To Assist China. According to Mother Jones, “The United States government sent nearly 17.8 tons of donated medical supplies to China—including masks and respirators—almost three weeks after the first case of the coronavirus was reported in the state of Washington. In a press release from the State Department dated Feb. 7, the agency announced it was prepared to spend up to $100 million to assist China as the number of COVID-19 cases and deaths continued to rise there. The day the press release went out, Trump tweeted that he spoke with China’s President Xi Jinping and that China would be ‘successful especially as the weather starts to warm & the virus hopefully becomes weaker and then gone.’” [Mother Jones, 3/29/20]
March 30, 2020: There Were 163,955 Cases Of And 3,368 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on March 30, 2020, there were 163,955 cases of and 3,368 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Trump Was Accused Of Turning His Daily White House Coronavirus Briefing Into An Advertising Spot For Corporate Allies. According to the Guardian, “Donald Trump was accused on Monday of turning his daily White House coronavirus briefing into an advertising spot for corporate allies, even as the number of US cases topped 160,000. The president paraded several company leaders in the White House Rose Garden, starting with Mike Lindell, the chief executive of MyPillow, who has become a regular cheerleader for Trump at his campaign rallies. Trump praised companies for doing their ‘patriotic duty’ by producing or donating medical equipment to meet America’s most urgent needs. ‘What they’re doing is incredible,’ he said. ‘These are great companies.’” [Guardian, 3/30/20]
Trump’s Coronavirus Briefings With Businesses Often Gave More Time To Executives Than Medical Professionals. According to the Washington Post, “Often, these sessions are part theater and part news conference. Reporters sit, and the television cameras roll as Trump recaps the day’s meetings and invites a series of testimonials. Often, the executives get more airtime than the medical professionals who are part of the White House virus task force.” [Washington Post, 3/31/20]
After Governors Complained About Lack Of Testing, Trump Said He Had Not Heard About Testing In “Weeks” And. “I Haven’t Heard Anything About Testing Being A Problem.” According to CBS News, “Several rural-state governors alerted President Trump on Monday that they are struggling to obtain urgently needed medical supplies and testing equipment, warning that despite the worsening coronavirus situation in New York and other urban areas, more sparsely populated parts of the country need help, too. In response to requests for more testing kits, Mr. Trump said, ‘I haven’t heard about testing in weeks,’ according to an audio recording of the call between the president and governors obtained by CBS News. During the call, which lasted a little over an hour, Democratic and Republican governors detailed how they are struggling to obtain the protective equipment doctors and nurses will need to treat the sick and the test kits needed to determine whether sick residents are suffering from COVID-19.[…] Mr. Trump replied, ‘I haven’t heard about testing in weeks. We’ve tested more now than any nation in the world. We’ve got these great tests and we’ll come out with another one tomorrow that’s, you know, almost instantaneous testing. But I haven’t heard anything about testing being a problem.’” [CBS News, 3/30/20]
A Health Insurance Company With Ties To Kushner Developed A Website To Direct People To Coronavirus Testing Sites At The Government’s Request. According to the Atlantic, “On March 13, President Donald Trump promised Americans they would soon be able to access a new website that would ask them about their symptoms and direct them to nearby coronavirus testing sites. He said Google was helping. That wasn’t true. But in the following days, Oscar Health—a health-insurance company closely connected to Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner—developed a government website with the features the president had described. A team of Oscar engineers, project managers, and executives spent about five days building a stand-alone website at the government’s request, an Oscar spokesperson told The Atlantic. The company even dispatched two employees from New York to meet in person with federal officials in Washington, D.C., the spokesperson said. Then the website was suddenly and mysteriously scrapped.” [Atlantic, 3/30/10]
Jared’s Brother Joshua Was A Co-Founder And Major Investor, And Jared Partially Owned Or Controlled Oscar Before He Joined The White House. According to the Atlantic, “The full extent of Oscar’s work on the project has not been previously reported. The partnership between the administration and the firm suggests that Kushner may have mingled his family’s business interests with his political interests and his role in the administration’s coronavirus response. Kushner’s younger brother Joshua is a co-founder and major investor in Oscar, and Jared Kushner partially owned or controlled Oscar before he joined the White House. The company’s work on the coronavirus website could violate federal ethics laws, several experts said.” [Atlantic, 3/30/10]
Trump’s Messaging On GM’s Ventilator Production Varied From Praise To Condemnation. According to CBS News, “It was only a few days earlier that Trump had been holding up GM and Ford as examples of companies voluntarily responding to the outbreak without the need for him to invoke the act. Then on Friday, he slammed GM on Twitter and during his daily briefing for foot-dragging. On Sunday, he was back to praising the company during another briefing: "General Motors is doing a fantastic job. I don't think we have to worry about them anymore." [CBS News, 3/30/20]
Members Of The Trump Administration Advised Against The General Public Wearing Masks, Going As Far To Argue That Members Of The General Public Were More Likely To Catch The Virus If They Used Them. According to Politico, “In recent weeks, facing public uncertainty about coronavirus and a severe domestic shortage of medical-grade face masks, top Trump administration officials offered adamant warnings against widespread use of masks, going so far as to argue that members of the general public were more likely to catch the virus if they used them. ‘You can increase your risk of getting it by wearing a mask if you are not a health care provider,’ Surgeon General Jerome Adams said during an appearance on ‘Fox & Friends’ earlier this month. ‘If it's not fitted right you’re going to fumble with it,’ warned Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar late last month, when asked about N95 respirator masks. ‘Right now, in the United States, people should not be walking around with masks,’ said Dr. Anthony Fauci, an immunologist and a public face of the White House Coronavirus Task Force, on CBS’ ‘60 Minutes’ earlier this month. He, like the others, suggested that masks could put users at risk by causing them to touch their face more often.” [Politico, 3/30/20]
The Increasing Calls For More Use Of Masks Raised Questions Of Whether Authorities’ Recommendations Were Based On Genuine Concerns Or Instead Motivated By A Desire To Prevent A Run On Limited Supplies Of Masks. According to Politico, “The increasing calls for more use of masks raise the question of whether authorities’ recommendations were based on genuine concerns about spreading COVID-19 or instead motivated by a desire to prevent a run on limited supplies of masks: ‘Seriously people — STOP BUYING MASKS!’ tweeted Adams in late February. ‘They are NOT effective in preventing general public from catching #Coronavirus but if healthcare providers can’t get them to care for sick patients, it puts them and our communities at risk!’ [Politico, 3/30/20]
March 31, 2020: There Were 188,461 Cases Of And 4,304 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on March 31, 2020, there were 188,461 cases of and 4,304 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Despite The Grim Forecast, Trump Insisted He Still Deserved An “A+” For His Effort To Combat Coronavirus. According to the New York Times, “But asked about whether the impeachment effort had distracted him in the early days of the pandemic, Mr. Trump reverted to form, lashing out at Democrats and once again calling it ‘a phony impeachment’ and ‘a hoax.’ He acknowledged that he might have been distracted, but insisted that he still deserved an ‘A+’ for his effort to combat the virus […] Mr. Trump, who spent weeks playing down the threat of the virus — and who has retreated from saying that social distancing could be scaled back in mid-April — congratulated himself at the briefing for projections showing that public health measures may significantly limit the national death toll. ‘What would have happened if we did nothing? Because there was a group that said, ‘Let’s just ride it out,’’ the president said, without saying what group he was referring to. He noted the estimate that as many as 2.2 million people ‘would have died if we did nothing, if we just carried on with our life.’” [New York Times, 3/31/20]
The Trump Administration Decided Against Reopening Affordable Care Act Enrollment To Assist Uninsured Americans Get Coverage. According to Politico, “The Trump administration has decided against reopening Obamacare enrollment to uninsured Americans during the coronavirus pandemic, defying calls from health insurers and Democrats to create a special sign-up window amid the health crisis. President Donald Trump and administration officials recently said they were considering relaunching HealthCare.gov, the federal enrollment site, and insurers said they privately received assurances from health officials overseeing the law’s marketplace. However, a White House official on Tuesday evening told POLITICO the administration will not reopen the site for a special enrollment period, and that the administration is ‘exploring other options.’ The annual enrollment period for HealthCare.gov closed months ago, and a special enrollment period for the coronavirus could have extended the opportunity for millions of uninsured Americans to newly seek out coverage. Still, the law already allows a special enrollment for people who have lost their workplace health plans, so the health care law may still serve as a safety net after a record surge in unemployment stemming from the pandemic.” [Politico, 3/31/20]
The Trump Administration Told Hospitals That They Can Split Ventilators Between Two Patients, Underscoring Concerns That Hospitals May Soon Be Faced With Ethical Decisions About How To Prioritize Which Patients Receive Life Saving Equipment. According to Politico, “The Trump administration is telling hospitals they can split ventilators between two patients and is escalating calls to scrap elective surgeries, as federal officials try to limit care rationing in facilities lacking the critical breathing machines. New federal guidelines on so-called ventilator splitting — an idea that's been used extremely rarely in emergency situations — emphasizes it should ‘only be considered as an absolute last resort’ for hospitals swamped by coronavirus patients. But it underscores concerns that hospitals could soon be faced with challenging ethical decisions about how to prioritize which patients receive life-saving equipment.” [Politico, 3/31/20]
In Their Open Letter, Surgeon General Jerome Adams And Adm. Brett Giroir Acknowledged They Did Not Know How Effective Or Safe The Strategy Is Because It Had Not Been Tested For Humans. According to Politico, “An open letter to health care workers from Surgeon General Jerome Adams and Adm. Brett Giroir, the assistant secretary for health, includes technical guidance on how ventilator splitting can be performed strictly for two patients who are both either infected or free of the virus. They acknowledge they don't know how effective or safe the strategy is because it hasn't been tested in humans. Some overrun Italian hospitals shared ventilators for coronavirus patients, but there's been little experience with the practice in the U.S. so far. At least one hospital in hard-hit New York has reportedly started doing so recently, and Las Vegas hospitals briefly deployed the strategy in 2017 following the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history. Some groups representing critical care providers last week warned against ventilator splitting, arguing ‘it cannot be done safely with current equipment.’” [Politico, 3/31/20]
April 2, 2020: There Were 215,391 Cases Of And 5,325 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on April 2, 2020, there were 215,391 cases of and 5,325 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Two Months Prior To The Advent Of COVID-19, The Trump Administration Ended The $200-Million Pandemic Early Warning Program, PREDICT. According to the Los Angeles Times, “Two months before the novel coronavirus is thought to have begun its deadly advance in Wuhan, China, the Trump administration ended a $200-million pandemic early-warning program aimed at training scientists in China and other countries to detect and respond to such a threat. The project, launched by the U.S. Agency for International Development in 2009, identified 1,200 different viruses that had the potential to erupt into pandemics, including more than 160 novel coronaviruses. The initiative, called PREDICT, also trained and supported staff in 60 foreign laboratories — including the Wuhan lab that identified SARS-CoV-2, the new coronavirus that causes COVID-19. Field work ceased when the funding ran out in September, and organizations that worked on the PREDICT program laid off dozens of scientists and analysts, said Peter Daszak, president of EcoHealth Alliance, a key player in the program.” [Los Angeles Time, 4/2/20]
PREDICT Aimed To Train Scientists In China And Abroad To Detect And Respond To Threats. According to the Los Angeles Times, “Two months before the novel coronavirus is thought to have begun its deadly advance in Wuhan, China, the Trump administration ended a $200-million pandemic early-warning program aimed at training scientists in China and other countries to detect and respond to such a threat. The project, launched by the U.S. Agency for International Development in 2009, identified 1,200 different viruses that had the potential to erupt into pandemics, including more than 160 novel coronaviruses. The initiative, called PREDICT, also trained and supported staff in 60 foreign laboratories — including the Wuhan lab that identified SARS-CoV-2, the new coronavirus that causes COVID-19. Field work ceased when the funding ran out in September, and organizations that worked on the PREDICT program laid off dozens of scientists and analysts, said Peter Daszak, president of EcoHealth Alliance, a key player in the program.” [Los Angeles Time, 4/2/20]
April 3, 2020: There Were 277,426 Cases Of And 7,932 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on April 3, 2020, there were 277,426 cases of and 7,932 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Trump Announced And CDC Recommended That Americans Wear Cloth Masks Outside Of The Home. According to Politico, “President Donald Trump on Friday said his administration is recommending that Americans wear face coverings to curb the spread of the coronavirus but added he wouldn't follow the recommendation. The guidance from the Centers for Disease Control encourages use of cloth masks when outside the home. Health experts say the practice, which is common in parts of Asia, would reduce the risk of exposed individuals not exhibiting symptoms spreading the disease.” [Politico, 4/3/20]
The White House Administered Rapid Coronavirus Tests To Any Individual Coming Into Contact With Trump Or Pence. According to Politico, “The White House is administering a rapid coronavirus test to anyone coming into contact with President Donald Trump or Vice President Mike Pence, Deputy Press Secretary Judd Deere confirmed to POLITICO on Friday. ‘As the Physician to the President and White House Operations continue to protect the health and safety of the President and the Vice President, starting today anyone who is expected to be in close proximity to either of them will be administered a COVID-19 test to evaluate for pre-symptomatic or asymptomatic carriers status to limit inadvertent transmission,’ Deere said in a statement.” [Politico, 4/3/20]
April 4, 2020: There Were 312,525 Cases Of And 9,488 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on April 4, 2020, there were 312,525 cases of and 9,488 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
The New York Times Reported That In The Months Following Trump’s Imposed Travel Restriction Roughly 40,000 Travelers Arrived In The United States Via Direct Flights From China, Including Thousands On Flights Directly From Wuhan. According to the New York Times, “Since Chinese officials disclosed the outbreak of a mysterious pneumonia like illness to international health officials on New Year’s Eve, at least 430,000 people have arrived in the United States on direct flights from China, including nearly 40,000 in the two months after President Trump imposed restrictions on such travel, according to an analysis of data collected in both countries. The bulk of the passengers, who were of multiple nationalities, arrived in January, at airports in Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, Chicago, Seattle, Newark and Detroit. Thousands of them flew directly from Wuhan, the center of the coronavirus outbreak, as American public health officials were only beginning to assess the risks to the United States.” [New York Times, 4/4/20]
April 5, 2020: There Were 338,141 Cases Of And 10,856 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on April 5, 2020, there were 338,141 cases of and 10,856 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Trump Claimed The Country Had Made Significant Progress To End The Crisis While Top Health Officials Predicted The Week Ahead Would Be Like 9/11 Or Pearl Harbor. According to The Hill, “President Trump on Sunday struck a more optimistic tone about the country’s progress in its effort to combat the coronavirus even as some of his top health officials predicted the coming week would be akin to Pearl Harbor or the 9/11 attacks in terms of its impact. ‘We see light at the end of the tunnel. Things are happening,’ Trump said during a White House coronavirus task force briefing. ‘We’re starting to see light at the end of the tunnel. And hopefully in the not too distant future we’ll be very proud of the job we all did. You can never be happy when so many people are dying, but we’re going to be very proud of the job we did to keep the death down to an absolute minimum.’ The president and other members of the task force sought to assure the public that the country may be close to getting through the worst of the pandemic. While Trump s poke of a ‘light at the end of the tunnel,’ Vice President Pence identified ‘glimmers of hope,’ and coronavirus response coordinator Deborah Birx said data from Italy was giving the U.S. ‘hope for what our future could be.’” [Hill, 4/5/20]
Fauci Contradicted Trump’s Claims On Chloroquine Saying, “In Terms Of Science, I Don’t Think We Can Definitively Say It Works” And, “The Data Are Really Just At Best Suggestive.” According to the Guardian, “In White House briefings on Saturday and Sunday, Trump urged Americans worried about the virus to try hydroxychloroquine, a drug used to treat malaria, arthritis and lupus that has not been extensively tested for other conditions. “Take it. What do you have to lose?” Trump said on Saturday, suggesting he might do so himself after asking “my doctors”. On Sunday, Trump said America doesn’t have time “to take a couple years” to test the efficacy of the drug in treating COVID-19. But Dr Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top doctor on infectious diseases and a key member of the White House task force, was adamant there was nothing to suggest the medicine had any benefit against coronavirus. “In terms of science, I don’t think we can definitively say it works,” he told CBS’s Face the Nation. “The data are really just at best suggestive. There have been cases that show there may be an effect and there are others to show there’s no effect.” [Guardian, 4/5/20]
April 6, 2020: There Were 369,057 Cases Of And 12,382 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on April 6, 2020 there were 369,057 cases of and 12,382 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
State Officials For Pennsylvania, South Carolina, And Alabama Said They Received Expired Medical Supplies From The Federal Emergency National Stockpile. According to NBC News, “NBC News found its own examples of problems with the federal government's emergency national stockpile similar to those detailed in the report. State officials in Alabama, South Carolina and Pennsylvania said they had received expired medical supplies.” [NBC News, 4/6/20]
Trump Rejected The Proposal To Appoint A Military Commander As Czar Over Medical Supply Distribution For The COVID-19 Crisis. According to the Huffington Post, “President Donald Trump is rejecting calls to put a single military commander in charge of medical supplies for the COVID-19 pandemic. He says that his administration has the supply situation under control and that appointing a new ‘czar’ makes no sense when he’s already got several military commanders working on the federal response. But the calls for a czar, a single authority, are coming from a lot of people, including Democratic elected officials and advocates for frontline medical workers. They say the supply situation remains a crisis, especially when it comes to the widespread shortages of protective gear. And although critics have high regard for the military commanders working with Trump, they say the multitude of advisers (including civilians) and their overlapping portfolios mean no single person has control over both the production and distribution of critical equipment.” [Huffington Post, 4/6/20]
The Trump Administration Dismissed Democratic Leadership’s Call For A COVID-19 Supply Czar As A Political Ploy. According to Huffington Post, “One Democratic official, Senator Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), has become so frustrated with the lack of response that on Monday he proposed three possible czars, all military commanders with experience in logistics. ‘This is a massive undertaking, and the country needs an undisputed person who is organizing all facets of it ― someone with experience, someone with strength, someone who will have the full authority of the president behind them,’ Schumer said during a call with reporters on Monday. ‘The best place to find somebody like this is in the military.’ But at the now-daily White House coronavirus briefing, Trump dismissed Schumer’s suggestion as a political stunt. ‘When Schumer makes a statement like that, he’s only doing it for politics,’ Trump said. ‘We have the best generals, the best admirals, we have the best people. These are incredible leaders.’” [Huffington Post, 4/6/20]
Trump Urged Americans To Take Chloroquine Adding, “What Do You Have To Lose?” According to the Guardian, “In White House briefings on Saturday and Sunday, Trump urged Americans worried about the virus to try hydroxychloroquine, a drug used to treat malaria, arthritis and lupus that has not been extensively tested for other conditions. ‘Take it. What do you have to lose?’ the president said on Saturday, suggesting that he might do so himself after asking ‘my doctors’.” [Guardian, 4/6/20]
A Survey Of 324 Hospitals Across The U.S. Showed Some Shipments Of Masks And PPE Allocated By The Federal Government Were Expired Or Child-Sized. According to NBC News, “The report, which is based on interviews with administrators from 324 hospitals and hospital networks of varying sizes, said that equipment provided to hospitals from the federal government fell far short of what was needed and was sometimes not usable or of low quality. According to the report, one hospital received two shipments from the Federal Emergency Management Agency with protective gear that had expired in 2010. Another hospital system received 1,000 masks from federal and state governments, even though it expected a much larger delivery, and ‘500 of the masks were for children and therefore unusable for adult staff,’ the report said. Elastic on N95 masks from one state government reserve had ‘dry-rotted’ and could not be used, it said.” [NBC News, 4/6/20]
April 7, 2020: There Were 399,394 Cases Of And 14,616 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on April 7, 2020, there were 399,394 cases of and 14,616 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Hospitals And Clinics Across The Country Reported Seizures Of Their Orders Of Medical And Protective Supplies By FEMA. According to the Los Angeles Times, “Although President Trump has directed states and hospitals to secure what supplies they can, the federal government is quietly seizing orders, leaving medical providers across the country in the dark about where the material is going and how they can get what they need to deal with the coronavirus pandemic. Hospital and clinic officials in seven states described the seizures in interviews over the past week. The Federal Emergency Management Agency is not publicly reporting the acquisitions, despite the outlay of millions of dollars of taxpayer money, nor has the administration detailed how it decides which supplies to seize and where to reroute them. Officials who’ve had materials seized also say they’ve received no guidance from the government about how or if they will get access to the supplies they ordered. That has stoked concerns about how public funds are being spent and whether the Trump administration is fairly distributing scarce medical supplies.” [Los Angeles Times, 4/7/20]
Trump Removed The Inspector General Selected To Lead The Monitoring And Implementation Of The $2 Trillion Coronavirus Relief Effort And Attacked The HHS IG After A Report Described Widespread Testing Delays And Supply Issues. According to Politico, “President Donald Trump has upended the panel of federal watchdogs overseeing implementation of the $2 trillion coronavirus law, tapping a replacement for the Pentagon official who was supposed to lead the effort. A panel of inspectors general had named Glenn Fine — the acting Pentagon watchdog — to lead the group charged with monitoring the coronavirus relief effort. But Trump on Monday removed Fine from his post, instead naming the EPA inspector general to serve as the temporary Pentagon watchdog in addition to his other responsibilities. […] Fine’s removal is Trump’s latest incursion into the community of independent federal watchdogs — punctuated most dramatically by his late Friday ouster of the intelligence community’s inspector general, Michael Atkinson, whose handling of a whistleblower report ultimately led to Trump’s impeachment. Trump has also begun sharply attacking Health and Human Services Inspector General Christi Grimm, following a report from her office that described widespread testing delays and supply issues at the nation’s hospitals.” [Politico, 4/7/20]
Responding To The HHS IG Report, Trump Attempted To Undermine The Findings By Asserting The Inspector General’s Efforts Were Politically Motivated. According to NPR, “During a White House briefing Monday night, President Trump addressed the report and the concerns it raises about continued testing delays, saying hospitals’ complaints about delays in test results for the coronavirus were ‘wrong.’ He suggested the inspector general was politically motivated, and that hospitals and states should do their own testing. Adm. Brett Giroir, who is in charge of the federal government’s efforts to increase testing, said at the same press briefing that the report was done at a time when testing efforts were still ramping up. He also says the report ‘mixes up all kinds of things,’ but did not elaborate.” [NPR, 4/6/20]
Trump Claimed, “You’re Not Gonna Die From This Pill” In Support Of Using Hydroxychloroquine To Treat COVID-19, Even As Medical Experts Warned About Rare But Potentially Fatal Side Effects Of The Drug. According to NBC News, “As the U.S. scales up purchase and use of the drug hydroxychloroquine to treat coronavirus patients, a leading Mayo Clinic cardiologist is sounding a warning: Anyone promoting the drug also needs to flag its rare but serious — and potentially fatal — side effects. President Donald Trump has repeatedly touted the potential benefits of hydroxychloroquine, which has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat malaria, lupus and other autoimmune ailments but hasn’t yet been proven effective and safe in treating the coronavirus. ‘What do you have to lose?’ Trump asked Saturday at the White House when pressed by reporters about hydroxychloroquine’s effectiveness. And while he’s suggested that patients consult with their physicians about the treatment, he’s also said the drug can ‘help them, but it’s not going to hurt them.’ On Tuesday, when asked about the drug’s potential side effects, he downplayed them. ‘The side effects are the least of it,’ said Trump. ‘You’re not gonna die from this pill,’ he said. ‘I say ‘try it’ he said, noting ‘I’m not a doctor’ and to get a physician’s approval. But the president’s reassurance is raising concerns among experts about the dangers the drug poses to some.” [NBC News, 4/7/20]
The Captain Of A U.S. Aircraft Carrier Pleaded With Officials To Provide Isolation And Medical Resources For His 100+ COVID-19 Positive Crew-Members. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, “The captain of a nuclear aircraft carrier with more than 100 sailors infected with the coronavirus pleaded Monday with U.S. Navy officials for resources to allow isolation of his entire crew and avoid possible deaths in a situation he described as quickly deteriorating. The unusual plea from Capt. Brett Crozier, a Santa Rosa native, came in a letter obtained exclusively by The Chronicle and confirmed by a senior officer on board the aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt, which has been docked in Guam following a COVID-19 outbreak among the crew of more than 4,000 less than a week ago. ‘This will require a political solution but it is the right thing to do,’ Crozier wrote. ‘We are not at war. Sailors do not need to die. If we do not act now, we are failing to properly take care of our most trusted asset — our Sailors.’ In the four-page letter to senior military officials, Crozier said only a small contingent of infected sailors have been off-boarded. Most of the crew remain aboard the ship, where following official guidelines for 14-day quarantines and social distancing is impossible. ‘Due to a warship’s inherent limitations of space, we are not doing this,’ Crozier wrote. ‘The spread of the disease is ongoing and accelerating.’” [San Francisco Chronicle, 3/31/20]
The Captain Was Fired Two Days Later. According to the Washington Post, “Modly offered a lengthy account of his actions in the dismissal Thursday of Capt. Brett Crozier, the commanding officer of the USS Theodore Roosevelt. The nuclear-power aircraft carrier with a crew of about 4,800 had been stricken by an outbreak of the novel coronavirus. On March 30, Crozier sent an emotional email pleading for help, which leaked the next day. Two days after that, Modly fired him — generating criticism from former senior military officials, who expressed deep concern about the impact of the precipitous act on morale and on commanders’ willingness to speak out with unwelcome news.” [Washington Post, 4/5/20]
Acting Navy Secretary Modly Resigned After Calling Fired Aircraft Carrier Captain “Stupid.” According to CNN, “Acting Navy Secretary Thomas Modly resigned on Tuesday, a day after leaked audio revealed he called the ousted commander of the USS Theodore Roosevelt ‘stupid’ in an address to the ship’s crew. Modly’s resignation comes a little more than a week after Capt. Brett Crozier, the then-commanding officer of the USS Theodore Roosevelt, sent a memo warning of coronavirus spreading among the sailors on the aircraft carrier. The memo leaked and Modly subsequently removed Crozier from command. The former acting secretary flew to Guam to address the ship, insulting Crozier to thousands of sailors who had given their former captain a standing ovation as he left the ship days before. The audio of that address was leaked to media outlets and the uproar over Modly’s remarks -- calling Crozier ‘too naive or too stupid’ to be in command of the aircraft carrier and saying that going outside of the chain-of-command with his memo represented a ‘betrayal’ -- quickly made his position untenable. In his resignation letter, Modly did not mention the controversy but later apologized to the whole of the Navy for the incident in a memo.” [CNN, 4/7/20]
April 8, 2020: There Were 431,214 Cases Of And 16,701 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on April 8, 2020, there were 431,214 cases of and 16,701 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Trump Indicated He Could Ignore Additional Mismanagement Protections Built Into The Congressional Stimulus Bill That Required Executive Branch Watchdogs To Report Obstruction Of Their Investigations. According to Politico, “An inspector general nominated by President Donald Trump intended to provide a second check has already generated controversy among Democrats and is unlikely to see swift Senate confirmation. And a panel of federal watchdogs meant to be a third independent overseer was upended Tuesday when Trump sidelined its chairman, setting back the one mechanism that appeared on track to begin oversight. Trump has also indicated he might ignore additional protections built into the law meant to keep Congress apprised of any concerns about mismanagement, issuing a signing statement that said it would be unconstitutional to require Executive Branch watchdogs to report any obstruction in their investigations, unless Trump himself approves.” [Politico, 4/8/20]
Federal Government Planned To End Funding For Local Coronavirus Testing Sites. According to NPR, “Some local officials are disappointed the federal government will end funding for coronavirus testing sites this Friday. In a few places those sites will close as a result. This as criticism continues that not enough testing is available. In the Philadelphia suburbs, Montgomery County has a drive-through site that has tested 250 people a day since March 21. ‘It has been a very successful site. We are hoping by the time it closes Friday afternoon that we will have tested a little over 5,000 individuals,’ says Dr. Valerie Arkoosh, who chairs the commission in the county of more than 825,000 people. Montgomery County has been hit hard by the pandemic. By Tuesday the county identified 1,294 positive cases and reported 32 COVID-19-related deaths. Arkoosh says local officials staffed the site and the federal government provided much-needed testing supplies and access to a lab. ‘This site came with a contract with LabCorp, who accepted 250 samples from this site every day,’ and she says the county is not able to secure the supplies and tests on its own.” [NPR, 4/8/20]
An HHS Spokesperson Asserted That The Community-Based Testing Sites Were Not Closing Rather “Transitioning To State-Managed” Right As The Virus Was Expected To Surge. According to NPR, “A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services tells NPR, ‘Many of the Community-Based Testing Sites (CBTS) are not closing, but rather transitioning to state-managed sites on or about April 10.’ The agency and a spokesperson for FEMA say the CBTS program originally included 41 sites. It was intended as a stop-gap to bring testing to critical locations, especially for health care facility workers and first responders. ‘The transition will ensure each state has the flexibility and autonomy to manage and operate testing sites within the needs of their specific community and to prioritize resources where they are needed the most,’ the HHS spokesperson said. But that doesn’t satisfy Arkoosh in Montgomery County, who says, ‘I am understandably disappointed that the supplies and federal contract for lab testing is ending just as we are heading into the surge here in southeastern Pennsylvania.’ Arkoosh says local hospitals do have their own testing sites set up now, but it’s not yet clear if they will be able to handle the extra testing now that the federal help is being withdrawn.” [NPR, 4/8/20]
The HHS Spokesperson Walked Back FEMA Memo Shift To States Deadline, But Required States That Wanted Federal Assistance To Request It. According to Politico, “The federal government wants states to consider taking control of drive-through coronavirus testing sites, currently run by HHS and FEMA, that have tested more than 77,000 people to date. NPR first reported Thursday morning that officials in several communities home to testing sites are worried they will lose needed supplies and funding as a result of the proposed transition plan. But an HHS spokesperson told POLITICO the federal government will continue to operate the sites if governors request such assistance — and said that the agency would not hold states to the deadline listed in a FEMA memo: 5 p.m. today. ‘I want to be clear that the federal government is not abandoning any of the community-based testing sites,’ HHS testing czar Brett Giroir told reporters late Thursday. ‘Many people want the federal government to allow them to do the programs as they want — without the Public Health Service officers, without the restrictions that we have.’ Giroir said that some states have already chosen to take over testing sites. Others — including Colorado, Illinois, Louisiana, New Jersey and Texas — have asked for continued federal support, Vice President Mike Pence said Thursday night at a White House briefing.” [Politico, 4/9/20]
April 9, 2020: There Were 465,913 Cases Of And 18,821 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on April 9, 2020, there were 465,913 cases of and 18,821 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Trump Rejected The Notion The U.S. Would Engage In Mass Testing To Combat The Coronavirus. According to CNN, “President Donald Trump said Thursday that there have been more than two million coronavirus tests completed in the United States but suggested that mass testing is not going to happen. ‘I’m reporting today that we passed two million tests completed in the United States,’ Trump said during the White House coronavirus task force’s news briefing, adding that the tests are ‘highly sophisticated and highly accurate.’ […] During Thursday’s briefing, the President was asked by CNN’s Jim Acosta whether the US would return to normal without instituting an adequate testing system, potentially through nationwide testing and monitoring. Trump appeared to interpret the question as asking whether the entire American population would be tested for coronavirus. ‘We want to have it and we’re going to see if we have it. Do you need it? No. Is it a nice thing to do? Yes. We’re talking about 325 million people and that’s not gonna happen, as you can imagine, and it would never happen with anyone else, either,’ the President said. ‘Other countries do it, but they do it in a limited form. We’ll probably be the leader of the pack.’ Trump also suggested there would be ‘massive testing’ in ‘certain areas’ of the country.” [CNN, 4/7/20]
Trump Withdrew All U.S. Funding From The World Health Organization Blaming The Organization For The Mismanagement And Cover Up Of The Spread Of COVID-19. According to Politico, “President Trump announced on April 14 that he is cutting off U.S. funding to WHO in the middle of the pandemic, while his administration conducts a review of the international group’s record of ‘severely mismanaging and covering up the spread of the coronavirus.’ Echoing criticisms aired by GOP lawmakers and conservative pundits, Trump is accusing the international health body of have a pro-China bias and of wrongly advising against travel bans in the early months of the pandemic. His aides have also pushed for the creation of an alternative institution. The U.S. contributes the biggest share of WHO’s 194 member states to its $4.8 billion annual budget, and cutting off that funding is likely to be a major blow to the organization as it conducts vaccine trials, distributes test kits and advises governments on public health around the world.” [Politico, 4/14/20]
Trump Previously Threatened To Cut WHO Funding After Alleging That The WHO Leadership Made Mistakes In Early Days Of Coronavirus. According to Politico, “U.S. agencies and departments that channel money to the World Health Organization have been asked not to send more such funds this fiscal year without first obtaining higher-level approval, two people familiar with the issue said. The decision comes after President Donald Trump threatened to cut off funding to the U.N. global health body over allegations that the WHO’s leaders are too friendly to China and made missteps in the early days of the coronavirus crisis. The U.S. is the top donor to the WHO; it gave it more than $400 million in 2019, according to the State Department, which noted that China gave $44 million. Trump said this week that the U.S. is evaluating its WHO funding, and the directive on getting higher-level clearance appears to be a part of that. The State Department, the Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Agency for International Development are expected to be affected. One of the people familiar with the issue said it’s not entirely clear yet who must give the ultimate signoff for forwarding funds to the WHO. It’s likely, however, to come out of the White House, possibly the National Security Council.” [Politico, 4/9/20]
The White House Believed Azar Had Attempted To Shift Blame Onto Trump And Installed Trump Campaign Vet Michael Caputo To Take Control Of HHS Communications. According to Politico, “The White House is installing Trump campaign veteran Michael Caputo in the health department’s top communications position, Caputo confirmed to POLITICO. The move is designed to assert more White House control over Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, whom officials believe has been behind recent critical reports about President Donald Trump’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic, according to two officials with knowledge of the move. Caputo, whose title will be assistant secretary of HHS for public affairs, said in a text message, ‘I am honored to serve the President to the best of my abilities in this time of crisis and, in so doing, the American people.’ Caputo is an intense Trump loyalist whose recent book ‘The Ukraine Hoax,’ alleged a conspiracy behind Trump’s impeachment. The high-level move comes after a series of news reports that portrayed Azar as warning Trump about the pending COVID-19 pandemic in January but having the president and his aides dismiss his concerns. Trump on Sunday tweeted that Azar ‘told me nothing until later,’ appearing to refute those reports. White House officials believe that Azar has been shaping favorable coverage of his handling of the COVID-19 outbreak and trying to shift blame for the administration’s mishandled response, said two officials with knowledge of the situation. White House frustration with Azar also dates back to last year, with officials unhappy about his long-running feud with Medicare chief Seema Verma, Azar’s nominal deputy who maintains her own strong relationship with Trump.” [Politico, 4/15/20]
Trump Sought To Develop A New Task Force Comprised Of Administration Officials And Private Sector Representatives In A Push To Reopen The US Economy. According to Axios, “President Trump is preparing to launch a second coronavirus task force focused on reviving the U.S. economy, which has been battered by the coronavirus, two administration officials tell Axios. Why it matters: There is growing energy within the West Wing to start easing people back to work by May 1. But some public health officials, including those on the coronavirus task force, have warned against doing so, raising concerns about reopening America too soon. What we’re hearing: The economic task force will include people from the private sector as well as top administration officials, some of whom also serve on the coronavirus task force — though the two will be separate.” [Axios, 4/9/20]
April 10, 2020: There Were 499,386 Cases Of And 21,084 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on April 10, 2020, there were 499,386 cases of and 21,084 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
The Trump Campaign Released An Attack Ad Which Falsely Suggested Former Washington State Governor Gary Locke Was Chinese. According to the New York Times, “A new attack ad by President Trump’s re-election campaign portraying former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. as soft on China includes an image of an Asian-American former governor of Washington State that appears to falsely suggest he is Chinese. The image, which appears briefly, was pulled from a 2013 event in Beijing, where Mr. Biden, now the presumptive Democratic nominee for president, shared a stage with Gary Locke, the former governor of Washington, who also served as President Barack Obama’s commerce secretary and ambassador to China. Mr. Locke is Chinese-American. […] Mr. Trump’s campaign released the ad on Thursday at a time of rising xenophobia and violence in the United States aimed at Chinese-Americans, as bigots blame them and other Asian-Americans for the outbreak of the coronavirus, which originated in China.” [New York Times, 4/10/20]
April 11, 2020: There Were 531,106 Cases Of And 23,168 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on April 11, 2020, there were 531,106 cases of and 23,168 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Individuals With Personal Relationships With Trump Or High Ranking Members Of The Administration Circumvented Standard Protocols To Receive Federal Supplies And Support. According to the Associated Press, “It was early on a Friday when Jared Kushner said he received a call from his father-in-law, President Donald Trump. Trump was hearing from friends in New York that the city’s public hospital system was running low on critical supplies to fight the new coronavirus — something city officials, nurses and doctors had been saying for weeks. Kushner, who has taken a lead role in the federal government’s response, called Dr. Mitchell Katz, who runs the city’s hospital system, to ask what was most needed. And not long after, Trump was on the phone with New York Mayor Bill de Blasio announcing that the Federal Emergency Management Agency would be sending a month’s worth of N-95 masks to the city’s front-line workers. ‘The president’s been very, very hands-on in this,’ Kushner told reporters. ‘He’s really instructed us to leave no stone unturned.’ It was a happy ending to one chapter of a dreadful story: Critical supplies went to a place with critical needs. But the president’s intervention underscored what watchdogs say is a troubling pattern when it comes to how the Trump administration is doling out lifesaving resources. Despite building a data-driven triage system in which FEMA allots supplies based on local needs, those who are politically connected and have the president’s ear have, at times, been able to bypass that process and move to the front of the line.” [Associated Press, 4/11/20]
April 12, 2020: There Were 558,249 Cases Of And 24,849 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on April 12, 2020, there were 558,249 cases of and 24,849 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Fauci Stated That Lives Could Have Been Saved Had Efforts To Mitigate COVID-19 Been Started Earlier And Cited “A Lot Of Pushback” About Implementing Social Distancing. According to CNN, “Dr. Anthony Fauci said Sunday that calls to implement life-saving social distancing measures faced ‘a lot of pushback’ early in the US coronavirus outbreak and that the country is now looking for ways to more effectively respond to the virus should it rebound in the fall. ‘I mean, obviously, you could logically say that if you had a process that was ongoing and you started mitigation earlier, you could have saved lives,’ Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, told CNN’s Jake Tapper on ‘State of the Union’ when asked if social distancing and stay-at-home measures could have prevented death had they been put in place in February, instead of mid-March. ‘Obviously, no one is going to deny that. But what goes into those decisions is complicated,’ added Fauci, who is a key member of the Trump administration’s coronavirus task force. ‘But you’re right, I mean, obviously, if we had right from the very beginning shut everything down, it may have been a little bit different. But there was a lot of pushback about shutting things down back then.’” [CNN, 4/12/20]
April 13, 2020: There Were 584,018 Cases Of And 26,613 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on April 13, 2020, there were 584,018 cases of and 26,613 deaths related to COVD-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
HealthCare.gov Under The Trump Administration Made No Attempt To Highlight Information And Resources Supporting ACA Coverage. According to the Associated Press, “State-run exchanges prominently promote the availability of coverage, but users of HealthCare.gov have to go through a series of clicks to get that information. ‘There is definitely a greater prioritization of coronavirus on the state exchange websites,’ said Katherine Hempstead of the nonpartisan Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. ‘The state exchanges put a message about coronavirus along the top of their home page — ‘above the fold’ — while on HealthCare.gov it appears that it’s business as usual until you scroll down.’ On Monday, leading congressional Democrats wrote Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar to urge reopening HealthCare.gov and a focused effort to inform people who lose job-based coverage of their rights to an ACA plan.” [Associated Press, 4/13/20]
April 14, 2020: There Were 610,709 Cases Of And 29,318 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on April 14, 2020, there were 610,709 cases of and 29,318 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Pushing For States To Reopen And End Social Distancing Guidelines, Trump Asserted His Power As President Superseded That Of The Governors, Claiming He Had “Total Authority” As President. According to Politico, “President Donald Trump, hours after governors on both coasts announced regional plans for reopening their states, asserted ‘total authority’ over decisions about when and how to emerge after coronavirus shutdowns. ‘When somebody’s president of the United States, the authority is total,’ Trump said at a press briefing Monday when asked about the governors' plans. ‘And that’s the way it’s got to to be. It's total. It’s total. And the governors know that.’ ‘You have a couple bands of Democratic governors, but they will agree to it,’ Trump continued about the governors, who also include Republican Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker. ‘They will agree to it. But the authority of the president of the United States, having to do with the subject we’re talking about, is total.’ Trump's evening remarks followed a pair of tweets he sent earlier in the day saying reopening the country won't be up to governors. Leaders of states in the Northeast and West Coast representing nearly a third of the U.S. population subsequently announced plans to do just that on their own timelines.” [Politico, 4/14/20]
Delay From Testing Flaw Meant States Had To Rely On Shipping Tests To CDC Central Lab, And That The Community-Based Influenza Surveillance That Was Intended As A Potential Early Warning System To Detect Hot Spots. According to Politico, “The CDC admits that the test kits deployed early on in the crisis were deeply flawed, preventing widespread use and hobbling U.S. testing capacity. Two weeks after the initial announcement, just three of the more than 100 public health labs in the U.S. had verified the CDC test for use, according to the Association of Public Health Laboratories. For more than three weeks, the federal government insisted that only CDC-developed tests could be legally used to identify coronavirus outbreaks. The kits’ failures left states dependent on mailed samples to the CDC’s central lab --which proved to be a major bottleneck, delaying results. Moreover, the testing flaws delayed deployment of the touted ‘community-based influenza surveillance,’ a potential early warning system for hot spots. At the time, former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb told POLITICO that the testing delay could impede the government’s ability to detect scattered cases before they fueled larger outbreaks.” [Politico, 4/14/20]
Trump Used His Daily Coronavirus Press Briefing To Show A Video Praising His Handling Of The Coronavirus Crisis. According to the Associated Press, “President Donald Trump on Monday used the daily White House briefing to air a taxpayer-funded promotional video praising his own handling of the coronavirus outbreak and slamming his critics and the press. In a highly unusual move at a briefing meant to inform Americans about the pandemic, the lights in the briefing room dimmed for a video running more than 3 minutes that was a montage of officials offering laudatory comments about the president and of Trump discussing his steps to contain the virus. ‘Everything we did was right,’ Trump said, complaining at length about negative press coverage. He said of the video, ‘I’ve think I’ve educated a lot of people as to the press.’ It amounted to a telling demonstration of the president’ growing defensiveness in the face of criticism that the administration should have acted more aggressively and sooner to combat the virus.” [Associated Press, 4/14/20]
Trump Retweeted A Post Encouraging Fauci’s Firing. According to The Hill, “Anthony Fauci looks to be skating on thin ice with President Trump, despite — or perhaps because of — a growing sense that he is the most trusted expert on the coronavirus crisis. The White House moved on Monday to squash suggestions that Fauci could be ousted from the president’s task force on the crisis. And Fauci himself sought to shore up his position during the White House press briefing, when he walked back remarks he had made at the weekend. During a CNN interview on Sunday, Fauci had suggested that mitigation measures would have been more effective had they been put in place earlier but that there had been ‘pushback’ against them. After Trump invited Fauci to the lectern within minutes of beginning Monday’s press briefing, the doctor said that his reference to ‘pushback’ was ‘the wrong choice of words.’ He also said that Trump ‘went to the mitigation’ the first time he was asked to do so. The remarks came after ominous signs for Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. On Sunday, Trump had retweeted a message that included the words ‘time to #FireFauci.’” [Hill, 4/14/20]
Trump Attempted To Shift Blame For The Entire The Global Coronavirus Crisis On The World Health Organization. According to the New York Times, “For weeks, President Trump has faced relentless criticism for having overseen a slow and ineffective response to the coronavirus pandemic, failing to quickly embrace public health measures that could have prevented the disease from spreading. Recent polls show that more Americans disapprove of Mr. Trump’s handling of the virus than approve. So on Tuesday, the president tried to shift the blame elsewhere, ordering his administration to halt funding for the World Health Organization and claiming the organization made a series of devastating mistakes as it sought to battle the virus. He said his administration would conduct a review into whether the W.H.O. was responsible for ‘severely mismanaging and covering up’ the spread. ‘So much death has been caused by their mistakes,’ the president told reporters during a White House briefing. In effect, Mr. Trump was accusing the world’s leading health organization of making all of the mistakes that he has made since the virus first emerged in China and then spread rapidly. As of Tuesday, there had been about two million cases of the virus worldwide, and nearly 125,000 deaths. In the United States, there have been over 600,000 cases and 25,000 deaths from the virus.” [New York Times, 4/14/20]
A Crewman Aboard The USS Theodore Roosevelt Died Of COVID-19 Related Complications Becoming The First Active-Duty Military Member To Fall Victim To The Virus. According to the New York Times, “A member of the crew of the coronavirus-infected USS Theodore Roosevelt died Monday of complications related to the disease, 11 days after the aircraft carrier's captain was fired for pressing his concern that the Navy had done too little to safeguard his crew. The sailor was the first active-duty military member to die of COVID-19. The Navy also announced that an aircraft carrier strike group led by the USS Harry S. Truman, which had been heading home to Norfolk, Virginia from a monthslong deployment in the Middle East, will instead be kept in the Atlantic for now as a way to protect the ship's crew from coronavirus. ‘The Navy is taking this measure to maintain the strike group’s warfighting capability while ensuring the safety of the crew,’ the Navy said in a statement. There are no known coronavirus cases aboard the Truman or the other ships in its strike group. The Navy said it will evaluate ‘this dynamic situation’ and will provide an update to the crew of the Truman and their families in approximately three weeks.” [New York Times, 4/13/20]
April 15, 2020: There Were 640,742 Cases Of And 32,070 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on April 15, 2020, there were 640,742 cases of and 32,070 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Trump Identified Prominent Business Advisors For His “Opening The Country” Council And Suggested The Listed Wall Street And Silicon Valley Leaders Would Assume Formalized Roles In His Administration. According to the New York Times, “President Trump stood in the Rose Garden on Tuesday evening and recited a list of dozens of prominent business and labor leaders who he said would be advising him in deciding when and how to reopen the country’s economy, even as governors made it clear they will make those decisions themselves. The president’s announcement came after days of confusion about the makeup of what Mr. Trump has described as his ‘Opening the Country’ council. Some business leaders were reluctant to have to defend Mr. Trump’s actions and risk damaging their brands, people with knowledge of the process said. Among those Mr. Trump said he had plans to speak with were some of the most prominent names of Wall Street and Silicon Valley. Those included Jamie Dimon, the chief executive of JPMorgan Chase; Stephen A. Schwarzman, the chief executive of Blackstone; Tim Cook, the chief executive of Apple; and Mark Zuckerberg, the chief executive of Facebook, who he implied would be acting as consultants to his administration. He described them as the leaders of ‘companies that no other country will catch, if they’re smart’ and suggested they were taking on formal roles advising his administration.” [New York Times, 4/14/20]
Some Business Leaders Identified By Trump As Advisors Were Blindsided By The Announcement, Others Felt They Lacked Information About The Council’s Objectives, And Some Were Unable To Participate In The Council’s First Hastily Organized Conference Call. According to the New York Times, “Some business leaders had no idea they were included until they heard that their names had been read in the Rose Garden on Tuesday night by President Trump. Some of those who had agreed to help said they received little information on what, exactly, they were signing up for. And others who were willing to connect with the White House could not participate in hastily organized conference calls on Wednesday because of scheduling conflicts and technical difficulties. In short, the rollout of what the president referred to last week as his ‘Opening Our Country Council’ was as confusing as the process of getting there. Instead of a formal council, what Mr. Trump announced on Tuesday was a watered-down version that included 17 separate industry groups, including hospitality, banking, energy and ‘thought leaders.’ And on Wednesday, a bipartisan group of lawmakers received emails inviting them to join another task force.” [New York Times, 4/15/20]
Attempting To Secure N95 Masks, The Trump Administration Contracted Third-Party Distributors To Purchase Masks At A Price Eight Times Higher Than When U.S. Intelligence Agencies Initially Warned Of Impending Pandemic. According to the Washington Post, “The Trump administration has awarded bulk contracts to third-party vendors in recent weeks in a scramble to obtain N95 respirator masks, and the government has paid the companies more than $5 per unit, nearly eight times what it would have spent in January and February when U.S. intelligence agencies warned of a looming global pandemic, procurement records show. The N95 masks are essential protective gear for health-care workers and others at elevated risk of coronavirus infection, and the government has recommended that people across the country wear masks and other face coverings when outside. Demand for the masks has created a frenzied, freewheeling global market that has pitted U.S. states against the federal government and rich nations against poorer ones. Administration officials leaped into the fray late, then embarked on a voracious spending spree. Though U.S. federal agencies made a small number of relatively modest purchases before the second half of March, the government has ordered more than $600 million worth of masks since then.” [Washington Post, 4/15/20]
The Trump Administration Awarded A $55 Million Contract To Purchase N95 Masks From A Third Party Distributor With No Experience Manufacturing Or Procuring Medical Equipment In Bulk. According to the Washington Post, “Large U.S. companies such as Honeywell and 3M have received the biggest orders, but the Trump administration also has signed high-dollar deals with third-party vendors selling masks for many times the standard price. The Federal Emergency Management Agency awarded a $55 million contract for N95s this month to Panthera Worldwide LLC, which is in the business of tactical training. One of its owners said last year that Panthera’s parent company had not had any employees since May 2018, according to sworn testimony. It also has no history of manufacturing or procuring medical equipment, according to a review of records produced as a result of legal disputes involving the company and its affiliates. Panthera Worldwide’s parent company filed for bankruptcy last fall, and the LLC is no longer recognized in Virginia — where it has its main office — following nonpayment of fees, which according to Virginia code results in ‘the existence of a limited liability company’ being ‘automatically canceled.’ James V. Punelli, one of the company’s executives, said he is working his military contacts to obtain the masks.” [Washington Post, 4/15/20]
Panthera Worldwide LLC Failed To Deliver The Promised 10 Million Protective Mask Causing FEMA To Cancel The $55 Million Contract They Awarded The Company. According to the Washington Post, “A little-known Virginia-based defense company that was awarded a $55 million federal contract to provide 10 million N95 masks for the U.S. government’s coronavirus response failed to deliver and had its contract canceled Tuesday, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Panthera Worldwide LLC, whose parent company filed for bankruptcy protection last year, had promised to deliver the much-needed personal protective equipment by May 1, despite having no history of providing such materials to the government. The owners told The Washington Post last month that the company was aiming to deliver the materials two weeks early. Instead, they sought a 10-day extension to May 11 and ultimately did not furnish the items. ‘We are patriots and take pride in our products for the U.S. government, especially during this real medical crisis,’ one of the company’s executives, James V. Punelli, wrote in an email on April 15. He also promised that the masks would be provided before May 1 ‘for certain, in full and with a very high-quality product.’ […] The unfulfilled contract leaves the U.S. government without an expected delivery of 10 million of the sought-after masks, which provide enhanced protection against the novel coronavirus by filtering airborne particles and droplets. It was the latest misfire by the Trump administration in its frantic quest for medical supplies, in this case relying on an untested company for critically needed masks.” [Washington Post, 5/12/20]
Senior White House Advisors Ivanka Trump And Jared Kushner Broke The Washington, D.C. Stay-Home Order And Traveled To The Trump National Golf Club In Bedminster, New Jersey To Celebrate Passover. According to the New York Times, “Ivanka Trump, President Trump’s eldest daughter and a senior White House adviser, has positioned herself as one of the leaders of the administration’s economic relief efforts and one of its most vocal advocates of social distancing. ‘Those lucky enough to be in a position to stay at home, please, please do so,’ Ms. Trump said in a video she posted online, encouraging Americans to follow federal guidelines about social distancing, which suggests that people stay at least six feet apart. ‘Each and every one of us plays a role in slowing the spread.’ But Ms. Trump herself has not followed the federal guidelines advising against discretionary travel, leaving Washington for another one of her family’s homes, even as she has publicly thanked people for self-quarantining. And effective April 1, the city of Washington issued a stay-at-home order for all residents unless they are performing essential activities. Ms. Trump and her husband, Jared Kushner, who is also a senior White House adviser, traveled with their three children to the Trump National Golf Club Bedminster in New Jersey to celebrate the first night of Passover this month, according to two people with knowledge of their travel plans, even as seders across the country were canceled and families gathered remotely over apps like Zoom.” [New York Times, 4/15/20]
In Response To A Growing Nationwide Shortage Of Face Masks, The Trump Administration Secured A Donation Of Masks From Taiwan To Protect Senior White House Staff. According to the Washington Post, “In mid-March, a National Security Council team rushed to fix what they saw as a threat to the U.S. government’s ability to function amid the advancing pandemic: a lack of masks to protect enough staff on the White House complex. Alarmed by the small cache and the growing signs of an acute shortage of protective gear in the United States, a senior NSC official turned to a foreign government for help, according to people familiar with the situation. The outreach resulted in a donation of hundreds of thousands of surgical masks from Taiwan, which had plentiful domestic production and had sharply curtailed the spread of the coronavirus on the island. While the bulk of Taiwan’s goodwill shipment went to the Strategic National Stockpile, 3,600 were set aside for White House staff and officials, administration officials said. ‘While the administration had detailed pandemic response plans, somehow those did not include maintaining a supply of masks for White House personnel,’ said an administration official who, like others, spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe internal discussions. ‘That was a lesson learned. We did look at buying some, but couldn’t find available supply.’ A White House spokesman disputed the notion that the complex did not have a sufficient supply of masks, but declined to say how many were on hand or why the NSC turned to a foreign government for a donation.” [Washington Post, 4/15/20]
The NSC Secured Thousands Of Masks For White House Personnel, While The CDC Continued To Discourage The Use Of Masks For Two Weeks Before The Trump Administration Promoted The Use Of Masks For The Public. According to the Washington Post, “The urgent appeal to Taiwan on March 14 highlights a stark conflict between the Trump administration’s stance then on the use of masks and the race behind the scenes to obtain them for key White House personnel. At the time, the U.S. government was discouraging the public from wearing masks, saying that healthy people didn’t need them and that the gear should be saved for front-line medical workers most at risk of infection. Because of that guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the White House was not issuing masks to its staff, according to two officials. But inside the NSC, a top deputy was convinced that face coverings should be used more broadly to protect both his team and the public at large. The resulting arrangement he struck with Taipei made thousands of masks available for White House staff use two weeks before the administration reversed policy and advised that citizens should broadly begin wearing cloth face coverings in public.” [Washington Post, 4/15/20]
April 16, 2020: There Were 672,355 Cases Of And 34,418 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on April 16, 2020, there were 672,355 cases of and 34,418 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
The White House Recommendations To Reopen Included Schools Reopening In Stage Two. According to ABC News, “On April 16, the White House rolled out recommendations for states to roll back social distancing restrictions over three stages, providing they met certain testing, health care and other criteria. The first phase called for some businesses to reopen, while the federal government did not recommend states reopen schools until the second phase. Asked by ABC News’ Karen Travers the next day how parents who are sent back to work should handle child care if schools had yet to open, Trump did not not have an answer. ‘I think the schools are going to be open soon,’ the president said. ‘I think a lot of governors are already talking about schools being open.’ Trump said he hoped his own 14-year-old son would return to school. He added that he thought ‘the schools are going to be open sooner rather than later.’ ‘I’ve spoken to some governors who were already talking about thinking about getting the schools open,’ he said at the time.” [ABC News, 4/27/20]
Despite A Lack Of Evidence Supporting The Treatment, Trump’s Endorsement Of Azithromycin Tablets To Combat COVID-19 Led To A Nationwide Shortage Of The Drug. According to The Hill, “A commonly prescribed antibiotic used to treat sexually transmitted infections and other conditions is facing a shortage after President Trump promoted it as a potential coronavirus treatment. Demand for azithromycin tablets — better known by its brand name Z-Pack — is soaring as the number of COVID-19 cases continues to rise in the U.S. Nine drug manufacturers are reporting shortages of azithromycin to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), with several citing increased demand. Demand is highest in New York, the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in the U.S., with more than 222,000 confirmed cases, said Paula Gurz, senior director of pharmacy for Premier, a health care services company. ‘This is likely a result of COVID-19, with this product being talked about in combination with Hydroxychloriquine as a treatment,’ Gurz said. Some doctors are using azithromycin combined with hydroxychloriquine — an anti-malarial medication — to treat COVID-19 after the FDA loosened restrictions on how the drugs can be used. There is limited evidence about whether the two drugs are an effective treatment for COVID-19, but clinical trials are underway in the U.S. and other countries” [Hill, 4/16/20]
Trump Unveiled And Promoted Abbott Rapid Test That Could Have Delivered An Unspecified Number Of False Negative Results Among Those With Lower Loads Of Virus. According to StatNews, “A rapid test for the novel coronavirus that was unveiled by President Trump on the White House lawn and has already been used hundreds of thousands of times can falsely produce negative results in patients who are infected, according to clinicians and laboratory experts. The 13-minute test, developed by Abbott Laboratories, a major U.S. health care and medical device company, usually still works properly, the company and clinicians say. But Abbott’s initial guidance on how to administer the test — guidance approved by the Food and Drug Administration — could lead to an unspecified number of false negative results. Abbott says changing how samples are collected should fix the problem. The test ‘performed equivalent to the other platforms with patients that had high and moderate loads of virus,’ said Alan Wells, a pathologist who directs the clinical laboratories at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. ‘However, with lower loads of virus, a large fraction of these patients were not detected as positive.’ Wells ran a validation of the test compared with stored samples that had been tested on other platforms.” [StatNews, 4/16/20]
Abbott’s Letter To Providers Said Its Test Should Not Be Used With Viral Transport Solution, Which The FDA Had Approved, Because It Could Lead To A False Negative. According to StatNews, “The test can be used in two different ways. In one method, a swab that has been rubbed against the nose, throat, or the area deep in the back of the nose is inserted directly into the ID Now platform, a toaster-sized machine. That approach is still seen as effective. But the FDA cleared the test to be used in another way: The swabs could be put in a liquid solution — known as “viral transport media” — and tested, which is the standard way for processing many other kinds of tests and usually allows samples to be stored longer. In a letter sent to health care providers Wednesday, obtained by STAT, Abbott said that the test should not be used in the solution because it could lead the test to give a negative result when a patient is actually infected. The company said it will work with the FDA to change the language of the product’s package, and intends for changes to be made by the week of April 20.” [StatNews, 4/16/20]
Rapid Machine Could Do One Test Per 15 Minutes, Was Easily Out Produced By Other Machines That Ran 96 Over Couple Hours. According to the Wall Street Journal, “When state officials received the machines in early April, challenges quickly emerged. For one thing, the machine can do one result quickly, in under 15 minutes according to the company, but was never meant to run the large volumes of tests needed during a pandemic. Other machines, including one by Abbott, can run 96 samples at a time over several hours, far outpacing the ID Now in the course of an” [WSJ, 4/19/20]
April 19, 2020: There Were 757,596 Cases Of And 40,179 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on April 19, 2020, there were 757,596 cases of and 40,179 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Trump Blamed Governors For Nationwide Shortages In Testing. According to the Associated Press, “President Donald Trump is wrongly casting blame on governors and the Obama administration for shortages in coronavirus testing and declaring victory over what he calls relatively low death rates in the U.S. That’s too soon to tell. […] TRUMP, on governors urging wider availability of virus tests: ‘They don’t want to use all of the capacity that we’ve created. We have tremendous capacity. ...They know that. The governors know that. The Democrat governors know that; they’re the ones that are complaining.’ — news briefing Saturday. THE FACTS: Trump’s assertion that governors are not using already available testing capacity is contradicted by one of his top health advisers. He’s also wrong that Democrats are the only ones expressing concerns about the adequacy of COVID-19 testing; several Republican governors also point to problems. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the federal government’s top infectious disease expert, told The Associated Press that the U.S. does not yet have the critical testing and tracing procedures needed to begin reopening the nation’s economy. ‘We have to have something in place that is efficient and that we can rely on, and we’re not there yet,’ Fauci, a member of the White House’s coronavirus task force, said Tuesday.” [Associated Press, 4/19/20]
Trump’s FDA Approved The Roll Out Of Over 90 Antibody Tests Without Undergoing A Formal Review Of The Process, Potentially Increasing Risks Of Misdiagnosis Or Reinfection. According to the Washington Post, “The Food and Drug Administration, criticized for slowness in authorizing tests to detect coronavirus infections, has taken a strikingly different approach to antibody tests, allowing more than 90 on the market without prior review, including some marketed fraudulently and of dubious quality, according to testing experts and the agency itself. Antibody, or serological, tests are designed to identify people who may have overcome COVID-19, including those who had no symptoms, and developed an immune response. They are not designed to detect active infections. Some officials tout the blood tests as a way to reopen the economy by identifying individuals who have developed immunity and can safely return to work. But many scientists, as well as the World Health Organization, say evidence is lacking that even high-quality antibody tests can prove someone has immunity from the novel coronavirus and is not at risk of being reinfected. The emergence of dozens of tests never reviewed by the FDA — many of which are being aggressively marketed — could confuse doctors, hospitals, employers and consumers clamoring for the products, according to critics who say the agency’s oversight of the tests has been lax. The questions are taking on special importance as federal and state officials debate strategies, including using serological testing, to help determine when they can end state and local lockdowns.” [Washington Post, 4/19/20]
Only Four Out Of The 110 Corporations And Laboratories Offering Coronavirus Antibody Tests Had Been Formally Vetted And Approved By The FDA. According to Yahoo News, “With President Trump and many others eager to see the country recover from the coronavirus, antibody tests are emerging as a crucial marker of just how prepared the nation is to lift restrictive measures that have kept about nine out of 10 Americans under lockdown for weeks. Those tests have been quickly brought to market, with maximum speed and minimum oversight, recalling the disorganized rollout of diagnostic tests throughout March. And this time around, the near-total absence of federal regulation could result in the American market being flooded with tests that one former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention described as ‘junk.’ There are now 110 different corporations and laboratories offering coronavirus tests, but only four of those tests have been vetted by the Food and Drug Administration under Emergency Use Authorization guidelines, which can expedite approval of medical products during a public health crisis.” [Yahoo News, 4/20/20]
Many Antibody Tests That The FDA Let Go To Market Were Not Accurate Enough To Identify Survivors. According to Politico, “Normally, the FDA does its own quality check before allowing tests on the market. Agency leaders have said they tried to create more flexibility for makers of antibody tests to help inform discussions about when people can safely return to work and school, and to identify survivors whose antibody-rich blood could help treat the sick. But many of the tests available now aren’t accurate enough for such purposes. Some are giving too many false positive results, which could mislead people into thinking they have already been infected. The problem has gotten so bad that the New York City Health Department warned health providers last week against using the tests to determine whether someone is infected with the coronavirus or has developed immunity through exposure.” [Politico, 4/27/20]
April 20, 2020: There Were 784,991 Cases Of And 42,016 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on April 20, 2020, there were 784,991 cases of and 42,016 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Trump Administration Officials Warned Of Increased Hostilities Between Governors And Trump As He Continued To Push For States To Reopen Their Economies And Relax Health Guidelines. According to Politico, “President Donald Trump is preparing for a long battle with America’s governors to save himself from the political fallout from coronavirus. Over the next two weeks at the urging of the Trump administration, the map of the U.S. will start to resemble a patchwork quilt, with some states open for business while others remain locked down because of the spread of the virus. Trump has said the onus for reopening states lies with their leaders, but he has simultaneously tried to pressure governors into restarting businesses and relaxing health guidelines as soon as possible. Senior administration officials and Trump advisers say the level of hostility between the president and governors will probably only increase in the coming days, in part because Trump sees so much political opportunity in stoking those divisions during his reelection campaign. Governors have become his latest political foil, along with China and the World Health Organization, and he’s trying to bully and scapegoat them amid his administration’s response to the pandemic. ‘People’s initial reaction is always to look to the president, but as time goes on and it becomes clear other states are doing other things, that blame and credit will shift to the governors, considering they are the ones making the calls,’ one Trump political adviser said.” [Politico, 4/20/20]
Trump Stoked Protests Against States And Local Governments’ Stay-At-Home Orders. According to Politico, “But the talks would likely be contentious, with Democrats pushing for broader economic aid measures than Republicans are willing to accept at this point. Bank lobbyists believe GOP lawmakers may become more skittish about approving billions in additional funding to prop up the economy amid a growing protest movement stoked by President Donald Trump against stay-at-home orders.” [Politico, 4/20/20]
Trump Lashed Out At Maryland Governor Larry Hogan For Securing 500,000 Coronavirus Tests From South Korea. According to Vox, “Gov. Larry Hogan (R-MD) followed President Donald Trump’s advice and took coronavirus testing into his own hands. Trump attacked him anyway. Trump began Monday’s White House coronavirus briefing by criticizing Hogan — chair of the National Governors Association — for turning to a foreign source to buy coronavirus tests. ‘The governor of Maryland didn’t really understand,’ Trump said, describing a call that Vice President Mike Pence had with governors earlier in the day to encourage them to do more to increase coronavirus testing on their own. ‘He didn’t really understand what was going on.’ Trump was upset because Hogan and his wife — Yumi Hogan, a Korean immigrant — not only announced earlier Monday that they purchased 500,000 test kits from suppliers in South Korea, but also because Hogan indirectly criticized him during an interview with the New York Times.” [Vox, 4/20/20]
Trump Accused Governors Of Asking For Increased Testing As Part Of A Political Conspiracy To “Bring Him Down.” According to Vox, “Trump, however, refuses to acknowledge there’s more he could do. Later during Monday’s briefing, the president suggested that governors like Hogan who have urged him to ramp up national testing efforts are part of a political conspiracy to bring him down. Trump’s line in recent days has been to claim, without evidence, that other countries are reaching out to the US for help because testing here is going so great. Hogan’s announcement suggested that talk is a bunch of nonsense — and Trump wasn’t pleased. At another point during Monday’s briefing, CNN’s Kaitlin Collins asked White House officials why Hogan would need to turn to South Korea for testing kits if it’s true, as Trump claims, that states already have enough testing capacity to begin the process of reopening business and schools. Nobody had a good answer. Later, Trump returned to the podium and said that Hogan should’ve just called Mike Pence. ‘The governor of Maryland could’ve called Mike Pence and saved a lot of money,’ Trump said. ‘I think he needed to get a little knowledge.’” [Vox, 4/20/20]
Trump Rejected A Democratic Proposal Requiring The Trump Administration Establish A National Testing Strategy As A Condition For Allocating $25 Billion For Testing. According to the New York Times, “Democrats are pushing to include a requirement in the measure, which is likely to include $25 billion for testing, that the Trump administration establish a national testing strategy, a move the president and Republicans have resisted, insisting on leaving those decisions to each state. The impasse hindering the latest round of federal aid to respond to the coronavirus pandemic reflects a broader disagreement over how to handle testing, a crucial element of the government response on which the Trump administration has been roundly criticized for falling short. President Trump and members of his team have boasted repeatedly about the amount of testing available and pressured governors to accelerate testing in their states. Governors have repeatedly appealed for more federal funding and other help — or, in the case of Gov. Larry Hogan of Maryland, taken matters into their own hands and negotiated with suppliers on their own to obtain test kits. Democrats argue that a national testing strategy is crucial to combating the spread of the coronavirus and allowing states to plan for eventual reopening. But Republicans, wary of placing the political onus on the administration to devise and implement such a strategy, have argued that states should set their own plans. And Mr. Trump appeared to reject the Democrats’ proposal on Monday, saying that they were ‘playing a very dangerous political game’ by focusing on testing. ‘States, not the Federal Government, should be doing the Testing,’ Mr. Trump wrote on Twitter.” [New York Times, 4/20/20]
Big Companies Took Advantage Of First Rounds Of PPP Loans. According to Politico, “Now, with controversy swirling around big companies taking advantage of the first rounds of loans, small businesses may be in for another shock with funding set to run dry again shortly after it's made available to the program, which was set up to avert massive layoffs amid the coronavirus pandemic. The loans have proved enticing to businesses because they can be forgiven if borrowers maintain their payroll.” [Politico, 4/20/20]
Publicly Traded Companies And Restaurant Chains Took In Tens Of Millions In Paycheck Protection Program Loans, Which Were Meant For Smaller Businesses. According to Politico, “Anger among small businesses is growing after it was revealed that a series of publicly traded companies and large restaurant chains with access to the capital markets were among the first to secure tens of millions of dollars in Paycheck Protection Program loans before they were depleted. While lawmakers focused the program on businesses with fewer than 500 employees, it also allowed restaurant and hotel companies to apply for loans if each of their locations didn't exceed the 500 employee cap.” [Politico, 4/20/20]
April 21, 2020: There Were 810,505 Cases Of And 44,688 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on April 21, 2020, there were 810,505 cases and 44,688 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Trump Tweeted His Intent To Sign An Executive Order To Freeze All U.S. Immigration. According to the Washington Post, “Attorneys and senior Trump administration officials are meeting Tuesday to work out the logistics and legal implications of the president’s order to freeze the U.S. immigration system in response to the coronavirus pandemic, according to senior officials involved with the plans. Trump decreed via tweet late Monday that he intends to sign an executive order suspending immigration to the United States, but the president appears to have again publicly declared a U.S. policy that was not yet ready for implementation, leaving his aides rushing to deliver on his pronouncement. The order is currently with the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel for a review, as that office reviews all executive orders, a Justice Department spokeswoman said. It is unclear if the office’s legal opinion on the matter would be released publicly, as some are.” [Washington Post, 4/21/20]
Trump’s Department Of Education Issued Guidance Not Prescribed In Law That Restricted Emergency Cash Assistance To Students Who Qualified For Financial Aid, Which Restricted Assistance To DACA Recipients. According to Politico, “The Trump administration on Tuesday prohibited undocumented college students from receiving emergency federal cash assistance for expenses like food, child care and housing. The economic rescue law passed by Congress gives $6 billion to colleges to dole out to students for expenses stemming from the disruption on campuses caused by the pandemic. But Education Department officials in new guidance said the money can go only to students who qualify for federal financial aid — U.S. citizens and some legal permanent residents. That prevents undocumented students from accessing the money, although the law includes no explicit restrictions on which students could receive the emergency grants. The group that won’t receive assistance includes hundreds of thousands of members of the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which has provided work authorization and deportation protections for undocumented people who were illegally brought to the United States as children or overstayed a visa. The Supreme Court is considering whether the program should continue and is expected to issue a decision by June. Aides to Education Secretary Betsy DeVos said she is following the economic relief law.” [Politico, 4/21/20]
PIIE Report Found That The Trump Administration Kept U.S. Tariffs On Medical Supplies; 7% On N-95 Masks, 6.4-8.3% On Medical Headwear, 5% On Hand Sanitizer, 4.5% On Protective Medical Clothing, And 2.5% On Goggles. According to Politico, “Trump should also temporarily remove duties on all medical equipment and supplies that were in place before he took office, said Kelly Ann Shaw, a former Trump White House trade official who recently joined the Hogan Lovells law firm to work with clients who have trade concerns. A standard disposable N-95 mask faces a 7 percent U.S. tariff, while other medical headwear have import duties between 6.4 percent and 8.3 percent, a report by the Peterson Institute for International Economics found. The U.S. imposes a 5 percent duty on hand sanitizer, a 4.5 percent duty on protective medical clothing and a 2.5 percent duty on protective goggles. Since the U.S. government is using taxpayer money to buy massive amounts of those goods to refill the Strategic National Stockpile and to distribute to hospitals, Shaw argued it makes little sense to increase the cost of those purchases by leaving the duties in place. ‘It’s really important that the administration addresses this as soon as possible,’ she said.” [Politico, 4/21/20]
Former Trump White House Trade Official: Leaving Tariffs In Place Increased The Cost Of U.S. Government Purchases. According to Politico, “Trump should also temporarily remove duties on all medical equipment and supplies that were in place before he took office, said Kelly Ann Shaw, a former Trump White House trade official who recently joined the Hogan Lovells law firm to work with clients who have trade concerns. A standard disposable N-95 mask faces a 7 percent U.S. tariff, while other medical headwear have import duties between 6.4 percent and 8.3 percent, a report by the Peterson Institute for International Economics found. The U.S. imposes a 5 percent duty on hand sanitizer, a 4.5 percent duty on protective medical clothing and a 2.5 percent duty on protective goggles. Since the U.S. government is using taxpayer money to buy massive amounts of those goods to refill the Strategic National Stockpile and to distribute to hospitals, Shaw argued it makes little sense to increase the cost of those purchases by leaving the duties in place. “It’s really important that the administration addresses this as soon as possible,” she said.” [Politico, 4/21/20]
The White House Planned To Launch Effort To Repeal And Suspend Regulations To Stimulate The Economy. According to the Washington Post, “Senior White House and Trump administration officials are planning to launch a sweeping effort in the coming days to repeal or suspend federal regulations affecting businesses, with the expected executive action seen by advisers as a way to boost an economy facing its worst shock in generations, two people familiar with the internal planning said. The White House-driven initiative is expected to center on suspending federal regulations for small businesses and expanding an existing administration program that requires agencies to revoke two regulations for every new one they issue, the two people said.” [Washington Post, 4/21/20]
Kushner’s Shadow Coronavirus Taskforce Was Comprised Of Private Equity, Healthcare Industry, Finance Professionals All With Financial Stakes In The Federal Response To The Pandemic. According to Mother Jones, “Last year, private equity firms spent tens of millions to defeat bipartisan legislation reining in surprise medical bills that can send unsuspecting patients into debt. In December, Congress buckled to the industry’s pressure and failed to limit predatory billing practices of many institutional health care investors—especially private equity firms, which have aggressively moved into the health care space over the last decade. Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe—one such private equity firm that has generated big investor returns by following the industry playbook of buying up health care practices, loading them with debt, and charging patients more—controls companies that spent hundreds of thousands lobbying against the bill and helped fund a coalition of private equity-backed medical groups that spent $4 million to block the legislation. And last month, one of the firm’s top executives joined a shadow task force convened by Jared Kushner to help run the Trump administration’s response to the coronavirus pandemic. He’s in good company. When Kushner, the president’s son-in-law, assembled the group, he did not turn to experts in crisis management or public health. Instead, he enlisted people with experience in the business of health care—not necessarily medical experts, but particularly those who worked on finance side and were adept at making money off the health care industry. Some who were invited to join from inside the government’s ranks were former investors and entrepreneurs in the health space, including a former roommate of Kushner’s. But members of the shadow working group who come from outside government work at or run companies that have a clear financial stake in how the government handles the crisis and doles out contracts, spending, and bailout funding.” [Mother Jones, 4/21/20]
The Participants On Kushner’s Taskforce Avoided Having To Adhere To Federal Ethics And Transparency Rules Since Kushner’s Taskforce Was Comprised Of Primarily Non-Government Members. According to Mother Jones, “Because of the way the group has been assembled and run, the outsiders, unlike government employees, have not had to disclose any such potential conflicts, submit to ethics determinations about recusals, nor to divest from any financial arrangements that could influence their decisions. Moreover, because Kushner’s group is operating on private phones and email accounts without regard for federal transparency requirements governing advisory committees, there’s less insight into whether or not they are using their positions to make money for themselves or their companies. ‘There are serious questions about how the Trump and Kushner families use the presidency to benefit themselves,’ says Jordan Libowitz, a spokesman for Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, a watchdog group whose experts say Kushner’s shadow group is violating federal record-keeping and transparency laws. ‘We don’t know how involved family business ties are to any of this. We don’t know all the members of the task force or who they’re talking to. We don’t know how people are pushing their own financial interests.’” [Mother Jones, 4/21/20]
In An Informal Study Conducted At Various VA Hospitals, There Were More Deaths Among Those Treated With Hydroxychloroquine Than Those Patients Given Standard Care. According to the Associated Press, “A malaria drug widely touted by President Donald Trump for treating the new coronavirus showed no benefit in a large analysis of its use in U.S. veterans hospitals. There were more deaths among those given hydroxychloroquine versus standard care, researchers reported. The nationwide study was not a rigorous experiment. But with 368 patients, it’s the largest look so far of hydroxychloroquine with or without the antibiotic azithromycin for COVID-19, which has killed more than 171,000 people as of Tuesday. The study was posted on an online site for researchers and has been submitted to the New England Journal of Medicine, but has not been reviewed by other scientists. Grants from the National Institutes of Health and the University of Virginia paid for the work.” [Associated Press, 4/21/20]
Researchers Found That Of The 368 Veterans Hospitalized With Coronavirus, About 28% Who Were Given Chloroquine Plus Usual Care Died Compared To 11% Who Received Routine Care Alone. According to the Associated Press, “Researchers analyzed medical records of 368 male veterans hospitalized with confirmed coronavirus infection at Veterans Health Administration medical centers who died or were discharged by April 11. About 28% who were given hydroxychloroquine plus usual care died, versus 11% of those getting routine care alone. About 22% of those getting the drug plus azithromycin died too, but the difference between that group and usual care was not considered large enough to rule out other factors that could have affected survival. Hydroxychloroquine made no difference in the need for a breathing machine, either. Researchers did not track side effects, but noted hints that hydroxychloroquine might have damaged other organs. The drug has long been known to have potentially serious side effects, including altering the heartbeat in a way that could lead to sudden death.” [Associated Press, 4/21/20]
An NIH Medical Expert Panel Rejected The Drug Combination Hydroxychloroquine And Azithromycin Promoted By Trump To Treat COVID-19 Patients Citing A Lack Of Formal Evidence It Is A Successful Treatment Method. According to Bloomberg, “A panel of medical experts convened by the U.S. National Institutes of Health recommended against the use of a drug combination touted by President Donald Trump for COVID-19 patients. The NIH panel, made up of 50 doctors, pharmacy experts and government researchers and officials, specifically recommended against the use of the anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine in combination with the antibiotic azithromycin. The malaria pill can cause heart issues, and the NIH panel warned of the potential for harm from the combination. Trump has repeatedly backed the use of the malaria pill or the combination of drugs on Twitter and at numerous briefings of the Coronavirus Task Force, though some medical experts in his administration have cautioned about the lack of evidence. In a press briefing on April 5th, he said: ‘What do you have to lose? Take it.’ ‘Although reports have appeared in the medical literature and the lay press claiming successful treatment of patients with COVID-19 with a variety of agents, definitive clinical trial data are needed to identify optimal treatments for this disease,’ the NIH panel said in its report, giving broad recommendations for the treatment of COVID-19 patients.” [Bloomberg, 4/21/20]
U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams Said That African Americans And Latinos Need To “Step Up” And Stop Drinking And Smoking; Experts Said It Undermined The Government’s Credibility. According to Politico, “It didn’t help, health professionals said, when U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams — one of two people of color communicating at the administration level about the coronavirus — remarked recently that African Americans and Latinos need to “step up” and stop drinking and smoking. Health experts and pastors said it was widely seen as victim-blaming and likely undermined the government’s credibility. (Adams has since been publicly sidelined.) ‘Messaging is paramount in moments like this,’ said Dr. Lauren Powell, former head of health equity for Virginia’s health department. Powell added that the dearth of female and minority messengers could have negative consequences. ‘This is a systemic problem across health care and many other industries where we don't see enough people of color, women of color in particular in positions of power and authority,’ said Powell, the executive director of Time's Up Healthcare, a nonprofit foundation. ‘And that could certainly impact the way these vital public health messages fall on the ears of those of us in minority communities.’” [Politico, 4/21/20]
Despite Assertions From VA Spokespeople, Field Interviews And IG Reports Identified Severe Supply And Staffing Shortages As The Number Of Infections Increased Across VA Medical Facilities. According to the Associated Press, “More than 5,700 veterans treated by the VA have been infected by the coronavirus, and nearly 380 have died. The Labor Department is now investigating, and several Democrats in Congress plan to send a letter Thursday calling on President Donald Trump to invoke the Defense Production Act to get more supplies for VA health facilities. The VA, responsible for the health care of 9 million military veterans, denied it was short of supplies and stressed that it follows federal health guidelines when rationing personal protective equipment like masks and gloves. ‘VA’s PPE conservation posture is precisely why the department has not encountered any PPE shortages that have negatively impacted patient care or employee safety,’ said spokeswoman Christina Mandreucci. She said the VA has moved aggressively in recent weeks to add staff, hiring 3,183 people, including 981 nurses, from March 29 to April 11. But interviews with nurses and other employees at facilities around the country, internal VA documents, and a March report by the agency’s inspector general tell another story. The facilities were short of staff and equipment like masks, eye shields, hand sanitizer and gowns. Some workers were forced to reuse masks for days or weeks, according to interviews with VA nurses. In hard-hit states like New York, a crush of coronavirus patients led to a shortage of negative pressure rooms to limit the spread of the virus, several VA nurses told the AP. The VA inspector general’s staff visited more than 230 facilities in March. It found that nearly a third of the medical centers could improve their processing for screening visitors. More than half of the medical centers reported shortages of supplies and equipment including respirator masks, and 10 reported shortages of staffing mostly for nurses in intensive care units.” [Associated Press, 4/21/20]
VA IG Found That More Than Half Of Medical Centers Reported Supplies And PPE Shortages As Well As Staffing Shortages. According to the Associated Press, “The VA inspector general’s staff visited more than 230 facilities in March. It found that nearly a third of the medical centers could improve their processing for screening visitors. More than half of the medical centers reported shortages of supplies and equipment including respirator masks, and 10 reported shortages of staffing mostly for nurses in intensive care units.” [Associated Press, 4/21/20]
The Trump Organization Sought Guidance From Palm Beach County On Whether It Had To Keep Making Payments On West Palm Beach Golf Club. According to the New York Times, “In Florida, the Trump Organization in late March sought guidance from Palm Beach County about whether it had to continue making monthly payments on land that the company leases for its 27-hole Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, according to people briefed on the discussions and documents reviewed by The New York Times.” [New York Times, 4/21/20]
The Trump Organization Requested GSA Grant A Change To Their Lease Payments Or Additional Relief For The Trump Hotel In Washington, D.C. According to the New York Times, “President Trump’s signature hotel in the nation’s capital wants a break on the terms of its lease. The landlord determining the fate of the request is Mr. Trump’s own administration. Trump International Hotel, just a few blocks from the White House, had been a favored gathering place for lobbyists, foreign dignitaries and others hoping to score points with the president. But like most hotels, it is now nearly empty and looking to cut costs because of the coronavirus pandemic. In recent weeks, the president’s family business has inquired about changing its lease payments, according to people familiar with the matter, which the federal government has reported amount to nearly $268,000 per month. The Trump Organization owns and operates the luxury hotel, but it is in a federally owned building on Pennsylvania Avenue. As part of its deal to open the 263-room hotel, the company signed a 60-year lease in 2013 that requires the monthly payments to the General Services Administration. Eric Trump, the president’s son, confirmed that the company had opened a conversation about possible changes to the terms of the lease, which could include adjustments to future monthly payments. The Trump Organization has said it is current on its rent. The younger Mr. Trump said the company was asking the G.S.A. for any relief that it might be granting other federal tenants. The president still owns the company, but his eldest sons run the day-to-day operations. ‘Just treat us the same,’ Eric Trump said in a statement on Tuesday. ‘Whatever that may be is fine.’” [New York Times, 4/21/20]
April 22, 2020: There Were 839,336 Cases Of And 47,059 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on April 22, 2020 there were 839,336 cases of and 47,059 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
CDC Director Redfield Warned That There Was A Significant Possibility Of A Second Wave Of Both Coronavirus And The Flu Simultaneously. According to The Washington Post, “Even as states move ahead with plans to reopen their economies, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned Tuesday that a second wave of the novel coronavirus will be far more dire because it is likely to coincide with the start of flu season. ‘There’s a possibility that the assault of the virus on our nation next winter will actually be even more difficult than the one we just went through,’ CDC Director Robert Redfield said in an interview with The Washington Post. ‘And when I’ve said this to others, they kind of put their head back, they don’t understand what I mean.’ ‘We’re going to have the flu epidemic and the coronavirus epidemic at the same time,’ he said. Having two simultaneous respiratory outbreaks would put unimaginable strain on the health-care system, he said. The first wave of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, has already killed more than 42,000 people across the country. It has overwhelmed hospitals and revealed gaping shortages in test kits, ventilators and protective equipment for health-care workers.” [Washington Post, 4/21/20]
Trump Claimed CDC Director Redfield Was Misquoted In Statements Regarding The Potential For A Second Wave Of Coronavirus And Called On Redfield To Clarify His Comments. According to U.S. News, “CDC Director Walked Back His Comments Regarding A Second Wave The director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was called on by President Donald Trump on Wednesday to walk back his remark that the second wave of novel coronavirus in the fall could be worse than the current situation. CDC Director Robert Redfield made the widely circulated comment in an interview Tuesday with the Washington Post. On Wednesday, Trump tweeted that the health expert was misquoted and would be putting out a statement. Redfield, however, said he was quoted accurately. ‘I think it’s really important to emphasize what I didn’t say: I didn’t say that this was going to be worse,’ Redfield said at the daily White House coronavirus briefing. ‘I said it was going to be more difficult and potentially complicated because we’re going to have flu and coronavirus circulating at the same time.’ Redfield’s remarks came as Trump appeared to downplay the risk that the coming fall or winter could bring another serious wave of COVID-19 combined with outbreaks of seasonal flu.” [U.S. News, 4/22/20]
Trump Said, “We Will Not Go Through What We Went Through In The Last Few Months […] It May Not Come Back At All.” According to U.S. News, “‘We will not go through what we went through in the last few months,’ Trump said. ‘It may not come back at all.’ Trump said, however, that there could be ‘embers of corona’ that could combine with flu to create ‘a mess.’ Even as Trump attempted to project optimism in the nation’s battle with the virus, he said he disagreed with Georgia Governor Brian Kemp’s aggressive push to re-open his state’s economy in violation of federal recommendations. Trump said that was too soon. ‘They can wait a little bit longer, just a little bit - not much,’ Trump said. ‘Because safety has to predominate. We have to have that.’ Even so, Trump said he was encouraged to see some states begin to open up their economies and ease restrictions. He announced that his administration will hold a July 4 celebration on the National Mall in Washington, as it did last year. At present, the capital remains under a stay-at-home order through May 15.” [U.S. News, 4/22/20]
Reuters Reported That After Minimizing The Severity Of The Coronavirus And Overselling The Preparedness Of HHS, Azar Appointed His Chief Of Staff, Brian Harrison, To Lead The National Coronavirus Response Efforts Back In January. According to Reuters, “On January 21, the day the first U.S. case of coronavirus was reported, the secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services appeared on Fox News to report the latest on the disease as it ravaged China. Alex Azar, a 52-year-old lawyer and former drug industry executive, assured Americans the U.S. government was prepared. ‘We developed a diagnostic test at the CDC, so we can confirm if somebody has this,’ Azar said. ‘We will be spreading that diagnostic around the country so that we are able to do rapid testing on site.’ While coronavirus in Wuhan, China, was ‘potentially serious,’ Azar assured viewers in America, it ‘was one for which we have a playbook.’ Azar’s initial comments misfired on two fronts. Like many U.S. officials, from President Donald Trump on down, he underestimated the pandemic’s severity. He also overestimated his agency’s preparedness. As is now widely known, two agencies Azar oversaw as HHS secretary, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration, wouldn’t come up with viable tests for five and half weeks, even as other countries and the World Health Organization had already prepared their own. Shortly after his televised comments, Azar tapped a trusted aide with minimal public health experience to lead the agency’s day-to-day response to COVID-19. The aide, Brian Harrison, had joined the department after running a dog-breeding business for six years. Five sources say some officials in the White House derisively called him ‘the dog breeder.’” [Reuters, 4/22/20]
Harrison, A Former Labradoodle Breeder, Had Limited Public Health Education Or Experience. According to Reuters, “Two years later, at the dawn of the coronavirus crisis, Azar appointed his most trusted aide and chief of staff, Harrison, as HHS’s main coordinator for the government’s response to the virus. Harrison, 37, was an unusual choice, with no formal education in public health, management, or medicine and with only limited experience in the fields. In 2006, he joined HHS in a one-year stint as a ‘Confidential Assistant’ to Azar, who was then deputy secretary. He also had posts working for Vice President Dick Cheney, the Department of Defense and a Washington public relations company. Before joining the Trump Administration in January 2018, Harrison’s official HHS biography says, he ‘ran a small business in Texas.’ The biography does not disclose the name or nature of that business, but his personal financial disclosure forms show that from 2012 until 2018 he ran a company called Dallas Labradoodles. The company sells Australian Labradoodles, a breed that is a cross between a Labrador Retriever and a Poodle. He sold it in April 2018, his financial disclosure form said. HHS emailed Reuters that the sale price was $225,000. At HHS, Harrison was initially deputy chief of staff before being promoted, in the summer of 2019, to replace Azar’s first chief of staff, Peter Urbanowicz, an experienced hospital executive with decades of experience in public health. This January, Harrison became a key manager of the HHS virus response. ‘Everyone had to report up through him,’ said one HHS official.” [Reuters, 4/22/20]
When Tasked With Convening The Coronavirus Task Force, Harrison Decided To Exclude The FDA And Commissioner Stephen Hahn. According to Reuters, “One questionable decision, three sources say, came that month, after the White House announced it was convening a coronavirus task force. The HHS role was to muster resources from key public health agencies: the CDC, FDA, National Institutes of Health, Office of Global Affairs and the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response. Harrison decided, the sources say, to exclude FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn from the task force. ‘He said he didn’t need to be included,’ said one official with knowledge of the matter. When task force members were announced January 29, neither Hahn nor the FDA were included. Hahn wasn’t put on the task force until Vice President Mike Pence took over in February. Two of Hahn’s high-profile counterparts were on it from the start: CDC director Robert Redfield and Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. The HHS denied it was Harrison’s decision to leave out Hahn and the FDA, but declined to say who made the call. The agency lauded Harrison’s work on the task force.” [Reuters, 4/22/20]
The Wall Street Journal Reported That Azar Failed To Effectively Lead The Early Response Efforts By Waiting Weeks To Brief Trump, Overselling HHS’ Abilities, And Failing To Coordinate Across Agencies. According to the Wall Street Journal, “Many factors muddled the administration’s early response to the coronavirus as officials debated the severity of the threat, including comments from Mr. Trump that minimized the risk. But interviews with more than two dozen administration officials and others involved in the government’s coronavirus effort show that Mr. Azar waited for weeks to brief the president on the threat, oversold his agency’s progress in the early days and didn’t coordinate effectively across the health-care divisions under his purview. The ramp-up of the nation’s diagnostic testing for the disease caused by coronavirus, which many health experts regard as critical for limiting new infections and safely reopening the economy, has been slower than promised and hampered by obstacles. As of Wednesday, more than four million government and private-lab tests had been administered. The president now says states bear the primary responsibility for testing, and that the federal government plays only a supporting role.” [Wall Street Journal, 4/22/20]
Trump Blamed Azar For Not Informing Him Earlier About The Threat Posed By Coronavirus And Subsequently Minimized Azar’s Roll Within The White House Taskforce Coronavirus Response. According to the Wall Street Journal, “Mr. Trump, who says he has responded to the virus aggressively, tweeted on April 12 that Mr. Azar ‘told me nothing until later.’ He didn’t offer details on what he meant, and a White House spokesman said the president feels Mr. Azar ‘provided him with the most accurate and factual information we had at that time.’ White House officials say there is no plan to replace Mr. Azar during a pandemic. Still, the president last week installed a former campaign aide, Michael Caputo, to serve as assistant secretary for public affairs at HHS. The White House also appointed policy adviser Emily Newman as a liaison to HHS who will oversee the agency’s political hires. Mr. Azar has largely been sidelined over the past several weeks from discussions with the president and with the White House task force, administration officials said. He hasn’t attended the daily briefing since April 3.” [Wall Street Journal, 4/22/20]
Dr. Rick Bright, The Director Of The Biomedical Advanced Research And Development Authority, Was Dismissed And Removed As Assistant Secretary For Preparedness And Response After Pushing For A Thorough Vetting Of Hydroxychloroquine Prior To Investing Federal Dollars. According to the New York Times, “The doctor who led the federal agency involved in developing a coronavirus vaccine said on Wednesday that he was removed from his post after he pressed for rigorous vetting of hydroxychloroquine, an anti-malaria drug embraced by President Trump as a coronavirus treatment, and that the administration has put ‘politics and cronyism ahead of science.’ Dr. Rick Bright was abruptly dismissed this week as the director of the Department of Health and Human Services’ Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, or BARDA, and removed as the deputy assistant secretary for preparedness and response. He was given a narrower job at the National Institutes of Health. In a scorching statement, Dr. Bright assailed the leadership at the health department, saying he was pressured to direct money toward hydroxychloroquine, one of several ‘potentially dangerous drugs promoted by those with political connections’ and repeatedly described by the president as a potential ‘game changer’ in the fight against the virus. ‘I believe this transfer was in response to my insistence that the government invest the billions of dollars allocated by Congress to address the COVID-19 pandemic into safe and scientifically vetted solutions, and not in drugs, vaccines and other technologies that lack scientific merit,’ he said in his statement. ‘I am speaking out because to combat this deadly virus, science — not politics or cronyism — has to lead the way.’” [New York Times, 4/22/20]
Bright Said He Was Pressured To Direct Money Toward Hydroxychloroquine. According to the New York Times, “In a scorching statement, Dr. Bright assailed the leadership at the health department, saying he was pressured to direct money toward hydroxychloroquine, one of several “potentially dangerous drugs promoted by those with political connections” and repeatedly described by the president as a potential “game changer” in the fight against the virus.” [New York Times, 4/22/20]
Despite Bright’s Pushback, Administration Officials Rejected The Restrictive Approach Pushing For Wider Circulation Of The Drug. According to Vanity Fair, “In the statement related to his firing, Rick Bright seemed to refer to that authorization when he wrote, ‘I rightly resisted efforts to provide an unproven drug on demand to the American public. I insisted that these drugs be provided only to hospitalized patients with confirmed COVID-19 while under the supervision of a physician.’ But top officials were not satisfied with the more restrictive approach and kept pushing for more widespread distribution of the drug. In an email that appears to have been addressed to Gaynor at some point after the emergency use authorization was issued, Brett Giroir argued strongly against limiting the drugs to hospitals. ‘NOPE. Needs to go to pharmacies as well,’ he wrote. ‘The EUA matters not. The drug is approved [and] therefore can be prescribed as per doctor’s orders That is a FINAL ANSWER.’” [Vanity Fair, 4/24/20]
When Asked About The Ousting Of Bright, Trump Responded, “Maybe He Was And Maybe He Wasn’t; I Don’t Know Who He Is.” According to the New York Times, “The president no longer talks much about hydroxychloroquine. Asked at his daily briefing if Dr. Bright had been forced out because he challenged the president’s support for an unproven drug, Mr. Trump said, ‘Maybe he was and maybe he wasn’t; I don’t know who he is.’” [New York Times, 4/22/20]
The USDA Requested Their Meat Packing Plant Inspectors Acquire Their Own Protective Gear Despite The Death Of A USDA Inspector From Coronavirus And Over 100 Inspectors Infected. According to Politico, “The U.S. Department of Agriculture is asking its employees who inspect meatpacking plants to obtain their own protective gear even after the death of one of their own from the coronavirus. These inspectors, responsible for overseeing the safety and labeling of products, work alongside company employees on slaughter lines. But the government hasn’t been able to procure enough face masks for all roughly 8,000 of them. In early April, USDA said it would provide a one-time $50 reimbursement for the inspectors to find their own. More than 100 inspectors have tested positive for coronavirus since the outbreak began, USDA said. The lack of safety gear is prompting an outcry among the union representing inspectors and those representing plant workers. They say the federal government has fumbled through an inadequate response to hundreds of positive tests among meatpacking employees, several deaths and numerous plant closures that are stirring fears of meat shortages. One inspector who worked for the department's Food Safety Inspection Service and was based in New York City died from the coronavirus in March after visiting plants while potentially infected.” [Politico, 4/22/20]
The USDA Approved The Most Line-Speed Waivers For Poultry Slaughterhouses In A Single Month Potentially Putting Worker Safety And Public Health At Risk. According to Bloomberg Law, “The federal government in April approved a record number of line-speed waivers for poultry slaughterhouses—the most ever in a single month—as the COVID-19 public health crisis makes it harder for customers to find staple foods at grocery stores in many parts of the country. The U.S. Department of Agriculture granted 15 line-speed waivers this month to allow poultry plants to exceed the normal maximum of 140 birds per minute. That’s the most waivers approved in any single month and one more than the total for all of 2019, according to a database maintained by USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service. Line-speed waivers have been a controversial topic in the poultry and pork sectors in recent years, but the flurry of approvals for poultry plants this month creates a dual danger that could hinder efforts to combat the public health crisis, worker-safety advocates, union officials, and labor lawyers told Bloomberg Law.” [Bloomberg Law, 4/22/20]
April 23, 2020: There Were 873,112 Cases Of And 49,228 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on April 23, 2020, there were 873,112 cases of and 49,228 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Trump Suggested Injecting Disinfectant Could Be An Effective Treatment For Those Infected. According to NBC News, “President Donald Trump suggested the possibility of an ‘injection’ of disinfectant into a person infected with the coronavirus as a deterrent to the virus during his daily briefing Thursday. […] He added: ‘I see the disinfectant that knocks it out in a minute, one minute. And is there a way we can do something like that by injection inside or almost a cleaning? As you see, it gets in the lungs, it does a tremendous number on the lungs, so it would be interesting to check that.’ He didn’t specify the kind of disinfectant.” [NBC News, 4/23/20]
Trump Recommended Exposing Coronavirus Patients To “Ultraviolet Or Just A Very Powerful Light” As A Treatment For Coronavirus According to NBC News, “Trump made the remark after Bill Bryan, who leads the Department of Homeland Security’s science and technology division, gave a presentation on research his team has conducted that shows that the virus doesn’t live as long in warmer and more humid temperatures. Bryan said, ‘The virus dies quickest in sunlight,’ leaving Trump to wonder whether you could bring the light ‘inside the body.’ ‘So supposing we hit the body with a tremendous — whether it’s ultraviolet or just a very powerful light — and I think you said that hasn’t been checked because of the testing,’ Trump said, speaking to Bryan during the briefing. ‘And then I said, supposing you brought the light inside the body, which you can do either through the skin or some other way, and I think you said you’re going to test that, too.’” [NBC News, 4/23/20]
More Than 800 Navy Sailors On The USS Theodore Roosevelt Tested Positive For Coronavirus. According to The Hill, “The Navy has tested the entire crew of the USS Theodore Roosevelt for the coronavirus, the service said Thursday. So far, 840 sailors have tested positive for the virus, but a ‘small number’ of results are still pending, the Navy said in a news release. Thursday’s report marked a jump from the 777 cases the Navy reported Wednesday when it said 99 percent of the crew had been tested. Of the total positive cases, 88 sailors have since recovered, the Navy noted. Four sailors are in the hospital, down from six Wednesday; none are in intensive care. One sailor from the Roosevelt died last week. The coronavirus outbreak aboard the Roosevelt became a major scandal after the ship’s former commander, Capt. Brett Crozier, wrote a letter imploring the Navy for help with the outbreak. After the letter leaked to the media, Crozier was fired by then-acting Navy Secretary Thomas Modly, who later resigned himself after he gave a speech aboard the Roosevelt berating Crozier. In the letter, Crozier asked for permission to offload all but 10 percent of the ship’s nearly 5,000-person crew. As of Thursday, 4,234 sailors have moved ashore to Guam, where the Roosevelt is docked while the ship handles the outbreak.” [Hill, 4/23/20]
The Daily Beast Reported That Ashford Inc. Was The Top Recipient Of Coronavirus Relief Nationwide. According to the Daily Beast, “In late March, real estate investment firm Ashford Inc. was on the verge of financial ruin. But it had an ace in the hole: a pair of D.C. lobbying firms stacked with Trump fundraisers and White House alumni. A few weeks later, Ashford is now the top recipient nationwide of coronavirus relief aid from the $350 billion Paycheck Protection Act.” [Daily Beast, 4/23/20]
Trump Donor And CEO Of Ashford Inc. Monty Bennett’s Companies Secured $96.1 Million In Loans From The Federal Paycheck Protection Program. According to Popular Information, “Across the country, thousands of small businesses — many on the verge of collapse — have not been able to obtain a forgivable loan from the Paycheck Protection Program. The initial $349 billion for the program ran out in a few days. Congress approved an additional $310 billion last week, but most of that money will go to businesses already in the pipeline. Many small enterprises will still be left out. One person who isn’t having trouble getting cash from the Paycheck Protection Program: Trump donor Monty Bennett, who is a multi-millionaire. Bennett, like Trump, is in the hotel business. Bennett is the CEO of Ashford Inc., which makes money ‘advising’ two related companies, Ashford Hospitality Trust and Braemar Hotels & Resorts, which own hotels. (Bennett serves as chairman of the board of the two subsidiaries.) The companies had ‘combined revenue last year of $2.2 billion.’ According to filings with the SEC, Bennett’s three companies have secured $96.1 million in Paycheck Protection Program loans. And more may be on the way. According to a fact sheet produced by the three companies, they’ve applied for a total of $126 million in Paycheck Protection Act loans.” [Popular Information, 4/27/20]
April 24, 2020: There Were 909,853 Cases Of And 51,360 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on April 24, 2020, there were 909,853 cases of and 51,360 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Vanity Fair: Prior To Trump’s Announcement Promoting Hydroxychloroquine, Trump Administration Officials Already Planned A Nationwide Drug Circulation Campaign. According to Vanity Fair, “Even before Trump began making public statements from the podium, his political appointees had begun rallying around the idea of amassing chloroquine drugs to treat COVID-19, despite the paucity of evidence for their benefits. On March 18, according to records obtained by Vanity Fair, the German drug manufacturer Bayer first petitioned the FDA to let it donate millions of doses of a chloroquine drug called Resochin. Normally such a move would be prohibited since the FDA had never inspected the plant in Karachi, Pakistan, where Resochin is made. But the FDA set aside its usual safeguards and approved the donation. On March 19, Bayer issued a press release to announce that it was ‘working with appropriate agencies on an Emergency Use Authorization for the drug’s use in the U.S.’ The next day Trump first spoke of hydroxychloroquine from the White House podium, citing its ‘very, very encouraging early results. And we’re going to be able to make that drug available almost immediately.’ Because the drug had ‘been around for a long time,’ he added, ‘if things don’t go as planned, it’s not going to kill anybody.’ Trump said he had spoken the night before with New York governor Andrew Cuomo about the drug’s promise, and ‘he wants to be first on line.’” [Vanity Fair, 4/24/20]
As Major Cities Faced Serious Obstacles Accessing Government Issued Equipment, Senior Trump Appointees Distributed Requested Supplies To Political Friends And Allies Of The Administration. According to NBC News, “Much of the flexibility in who gets supplies comes from a secretive ‘adjudication’ process in which senior political appointees have the power to circumvent formulas designed to apportion test kits, ventilators, masks, gloves, gowns and other personal protective equipment based on evolving needs. ‘There’s a lot of politics involved,’ said a person familiar with the adjudications. ‘Senior leadership from [Capitol] Hill can call up and say ‘ship 500 ventilators’ and 500 ventilators go out.’ At the same time, front-line responders in big cities and in some Democratic states, from Phoenix to Detroit to New York, are scrambling to put together homemade gear because they can’t get government-issued equipment and the masks, gloves and gowns they’re trying to buy on the private market are often being delayed or rerouted. Most of the sources experienced in various aspects of emergency management who spoke to NBC News say the politicization of the disaster response is unprecedented in modern history.” [NBC News, 4/24/20]
After An Executive Went On Bannon’s Podcast, Prestige Ameritech Was Given $9.5 Million FEMA Contract At Explicit Request Of The White House. According to NBC News, “In early March, Mike Bowen, the executive vice president of the medical mask manufacturer Prestige Ameritech, found the perfect way to drum up some federal business: He went on Steve Bannon’s podcast, which is highly popular at the White House. ‘If the government wants to throw some money at it, we can hire more people and build more machines,’ Bowen said during an appearance on the ‘War Room’ podcast co-hosted by Bannon, who was the chief executive officer of Donald Trump’s presidential 2016 campaign. ‘We’re kind of out there on our own, and we are doing everything that we can possibly do on our own.’ A month later, at the explicit request of the White House, Prestige Ameritech had a $9.5 million contract with the Federal Emergency Management Agency. It then won another deal with the state of Texas and was given 50 National Guard members, deployed by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, to work shifts at its suburban Fort Worth manufacturing facility. Bannon told NBC News that his team connected Bowen to Peter Navarro, a top economic and trade adviser to Trump, who, like Bowen and much of Trump’s political base, has long been upset about the movement of U.S. factories to Mexico and Asia.” [NBC News, 4/24/20]
January 2020: Bowen Of Prestige Ameritech Warned Senior Trump Officials Of The Potential Threat Posed By Coronavirus. According to the New York Times, “Dr. Bright began sounding alarms on coronavirus within weeks of its emergence in January, expressing a sense of urgency that he felt his superiors and the president did not share. On Jan. 18, the complaint said, he pushed Dr. Kadlec to convene high-level meetings about the virus, but Dr. Kadlec ‘initially rejected’ the request. Dr. Bright had been in contact with Mike Bowen, an executive at Prestige Ameritech, a mask manufacturer, who had been warning for years that the United States was too dependent on China for its mask supply. Mr. Bowen, who in an interview called Dr. Bright a ‘great public servant who didn’t have the authority to do anything,’ told Dr. Bright on Feb. 5 that a ‘Trump insider’ had heard his pleas. ‘Please ask your associates to convey the gravity of this national security issue to the White House,’ Mr. Bowen wrote, two days before Mr. Navarro invited Dr. Bright to meet with him at the White House. ‘I’m pretty sure you’ll get the chance.’” [New York Times, 5/11/20]
January 22, 2020: Immediately Following The First Detected Cases Of COVID-19 In The U.S., Bowen Contacted HHS Offering To Ramp Up N95 Mask Production To 1.7 Million Per Week And Was Rejected. According to the Washington Post, “It was Jan. 22, a day after the first case of COVID-19 was detected in the United States, and orders were pouring into Michael Bowen’s company outside Fort Worth, some from as far away as Hong Kong. Bowen’s medical supply company, Prestige Ameritech, could ramp up production to make an additional 1.7 million N95 masks a week. He viewed the shrinking domestic production of medical masks as a national security issue, though, and he wanted to give the federal government first dibs. ‘We still have four like-new N95 manufacturing lines,’ Bowen wrote that day in an email to top administrators in the Department of Health and Human Services. ‘Reactivating these machines would be very difficult and very expensive but could be achieved in a dire situation.’ But communications over several days with senior agency officials — including Robert Kadlec, the assistant secretary for preparedness and emergency response — left Bowen with the clear impression that there was little immediate interest in his offer. ‘I don’t believe we as an government are anywhere near answering those questions for you yet,’ Laura Wolf, director of the agency’s Division of Critical Infrastructure Protection, responded that same day.” [Washington Post, 5/9/20]
April 25, 2020: There Were 944,261 Cases Of And 53,326 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on April 25, 2020, there were 944,261 cases of and 53,326 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
White House Officials Reviewed Options For The Removal And Replacement Of HHS Secretary Azar Following Internal Disputes Over The Handling Of The COVID-19 Pandemic. According to Politico, “White House officials are weighing a plan to replace Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, according to four people familiar with the discussions. Among the names on the short list to replace Azar are White House coronavirus coordinator Deborah Birx, Medicare chief Seema Verma and deputy HHS Secretary Eric Hargan, said the four people familiar with the talks. Senior officials’ long-standing frustrations with the health chief have mounted during the pressure-packed response to the COVID-19 outbreak, with White House aides angry this week about Azar’s handling of the ouster of vaccine expert Rick Bright. At a recent task force meeting, Azar assured Vice President Mike Pence that Bright’s move to the National Institutes of Health was a promotion — only for Bright and his lawyers to release a statement that he would soon file a whistleblower complaint against HHS leadership, blindsiding White House officials, according to three officials familiar with the meeting. White House officials also have blamed Azar for long-running turmoil at the health department and a series of media reports that portrayed him as urging Trump to act on the COVID-19 outbreak in January, only for the president and his aides to disregard Azar’s warnings as alarmist. Azar has denied the reports, saying that Trump ‘never once rejected, turned down or dismissed a recommendation’ of his or the task force’s. The White House disputed that officials were considering a plan to replace Azar.” [Politico, 4/25/20]
Fauci Insisted The U.S. Double Testing Prior To Reopening The Country. According to Politico, “The U.S. should at least double coronavirus testing in the coming weeks before easing into reopening the economy, the government’s top infectious disease expert said Saturday. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Anthony Fauci said the U.S. now churns through about 1.5 million to 2 million tests a week. ‘We probably should get up to twice that as we get into the next several weeks, and I think we will,’ he said during the National Academy of Sciences annual meeting. Public health experts have called for increased testing to get a clearer picture of the pandemic’s scope, as well as to identify, isolate and trace contacts for infected patients. High rates of positive results could mean there’s not enough testing, Fauci said, adding that those should constitute ‘maybe less than 10 percent.’ The U.S. currently is seeing positive rates closer to 20 percent. Adequate testing should ‘get those who are infected out of society so that they don’t infect others,’ he said. Fauci warned public health group” [Politico, 4/25/20]
Tyson, JBS, And Smithfield Have Closed 15 Plants Due To Coronavirus Outbreaks. According to the Washington Post, “Because of outbreaks of the novel coronavirus, over the past several weeks Tyson, JBS and Smithfield have closed 15 plants, devastating rural communities and threatening the nation’s supply of beef and pork. Industry analysts say production is already down by at least 25 percent.” [Washington Post, 4/25/20]
Outbreaks In 30 Plants Run By Tyson, JBS, And Smithfield Resulted In 3,300 Sick And 17 Dead. According to the Washington Post, “Coronavirus outbreaks in more than 30 plants run by these companies and others have sickened at least 3,300 workers and killed at least 17, according to a review of news reports, county health reports and interviews with health officials and worker advocates.” [Washington Post, 4/25/20]
Tyson, JBS, And Smithfield Failed To Provide Protective Gear To Workers And Encouraged Workers To Work While Sick Even After The March 9 Social Distancing Guidelines. According to the Washington Post, “Three of the nation’s largest meat processors failed to provide protective gear to all workers, and some employees say they were told to continue working in crowded plants even while sick as the coronavirus spread around the country and turned the facilities into infection hot spots, a Washington Post investigation has found. The actions by three major meat producers — Tyson Foods, JBS USA and Smithfield Foods — continued even after federal guidelines on social distancing and personal protective equipment were published March 9, according to 25 interviews with employees, elected officials, regional health officials, union leaders and federal safety inspectors as well as dozens of documents, including worker complaints filed with local and federal officials.” [Washington Post, 4/25/20]
Despite The Increasing Number Of Worker Deaths And Plant Closures, Trump Used The DPA To Order Meat Packaging Plants To Remain Open. According to Politico, “President Donald Trump on Tuesday night ordered meat-processing plants to continue operating, declaring them critical infrastructure as the nation confronts growing disruptions to the food supply. Meatpacking plants have become incubators for the virus as employees work side-by-side in dangerous conditions. Twenty meatpacking and processing workers have died from coronavirus, and at least 6,500 have been affected, according to the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union. At least 22 plants processing meat from pork to chicken have closed at some point after clusters of employees tested positive for COVID-19, according to UFCW. Trump is using the Defense Production Act to order the companies to stay open. ‘Such closures threaten the continued functioning of the national meat and poultry supply chain, undermining critical infrastructure during the national emergency,’ the order says. ‘Given the high volume of meat and poultry processed by many facilities, any unnecessary closures can quickly have a large effect on the food supply chain.’ The shutdowns have led to worries about meat shortages. Some economists warn that consumers could see fewer options at grocery stores starting in May if plants continue to shut down at the same pace.” [Politico, 4/28/20]
Trump’s Executive Order Included Verbatim Wording From Meat Industry Lobbyists’ Emails To USDA Officials. According to ProPublica, “But emails obtained by ProPublica show that the meat industry may have had a hand in its own White House rescue: Just a week before the order was issued, the meat industry’s trade group drafted an executive order that bears striking similarities to the one the president signed. The draft that Julie Anna Potts, the president of the North American Meat Institute, sent to top officials at the U.S. Department of Agriculture was written using the framework of an official executive order and stressed the importance of the food supply chain and how outbreaks had reduced production — themes later addressed in the president’s order. It invoked the president’s powers under a Korean War-era law known as the Defense Production Act and proposed that the president make a simple and straightforward proclamation: ‘I hereby order that critical infrastructure food companies continue their operations to the fullest extent possible.’ What happened next within the USDA and White House isn’t clear from the records. The USDA declined to answer questions, and the White House did not respond to requests for comment. But while the final wording wasn’t verbatim, Trump’s order emphasized the points the industry had proposed and furthered the same goal, directing the agriculture secretary to take action ‘to ensure that meat and poultry processors continue operations.’” [ProPublica, 09/14/20]
April 26, 2020: There Were 970,996 Cases Of And 54,580 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on April 26, 2020, there were 970,996 cases of and 54,580 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Despite The Concerns Expressed By Health Care Workers, Trump Dismissed Reports Of PPE Shortages As “Fake News.” According to Politico, “The interviews reveal a medical workforce still struggling to adapt to dangerous conditions with little confidence that the available protective gear is being steered to the places it’s needed most. Some say they’re still being forced to reuse masks or MacGyver their own equipment four months into the U.S. outbreak, even as Trump dismisses questions about shortages as ‘fake news,’ as he did earlier this month. ‘We had very little in our stockpile,’ Trump said in a recent briefing. ‘Now we’re loaded up. And we also loaded up these hospitals.’” [Politico, 4/26/20]
As Trump’s Priorities Shifted To The Economy, Administration Officials Planned To Reduce The Public Role Of Top Health Advisors. According to Axios, “The White House plans to shift its coronavirus messaging toward boosting the economy and highlighting ‘success stories’ of businesses, reducing its public emphasis on health statistics, according to two officials familiar with the planning. Driving the news: The Coronavirus Task Force — and the doctors who’ve become household names, Deborah Birx and Anthony Fauci — ‘will continue but take a back seat to the forward-looking, ‘what’s next’ message,’ a White House official told Axios. President Trump is expected to make fewer, shorter appearances at press conferences, as we reported on Friday. Nothing’s ever set with Trump, and these decisions will be made day by day. But on Saturday, for the first day in weeks, the White House didn’t hold a press briefing and the president made no public appearances. What we’re hearing: ‘Expect to see a pivot from the White House in the days ahead, focusing on the economy and a more hopeful, forward-looking message,’ one of these officials said.” [Axios, 4/26/20]
Grocery Stores Have Struggled To Compete For PPE. According to the Los Angeles Times, “Without a centralized process by the federal government to buy and distribute protective gear, states, cities and hospitals have scrambled to outbid each other — and the feds, too. With prices skyrocketing and supply chains disrupted, some grocery stores have struggled to compete.” [Los Angeles Times, 4/26/20]
The National Grocers Association Said Five Retailers Had Their Deals Canceled Because Vendors Said They Were Required To Give FEMA Requests Priority. According to the Los Angeles Times, “According to the National Grocers Assn., in recent weeks five retailers — two of them in California — have seen their deals to buy masks suddenly fall apart when suppliers canceled or postponed the stores’ orders, saying they were required to give priority to the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s requests. The association, which declined to name the retailers, said that has forced some grocers to then have to ask the federal government for help. On a phone call last week with representatives of grocery and food industry groups, Agriculture Department officials said they would work with FEMA to distribute reusable masks to grocery stores. Store owners are being encouraged to submit requests to the government, though they’ve received no assurance they’ll get anything. In just the last week, the director of emergency management for Miami-Dade County accused the federal agency of commandeering a shipment of 1 million N95 masks, and a Delaware medical equipment supplier said FEMA had taken control of two of his shipments intended for customers in the United States. As complaints have multiplied, FEMA officials have denied reports that the agency has seized urgently needed medical supplies or rerouted shipments already committed to other buyers. ‘What we have found in these kind of cases is that it is a miscommunication between the customer and distributor,’ a FEMA spokesman wrote.” [Los Angeles Times, 4/26/20]
April 27, 2020: There Were 994,193 Cases Of And 56,022 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on April 27, 2020 there were 994,193 cases of and 56,022 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Trump Denied He Sought To Fire And Replace Azar. According to CNN, “The fate of the person who previously led the task force -- Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar -- remains uncertain. Trump on Sunday evening was forced to deny he was going to fire Azar after a series of news reports Saturday night quoted anonymous sources saying White House officials were looking at the possibility of replacing the health chief. The public pushback came after multiple calls between Trump, Azar, Meadows and White House senior adviser Jared Kushner, who addressed the stories in the conversations and worked through the best way to respond, according to people familiar with the matter.” [CNN, 4/27/20]
Trump Insisted Governors Had Received The Federal Support And Resources They Need, When In Fact Many Had Not. According to the New York Times, “‘These were not complaining people. They had everything they needed. They had their ventilators; they had their testing,’ Mr. Trump said on Monday after a call with governors. ‘We’re getting them what they need.’ In fact, governors have been complaining that they do not have nearly enough tests to give them the kind of information they need to make difficult decisions about reopening. They say they are competing with one another — and other countries — for the components that make up the testing kits, including nasal swabs and chemicals that detect whether the virus is present in a specimen. Rather than one coordinated federal response, the Trump administration has been engaging on an ad hoc basis as states take the lead. In Kansas, for example, after an outbreak of the coronavirus in the meatpacking industry threatened to shutter plants that supply one-quarter of the nation’s meat, tests were ferried in by Kansas National Guard pilots in Blackhawk helicopters — but only after Gov. Laura Kelly, a Democrat, pleaded with Mr. Trump for help.” [New York Times, 4/27/20]
During A Call With Governors, Trump Asked States To Reopen Schools Before The End Of The Academic Year. According to the New York Times, “‘Undeterred, Mr. Trump said on Monday that states must reopen ‘as quickly as possible, but safely.’ He even called on governors to consider reconvening schools before the end of the academic year rather than waiting until the fall, as many districts have decided or expect to do. In a conference call with the governors devoted mainly to ventilators and testing, Mr. Trump on his own raised the idea of bringing students back to the classrooms in the next few weeks. ‘The young children have done very well in this disaster that we’ve all gone through, so a lot of people are thinking about the school openings,’ Mr. Trump said, according to an audio recording obtained by The New York Times. Addressing Vice President Mike Pence, who was also on the call, he added, ‘I think it’s something, Mike, they can seriously consider and maybe get going on it.’” [New York Times, 4/27/20]
Attorney General Barr Threatened That The Department Of Justice May Take Action Against Governors With Strict Coronavirus Guidelines. According to Forbes, “Attorney General William Barr said in an interview on Tuesday that the Justice Department will consider taking legal action against governors who don’t follow President Trump’s guidelines for reopening the country and continue to impose strict coronavirus lockdowns in their states after the crisis subsides. In his interview on The Hugh Hewitt Show, the attorney general said that state governments need to ‘do a better job’ of ensuring coronavirus restrictions are ‘properly targeted’ and do not infringe on constitutional rights. Some of the restrictions imposed by state governors so far infringe on the constitutional rights of American citizens, he said, without naming specific examples. While not explicitly disagreeing with the stay-at-home orders issued so far, he did say that some were ‘disturbingly close to house arrest,’ and that the U.S. currently faces ‘unprecedented burdens on civil liberties.’ Barr, who supports Trump’s plan to gradually reopen the country, said that the government must ‘tailor its approach’ after originally issuing ‘blunt’ restrictions that were only justified up to a point. To the extent that state governors don’t follow Trump’s guidance and ‘impinge on either civil rights or on the national commerce,’ Barr warned, the Department of Justice will ‘have to address that.’ ‘These are very, very burdensome impingements on liberty, and we adopted them, we have to remember, for the limited purpose of slowing down the spread,’ he emphasized.” [Forbes, 4/21/20]
Barr Ordered Federal Prosecutors To “Be On The Lookout” For State And Local Coronavirus Rules That Infringe On American Constitutional And Civil Rights. According to the Huffington Post, “Attorney General William Barr ordered federal prosecutors to ‘be on the lookout’ for coronavirus-related measures from states and localities that could infringe upon Americans’ constitutional rights and civil liberties. In a memo to the head of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division as well as all 93 U.S. attorneys across the country, Barr indicated that the Trump administration may take legal action against state and local governments that impose excessive restrictions on citizens because of the COVID-19 pandemic. ‘If a state or local ordinance crosses the line from an appropriate exercise of authority to stop the spread of COVID-19 into an overbearing infringement of constitutional and statutory protections, the Department of Justice may have an obligation to address that overreach in federal court,’ Barr wrote. ‘Many policies that would be unthinkable in regular time have become commonplace in recent weeks, and we do not want to unduly interfere with the important efforts of state and local officials to protect the public,’ Barr wrote. ‘But the Constitution is not suspended in times of crisis. We must therefore be vigilant to ensure its protections are preserved, at the same time the public is protected.’” [Huffington Post, 4/27/20]
The White House Released A Coronavirus Testing Blueprint With A Plan For Increased Testing As Public Health Experts Expressed Doubts It Was Sufficient To Reopen The Nation. According to the Associated Press, “The White House released new guidelines aimed at answering criticism that America’s coronavirus testing has been too slow, and President Donald Trump tried to pivot toward a focus on ‘reopening’ the nation. Still, there were doubts from public health experts that the White House’s new testing targets were sufficient. Monday’s developments were meant to fill critical gaps in White House plans to begin easing restrictions, ramping up testing for the virus while shifting the president’s focus toward recovery from the economic collapse caused by the outbreak. The administration unveiled a ‘blueprint’ for states to scale up their testing in the coming week — a tacit admission, despite public statements to the contrary, that testing capacity and availability over the past two months have been lacking. The new testing targets would ensure states had enough COVID-19 tests available to sample at least 2.6% of their populations each month — a figure already met by a majority of states. Areas that have been harder hit by the virus would be able to test at double that rate, or higher, the White House said.” [Associated Press, 4/28/20]
A Majority Of States Already Met The White House’s Testing Targets. According to the Associated Press, “The new testing targets would ensure states had enough COVID-19 tests available to sample at least 2.6% of their populations each month — a figure already met by a majority of states. Areas that have been harder hit by the virus would be able to test at double that rate, or higher, the White House said.” [Associated Press, 4/28/20]
Trump’s Testing Overview And Blueprint Guideline Documents Largely Defended The Administration’s Coronavirus Response And Backed Up Decision To Push Most Of Responsibility Onto The States. According to ABC News, “During the call, the president, Vice President Mike Pence and senior adviser Jared Kushner discussed a new ‘testing blueprint’ and ‘testing overview’ expected to be announced Monday evening. The two documents, which have been obtained by ABC News, lay out a plan -- broken into eight bullet points, under three categories: launch, scale and support opening up again. The documents largely summarized steps the administration had already taken, retroactively providing an argument for the White House’s decision to push most of the responsibility for scaling up and conducting testing to the states. ‘Testing plans and rapid response programs will be federally supported, State managed, and locally executed,’ the ‘blueprint’ document reads. A number of state governors have criticized this approach, saying only the federal government has the ability to accelerate testing capacity and coordinate a national testing strategy.” [ABC News, 4/27/20]
April 28, 2020: There Were 1,018,846 Cases Of And 58,416 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on April 28, 2020, there were 1,018,846 of cases and 58,416 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
HHS Assistant Secretary Giroir Said Trump’s Claim That The U.S. Would Be Able To Conduct 5 Million Coronavirus Tests Per Day Was Not Feasible. According to Time, “President Donald Trump declared Tuesday that the U.S. will be able to carry out five million coronavirus tests per day, but the top official overseeing testing strategy told TIME earlier in the day that goal wasn’t feasible given current technology. Admiral Brett Giroir, the assistant secretary of health who is in charge of the government’s testing response, said during an interview on Tuesday morning that ‘there is absolutely no way on Earth, on this planet or any other planet, that we can do 20 million tests a day, or even five million tests a day.’ Since the beginning of the year, the Administration has conducted 5.7 million tests in total, he said. And while the government has made strides in increasing the number of tests being performed in recent months, the White House’s new ‘blueprint’ for testing, rolled out on Monday, currently plans to double current COVID-19 testing. Giroir plans to hit 8 million per month by next month. The tally would still fall short of what a Harvard University study said is necessary to safely restart public life.” [Time, 4/28/20]
Trump Promoted Sending Americans Back To Work While The Nation’s Agency Tasked With Safeguarding Against Workplace Hazards Contended With Historically Low Staffing And Nearly Half Of Its Top Leadership Positions Unfilled. According to Bloomberg, “As President Donald Trump pushes to restart the economy, the federal agency that’s supposed to protect employees from workplace hazards has been operating with historically low staffing. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration had only 862 inspectors at the start of the year, the smallest number since 1975, according to a report by the pro-labor, nonprofit National Employment Law Project. The total was down from 952 in 2016 and a historic high of 1,469 in 1980. ‘They cannot return people to work until they protect workers on the job, and they can’t protect workers on the job with voluntary guidelines,’ the report’s author Deborah Berkowitz, who served as OSHA chief of staff under President Barack Obama, said in an interview. […] The Berkowitz report, being released Tuesday and based on data obtained via Freedom of Information Act requests, also faults Trump’s OSHA for failing to fill nearly half of its top leadership positions. The role of assistant secretary of Labor for occupational safety and health is among those currently vacant; the agency has been run by Loren Sweatt, a principal deputy assistant secretary of Labor.” [Bloomberg, 4/28/20]
Despite Prior Instructions And The Rule That All Visitors Wear Masks, Pence Chose Not To While Touring The Mayo Clinic. According to the New York Times, “The Mayo Clinic, the renowned medical center in Minnesota, has a clear policy in place during the coronavirus outbreak that any visitor should wear a protective face mask. But when a delegation of Trump administration officials arrived at the clinic on Tuesday to thank the doctors there for their work on the virus, one person decided to flout the rule: Vice President Mike Pence, the chairman of the White House coronavirus task force. Stephen M. Hahn, the commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, wore a mask as did other administration officials and members of the clinic’s staff. Mr. Pence stood out as the only person with his face uncovered as he toured the virology laboratory’s labeling area and spoke to a clinic staff member who had recovered from the coronavirus. Mr. Pence also participated in a round table with local officials and Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota, who were also wearing masks. After his visit, the Mayo Clinic posted on Twitter that it had ‘informed @VP of the masking policy prior to his arrival today.’ The clinic then deleted the tweet, with no explanation.” [New York Times, 4/28/20]
The Day Before Pence Visited The Mayo Clinic, The Office Of The Vice President Distributed A Memo Informing All Accompanying Journalists To Wear Masks As A Requirement Of The Clinic. According to the Washington Post, “Vice President Pence’s office threatened to retaliate against a reporter who revealed that Pence’s office had told journalists they would need masks for Pence’s visit to the Mayo Clinic — a requirement Pence himself did not follow. Pence’s trip to the clinic Tuesday generated criticism after he was photographed without a surgical mask — the only person in the room not wearing one. The Minnesota clinic requires visitors to wear masks as a precaution against spreading the coronavirus. Pence’s wife, Karen Pence, said in an interview with Fox News on Thursday that he was unaware of the mask policy until his visit was over. But Steve Herman, who covers the White House for Voice of America, suggested that there was more to the story after Karen Pence’s interview. ‘All of us who traveled with [Pence] were notified by the office of @VP the day before the trip that wearing of masks was required by the @MayoClinic and to prepare accordingly,’ tweeted Herman, who covered the trip as part of his rotation as one of the pool reporters, who share information with other reporters in limited-space situations.” [Washington Post, 4/30/20]
The Wall Street Journal Reported Tweeted On Same Day That, “We Were All Told The Day Before We Had To Wear A Mask If We Entered The Clinic.” According to the Washington Post, “As is, the vice president’s office took no action against another reporter, Gordon Lubold of the Wall Street Journal, who traveled with Pence and tweeted something similar to Herman’s tweet Thursday. ‘Everyone in the entire Mayo Clinic had a mask on, everyone, and we were all told the day before we had to wear a mask if we entered the clinic,’ Lubold tweeted.” [Washington Post, 4/30/20]
April 29, 2020: There Were 1,045,401 Cases Of And 60,930 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on April 29, there were 1,045,401 cases of and 60,930 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Kushner Said, “The Federal Government Rose To The Challenge And This Is A Great Success Story.” According to CNN, “President Donald Trump's senior adviser and son-in-law, Jared Kushner, praised the administration's response to the coronavirus pandemic as a ‘great success story’ on Wednesday -- less than a day after the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the United States topped 1 million. Kushner painted a rosy picture for ‘Fox and Friends’ Wednesday morning, saying that ‘the federal government rose to the challenge and this is a great success story and I think that that’s really what needs to be told.’” [CNN, 4/29/20]
Graduating Cadets At The Military Academy Were Recalled To Campus For An In-Person Graduation Ceremony Featuring An Address By Trump. According to the Washington Post, “The day before the U.S. Military Academy announced it would proceed with plans for President Trump to deliver the commencement address, cadets joined a video call to learn about their return to the school’s campus outside New York, the American city hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic. The decision to hold an in-person graduation June 13 meant that nearly 1,000 graduating cadets would travel back to West Point from their homes, where they have been distance-learning since spring break, and undergo up to three weeks of quarantine at campus barracks and a nearby training site. But uncertainties remained, including how to ensure that the cadets wouldn’t sicken one another and how to account for sometimes unreliable test results. ‘Because all 1,000 of you are going to be coming back, you’re probably going to be about 60 percent who have coronavirus, so we’re going to likely test all of you,’ a West Point instructor told one group of about 25 cadets during the April 21 video call, a partial audio recording of which was obtained by The Washington Post. He compared the West Point plans with coronavirus testing of the crew of the USS Theodore Roosevelt, an aircraft carrier sidelined by a major outbreak.” [Washington Post, 4/28/20]
At Least 14 West Point Cadets Tested Positive For COVID-19 After Returning To Campus For Trump’s Scheduled Commencement Address. According to USA Today, “The Army has determined 16 West Point cadets have tested positive for COVID-19 after returning to the campus for a commencement address by President Trump scheduled for June 13, according to sources on Capitol Hill. The affected cadets, a fraction of the 850 who have returned to the campus since spring break in March, are receiving treatment but are not showing symptoms of the disease, Army Lt. Gen. Darryl Williams, the West Point superintendent, said in an interview. Williams, who declined to specify the number of cadets affected, said screening and safety procedures will allow the ceremony to be held safely. Sources on Capitol Hill, with access to information but not authorized to speak publicly, said that of the 16 affected cadets, 14 had tested positive for the antibody that indicates they had contracted the virus, recovered and had developed anti-bodies. […] The COVID-19 pandemic has scrambled graduation plans for the nation’s elite military schools. The Naval Academy held a virtual ceremony, and the Air Force Academy sequestered its senior class on campus, holding graduation with cadets spaced at safe distance from one another. Critics have called Trump’s decision to attend West Point graduation a political stunt that endangers the health of cadets and those with whom they have had contact on their return to campus.” [USA Today, 5/31/20]
Trump Allowed His Stay At Home Guidelines To Lapse Leaving States With Only CDC Recommendations As The White House Refocused On Opening The Economy. According to Politico, “The Trump administration’s ‘Stay at Home’ guidelines will quietly expire Thursday with little fanfare — letting states decide what’s next. But as President Donald Trump repeatedly declares that ‘we’re opening our country again,’ the inconsistent patchwork of state, local and business decision-making is exactly what could drive a second wave of the coronavirus — or potentially prolong the current outbreak. Instead of the national campaign to get people to stay home, the White House is leaving states with a set of CDC recommendations. They aren’t binding, and they aren’t all specific. That could lead to unexpected spikes across the country — sometimes in new places that didn’t see a bad outbreak, but also in cities that were recovering, only to suffer a setback.” [Politico, 4/29/20]
Kushner Claimed The U.S. Was Past “The Medical Aspect” And Asserted That The U.S. Would Be Largely Back To Normal By June And “Really Rocking Again” By July. According to Business Insider, “Jared Kushner took a bullish stance on the coronavirus during a Fox News appearance on Wednesday morning. The White House senior adviser and President Donald Trump’s son-in-law said the goal was to have much of the US ‘back to normal’ by June and for the nation to be ‘really rocking again’ by July. He described the country as being ‘on the other side of the medical aspect of this,’ despite cases mounting in rural states. ‘The federal government rose to the challenge and this is a great success story,’ Kushner said on ‘Fox & Friends.’ ‘I think you’ll see by June a lot of the country should be back to normal and the hope is that by July the country’s really rocking again,’ Kushner added. Kushner argued that media coverage has mostly been focusing on the more negative ‘lagging indicators,’ pointing to what he described as the administration building a head of steam into reopening the economy by ramping up testing. ‘I always find that we see the leading indicators and often the media sees the lagging indicators,’ Kushner said. ‘But ... I’m very confident that we have all the testing we need to start opening the country [under the administration’s guidelines].’” [Business Insider, 4/29/20]
April 30, 2020: There Were 1,075,758 Cases Of And 63,140 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on April 30, 2020, there were 1,075,758 cases of and 63,140 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Trump Falsely Claimed That The U.S. Had Tested More Than “Every Country Combined.” According to PolitiFact, “President Donald Trump claimed at a White House briefing that the United States has well surpassed other countries in testing people for the virus. ‘We’ve tested more than every country combined,’ Trump said April 27. It was a variation on claims he had made April 24, as well as on Twitter the day after — when he said the United States had tested ‘more than any other country in the world, and even more than all major countries combined.’ The president has made a habit of exaggerating the United States’ capacity for COVID-19 diagnostic testing. But the health system has ramped up its testing since its slow start during the first weeks of the American outbreak. So we wanted to check back. How many people here have been tested? And has the U.S. tested more people than ‘every country combined’? We emailed the White House for comment but never heard back, so we turned to the data. Trump’s claim didn’t stand up to scrutiny. In raw numbers, the United States has tested more people than any other individual country — but nowhere near more than ‘every country combined’ or, as he said in his tweet, more than ‘all major countries combined.’” [PolitiFact, 4/30/20]
As Of The End Of April, Trump Failed To Meet Or Address Americans Who Have Lost Loved Ones Due To Coronavirus. According to the New York Times, “One morning this week, President Trump called food sector executives. That afternoon, he met with corporate leaders at the White House. The day before, he paraded small-business owners in the East Room, and the day before that, he showcased executives from retail giants like Walgreens and Walmart in the Rose Garden. As he presides over the coronavirus pandemic and resulting economic collapse, Mr. Trump has hosted or called many people affected by the devastation, including health company executives, sports commissioners, governors, cruise boat company heads, religious leaders, telecommunications executives and foreign heads of state. One category that has yet to make his list: Americans who have lost someone to the pandemic. As the death toll from the coronavirus over eight weeks surpasses the total American military casualties in eight years of major combat in Vietnam, Mr. Trump has led no national mourning. In his daily news conferences, he makes only perfunctory references to those who have died as he stiffly reads opening remarks, exhibiting more emotion when grieving his lost economic record than his lost constituents.” [New York Times, 4/30/20]
May 1, 2020: There Were 1,109,728 Cases Of And 64,902 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on May 1, 2020, there were 1,109,728 cases of and 64,902 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S.. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Trump Urged Michigan Governor Whitmer To Make A Deal With Those Protesting The State’s Stay-At-Home Orders, Who Trump Described As “Very Good People.” According to The Hill, “President Trump on Friday urged Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) to negotiate and ‘make a deal’ with those protesting her stay-at-home order in the state. ‘The Governor of Michigan should give a little, and put out the fire,’ Trump tweeted Friday morning. ‘These are very good people, but they are angry. They want their lives back again, safely! See them, talk to them, make a deal.’ Whitmer extended the stay-at-home order in her state on Thursday, after hundreds of protesters, some of them armed, demonstrated outside the state Capitol. The Republican-led legislature, meanwhile, debated inside and ultimately declined to extend the state’s emergency declaration and voted to bring forth a lawsuit challenging Whitmer’s power.” [Hill, 5/1/20]
Nearly 100 Sailors On The USS Kidd Tested Positive, A Rate Higher Than The USS Theodore Roosevelt. According to CNN, “Nearly 100 sailors from the US Navy destroyer USS Kidd have tested positive for coronavirus, two US defense officials told CNN Friday. The ship, which is currently in port in San Diego, was the second US warship to be struck by an outbreak of the pandemic after the USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier. The officials said that there are more than 95 cases currently aboard the ship, meaning that almost 30% of the crew has been infected, surpassing the infection rate for the USS Theodore Roosevelt which has seen approximately 24% of its crew infected.” [CNN, 5/1/20]
May 2, 2020: There Were 1,139,202 Cases Of And 66,485 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on May 2, 2020, there were 1,139,202 cases of and 66,485 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
White House Planned To Book Appearances By Kudlow, Hassett, And Mnuchin More And Fewer Appearances By Health Experts. According to the Washington Post, “Even as Trump berated aides last week over the poor pace of testing — ‘We have no message on testing,’ he complained, according to a senior administration official who directly heard the president — he publicly focused elsewhere. West Wing aides are planning to book more media appearances by Kudlow, Hassett and Mnuchin in coming weeks, with fewer by Birx and Fauci. ‘The White House apparatus is totally shifting to the economy,’ the senior official said, noting that Trump is convening discussions about reopening this weekend at Camp David.” [Washington Post, 5/2/20]
Trump Replaced The HHS Inspector General Who Identified Resource Shortages Across The U.S. According to Politico, “The administration also found itself in two other controversies Friday night. First, it was revealed the White House had blocked Fauci from testifying before a Democratic-controlled House committee, although Fauci is still expected to appear before the Republican-controlled Senate sometime over the next two weeks, according to a senior administration official. Then, late Friday night, Trump also moved to replace the inspector general at the Department of Health and Human Services who, in a report, had identified problems with testing and supplies at hospitals.” [Politico, 5/2/20]
White House Blocked Fauci From Testifying Before A House Committee. According to Politico, “The administration also found itself in two other controversies Friday night. First, it was revealed the White House had blocked Fauci from testifying before a Democratic-controlled House committee, although Fauci is still expected to appear before the Republican-controlled Senate sometime over the next two weeks, according to a senior administration official. Then, late Friday night, Trump also moved to replace the inspector general at the Department of Health and Human Services who, in a report, had identified problems with testing and supplies at hospitals.” [Politico, 5/2/20]
May 3, 2020: There Were 1,165,342 Cases Of And 67,816 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on May 3, 2020, there were 1,165,342 cases of and 67,816 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Trump Administration Accomplished A Long Held Goal Of Stephen Miller’s By Denying Border Crossing To Unaccompanied Children Through The Public Health Authority. According to the New York Times, “The coronavirus pandemic has created an opening for some of Mr. Miller’s other longstanding policy goals, such as finding a way to quickly deport children who travel to the United States without a parent or other adult. Mr. Miller considered that category of migrants among the most difficult to stop, said one official who had discussed it with him, because the young people are protected legally by substantial due process requirements designed to ensure that deportation would not place them in harm’s way. Since border crossings were scaled back under the coronavirus restrictions, even unaccompanied children and teenagers have been turned away. While the administration succeeded in invoking the public health authority to impose the new border restrictions, that is only one of a number of aggressive legal strategies Mr. Miller has proposed, some of which have not been adopted.” [New York Times, 5/3/20]
May 4, 2020: There Were 1,187,304 Cases And 68,905 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on May 4, 2020, there were 1,187,304 cases of and 68,905 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Trump Revised The Number Of Coronavirus Deaths Projected, Doubling His Earlier Assertion And Claiming The U.S. Would “Lose Anywhere From 75, 80 To 100,000 People.” According to the New York Times, “On Sunday, Mr. Trump said deaths in the United States could reach 100,000, twice as many as he had forecast two weeks ago. But that new number still underestimates what his own administration is now predicting to be the total death toll by the end of May — much less in the months to come. It follows a pattern for Mr. Trump, who has frequently understated the impact of the disease. ‘We’re going to lose anywhere from 75, 80 to 100,000 people,’ he said in a virtual town hall on Fox News on Sunday. ‘That’s a horrible thing. We shouldn’t lose one person over this.’ The White House responded that the new federal government projections had not been vetted. ‘This data is not reflective of any of the modeling done by the task force or data that the task force has analyzed,’ said Judd Deere, a White House spokesman.” [New York Times, 5/4/20]
Mnuchin Urged People To “Explore” The U.S. Despite CDC Warning Against Non-Essential Travel. According to Talking Points Memo, “During an interview with Fox Business Network host Maria Bartiromo on Monday, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said it was ‘too hard to tell at this point’ whether international travel would be possible this year due to COVID-19. ‘But it’s great time to explore America,’ the Trump administration official told Bartiromo. ‘A lot of people haven’t seen many parts of America.’ ‘I wish I could get back on the road soon,’ he added. But the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) guidelines urge people against embarking on any kind of non-essential travel, including road trips. ‘Travel increases your chances of getting and spreading COVID-19,’ the agency warned. ‘CDC recommends you stay home as much as possible, especially if your trip is not essential, and practice social distancing especially if you are at higher risk of severe illness.’” [Talking Points Memo, 5/4/20]
The U.S. Did Not Fund World Health Organization COVID-19 Vaccine Research Effort. According to The Hill, “The head of the European Commission is holding out hope the U.S. will join a global effort to fund vaccine research for COVID-19, despite the Trump administration’s absence from a world-wide pledging effort that kicked off on Monday. The U.S. is funding research and development domestically for a vaccine to address the coronavirus pandemic but was absent from the launch of the E.U.’s global initiative to raise $8 billion on vaccine development. ‘The United States are doing a lot domestically, what research for a vaccine is concerned and indeed they are informed about our global initiative and I hope that in the one or the other way they decide to join,’ President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen said in an interview with CNN’s Christiane Amanpour. ‘But for sure the American footprint is there because we have outstanding American scientists and philanthropists that are joining our call for action and I’m very glad for that. So we invited the whole world and I think the whole world is joining,’ von der Leven added.” [Hill, 5/4/20]
A Top Trump Administration Official For Public Health Preparedness Prioritized Stockpiles Of Defenses Against Biological And Chemical Weapons Over Pandemic Preparedness. According to the Washington Post, “After Robert Kadlec was confirmed as President Trump’s top official for public health preparedness in 2017, he began pressing to increase government stocks of a smallpox vaccine. His office ultimately made a deal to buy up to $2.8 billion of the vaccine from a company that once paid Kadlec as a consultant, a connection he did not disclose on a Senate questionnaire when he was nominated. […] The 10-year contract is part of an effort by Kadlec to bolster the nation’s stockpile of defenses against biological and chemical weapons, a focus he made a priority over preparing for a natural pandemic, an examination by The Washington Post found. Kadlec, a decorated veteran and biodefense expert, has argued for more than two decades in government and the private sector that the nation should devote more of its resources to preparing for bioweapon attacks.” [Washington Post, 5/4/20]
After Acquisitions For The Strategic National Stockpile Were Moved From The CDC To Under Kadlec, Kadlec Scaled Back The Interagency Process And Consolidated Decisions To Himself And Advisors. According to the Washington Post, “In the two years before the coronavirus pandemic, Kadlec aggressively pursued efforts to fulfill his vision for national preparedness, the Post examination found. He assumed greater control over acquisitions for the Strategic National Stockpile, which in 2018 was moved from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and placed under his authority, the examination found. Kadlec scaled back a long-standing interagency process for spending billions of dollars on stockpile purchases, diminishing the role of government experts and restricting decision-making to himself and a small circle of advisers, according to three former officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters.” [Washington Post, 5/4/20]
Kadlec’s Office Stopped Spending On Obama-Era Initiative To Build A Machine That Could Produce 1.5 Million N95 Masks Per Day. According to the Washington Post, “Kadlec committed additional spending to biodefense countermeasures such as smallpox and anthrax vaccines while cutting planned spending on emerging infectious diseases, despite warnings from scientists that a natural contagion could also be devastating. Citing limited resources, his office halted an Obama-era initiative to spend $35 million to build a machine that could produce 1.5 million N95 masks per day, as The Post previously reported.” [Washington Post, 5/4/20]
The White House Prohibited Members Of The Coronavirus Task Force And Deputies From Testifying Before Congress And Instructed Agencies To Limit The Hearings They Attend. According to Politico, “White House coronavirus task force members are prohibited from testifying before Congress this month under new guidance issued by the Trump administration Monday. Task force members and key deputies have been instructed not to accept invitations to participate in congressional hearings in May, while other agencies responding to the pandemic are being advised to limit the number of hearings they attend. Top administration officials argue the coronavirus task force and the primary agencies responding to the pandemic need to focus their attention and resources on response efforts, and that having them testify could use up critical hours. ‘We’re telling agencies that during this unprecedented time our resources need to be dedicated toward the coronavirus. At this stage we really need everybody manning their stations and prioritizing coronavirus response work,’ a senior administration official told The Hill. The move comes just days after the White House blocked Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert and a task force member, from testifying before a House panel.” [Politico, 5/4/20]
As Trump Pushed For States To Reopen Their Economies, FEMA Circulated Projections Of 200,000 New Cases And 3,000 Daily Deaths By June 1, 2020. According to the New York Times, “As President Trump presses for states to reopen their economies, his administration is privately projecting a steady rise in the number of cases and deaths from the coronavirus over the next several weeks, reaching about 3,000 daily deaths on June 1, according to an internal document obtained by The New York Times, nearly double from the current level of about 1,750. The projections, based on government modeling pulled together in chart form by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, forecast about 200,000 new cases each day by the end of the month, up from about 25,000 cases now. The numbers underscore a sobering reality: While the United States has been hunkered down for the past seven weeks, significant risks remain. And the reopening to the economy will make matters worse.” [New York Times, 5/4/20]
May 5, 2020: There Were 1,187,304 Cases Of And 68,905 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on May 5, 2020, there were 1,187,304 cases of and 68,905 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Trump And Pence Shared Plans To Disband The Coronavirus Taskforce As The Administration Refocused On Reopening The U.S. Economy And Vaccine Development. According to Politico, “The White House is planning to wind down its coronavirus task force in the coming weeks as it shifts focus to reopening the economy. The move is a more formal recognition of a strategy that has been developing in recent weeks. President Donald Trump and his aides have been shifting their attention toward jolting the country’s finances and speeding up vaccine development — even as the virus continues to spread to new areas of the country and the overall caseload climbs. On Tuesday, Trump said the task force will be replaced by advisory groups of ‘a different form.’ ‘That form is safety and opening,’ Trump told reporters during a trip to Arizona. ‘We will have a different group probably set up.’ Efforts to mitigate the ongoing coronavirus outbreak will ultimately be shifted to agencies like the Federal Emergency Management Agency, said Vice President Mike Pence. ‘We’re having a conversation about that and about what the proper time is for the task force to complete its work,’ Pence told reporters at a briefing Tuesday. ‘We’ve already begun to talk about a transition plan with FEMA.’” [Politico, 5/5/20]
Dr. Rick Bright Filed A Whistleblower Complaint Alleging The Trump Administration Ignored Early Warnings About The Coronavirus. According to CNN, “Dr. Rick Bright, the ousted director of the office involved in developing a coronavirus vaccine, formally filed an extensive whistleblower complaint Tuesday alleging his early warnings about the coronavirus were ignored and that his caution at a treatment favored by President Donald Trump led to his removal. ‘I was pressured to let politics and cronyism drive decisions over the opinions of the best scientists we have in government,’ Bright said on a call with reporters after filing his complaint. Bright said in the complaint he raised urgent concerns about shortages of critical supplies, including masks, to his superiors in the Trump administration but was met with skepticism and surprise. While Bright said some officials shared his concerns -- including top White House trade adviser Peter Navarro -- he describes an overall lack of action at the top of the administration even as the virus was spreading outside of China. Bright had led the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority since 2016 when he was reassigned last month to a narrower position at the National Institutes of Health.” [CNN, 5/5/20]
Trump Said He Was Willing To Let Fauci Testify Before The Senate, But Not The House Because The House Was A “Set Up” And “A Bunch Of Trump Haters.” According to CNN, “President Donald Trump said he was allowing Dr. Anthony Fauci to testify before the Republican-led Senate but not the Democrat-led House, calling it a ‘set up.’ ‘The House is a bunch of Trump-haters,’ Trump claimed as he was departing the White House for Arizona for a tour of a Honeywell plant. Trump’s remarks amounted to an admission that he was looking to prevent Democrats from conducting their oversight duties when it comes to his administration’s coronavirus response, even as he’s willing to allow Republicans to proceed.” [CNN, 5/5/20]
Trump Said The Country Must Reopen Regardless Of Damage Caused. According to Bloomberg, “President Donald Trump launched headlong into his push to reopen the country on Tuesday, saying Americans should begin returning to their everyday lives even if it leads to more sickness and death from the pandemic. Trump, speaking in Phoenix during his first trip outside Washington in more than a month, said he’s preparing for “phase two” of the U.S. response to the coronavirus. That will include disbanding the White House task force of public health experts, including Anthony Fauci and Deborah Birx, that have steered the government response to the outbreak so far. Trump acknowledged that reopening the economy would likely lead to more suffering. “Will some people be affected? Yes. Will some people be affected badly? Yes,” Trump said. “But we have to get our country open and we have to get it open soon.” [Bloomberg, 5/5/20]
A Volunteer On Kushner’s Coronavirus Taskforce Filed A Complaint Alleging The Group Had Little Success Acquiring PPE Because None Of The Team Members Had Significant Experience In Health Care Or Supply Chain Operations. According to the Washington Post, “The coronavirus response being spearheaded by President Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, has relied in part on volunteers from consulting and private equity firms with little expertise in the tasks to which they were assigned, exacerbating chronic problems in obtaining supplies for hospitals and other needs, according to numerous government officials and a volunteer involved in the effort. […] Although some of the volunteers have relevant backgrounds and experience, many others were poorly matched with the jobs they were assigned, including those given the task of securing personal protective equipment, or PPE, for hospitals nationwide, according to a complaint filed last month with the House Oversight Committee. The complaint, obtained by The Washington Post, was submitted by a volunteer who has since left the group and who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of retribution from the administration. Key elements of the complaint were confirmed by six administration officials and one outside adviser to the effort, many of whom spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations. A spokeswoman for the oversight panel declined to comment. The document alleges that the team responsible for PPE had little success in helping the government secure such equipment, in part because none of the team’s members had significant experience in health care, procurement or supply-chain operations. In addition, none of the volunteers had existing relationships with manufacturers or a clear understanding of customs requirements or Food and Drug Administration rules, according to the complaint and two senior administration officials.” [Washington Post, 5/5/20]
Kushner Taskforce Volunteers Used Personal Email Accounts And Were Told To Save And Share Each Of Their Emails. According to the Washington Post, “The team of volunteers focused on PPE had trouble developing manufacturer relationships and making inroads with brokers, in part because they were using personal email accounts, rather than official government email addresses, the House Oversight Committee complaint states. Three senior administration officials confirmed the volunteers’ use of personal email addresses. In addition to the already challenging circumstances, the complaint also says that on some of the teams, ‘minimal attempts at social distancing are taken.’ Jordan Libowitz, a spokesman for Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, said that the volunteers should be classified as ‘special government employees’ and that the arrangement raises myriad concerns. ‘This is the problem with operating off the books,’ he said. ‘We just don’t know if they’re following the law or not.’ The volunteers were told to preserve and share a copy of all of their official emails, to comply with the Federal Records Act, according to the volunteer and administration officials. But Libowitz said that ‘by using private email accounts, we have no assurances that their emails are being preserved. . . . This doesn’t prove anything nefarious is going on, but if something nefarious was going on, this is how they would do it.’” [Washington Post, 5/5/20]
Kushner Taskforce Volunteers Had Trouble Developing Relationships With Manufacturers Because They Did Not Have Official Government Email Accounts. According to the Washington Post, “The team of volunteers focused on PPE had trouble developing manufacturer relationships and making inroads with brokers, in part because they were using personal email accounts, rather than official government email addresses, the House Oversight Committee complaint states. Three senior administration officials confirmed the volunteers’ use of personal email addresses.” [Washington Post, 5/5/20]
Trump Undermined The CDC-Set Criteria By Encouraging States To Follow The Guidelines At Their Own Discretion. According to Politico, “Though some in the administration have publicly acknowledged, and even expressed concern, that states were lifting restrictions before slowing the virus’ spread, the president and his top advisers have largely cheered on the reopening states. They have also suggested that the CDC’s criteria are guidelines, not mandates, that states can use as they see fit.” [Politico, 5/5/20]
HHS And FEMA Staff Warned Of Mask, Gown, And Medical Gear Shortages Nationally On Conference Call Day After Trump Stay At Home Guidelines Expired. According to Politico, “President Donald Trump boasted on May 1 that his success in responding to the coronavirus pandemic has made ventilator, test kit and mask shortages a thing of the past, and that much of the country is ready to quickly send people back to work. ‘We’ve ensured a ventilator for every patient who needs one,’ he said. ‘The testing and the masks and all of the things, we’ve solved every problem. We solved it quickly.’ But that same day, his own health and emergency management officials were privately warning that states were still experiencing shortages of masks, gowns and other medical gear, according to a recording of an interagency meeting between FEMA and HHS officials across the country, conducted by conference call, which was obtained by POLITICO. Trump’s federal ‘Stay at Home’ guidelines had quietly expired the night before, leaving states to manage the pandemic as they saw fit. The officials also expressed concern that governors moving to reopen their economies while cases were still prevalent threatened to plunge the nation into a new and potentially deadlier chapter of the outbreak.” [Politico, 5/5/20]
Wisconsin Secured 100,000 Protective Masks From The Taiwanese Government. According to the Green Bay Press Gazette, “Wisconsin will receive 100,000 face masks from the Taiwanese government as hospitals across the state continue to face shortages of personal protective equipment amid the coronavirus pandemic. The donation is a boon to the state’s resources as officials contend with rising cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. It was not immediately clear how state officials plan to distribute the masks. ‘In times of crisis, you’ve got to get creative,’ said U.S. Rep. Mike Gallagher, R-Green Bay, who asked Taiwanese officials for their country’s assistance. ‘It’s all hands on deck.’ Gallagher’s district includes Brown County, where the virus is spreading faster than anywhere else in the state, in part because of outbreaks at meat-processing facilities. Statewide, the virus has been confirmed in over 8,000 people and killed 340. Twenty percent of Wisconsin coronavirus patients have been hospitalized since the virus arrived here, and dozens of hospitals have just a week’s worth or less of masks, goggles and other equipment to protect employees, according to the Wisconsin Hospital Association. Taiwan’s donation to Wisconsin is part of a larger effort to assist other countries as it emerges as a model for its response to the pandemic. According to the Johns Hopkins COVID-19 dashboard, the country has seen just 438 cases and six deaths from the virus.” [Green Bay Press Gazette, 5/5/20]
Local Philanthropist And Business Leader Collaborated With The Governor Of New Hampshire To Secure A Shipment Of KN95 Masks From China. According to The Hill, “State governments are scrambling to track down and acquire personal protective equipment (PPE) and essential medical gear to fight the coronavirus pandemic, as President Trump encourages governors to hit the open market to procure supplies. But while larger states like New York and California can compete with ever-rising prices and a limited global supply chain, smaller states have faced major complications, even losing orders to federal agencies that outbid them at the last minute. In many cases, governors in those smaller states find themselves at the end of a very long line outside a national strategic stockpile that is rapidly running dry. Some of those state leaders are turning to wealthy businessmen, philanthropists and sometimes their own family members to help secure the equipment they need to fully stock their hospitals and medical facilities. For New Hampshire, that philanthropist was Dean Kamen, an entrepreneur who invented the Segway and who runs a global robotics competition. Kamen, whose businesses have extensive ties to Chinese manufacturers, had helped one hospital in Bedford secure protective masks. Within days, every hospital in the state was calling him. But Kamen encountered a problem early on, prompting him to turn to Gov. Chris Sununu (R): He had sourced millions of surgical and KN95 protective masks for New Hampshire’s hospitals at 38 cents apiece, a fraction of what those hospitals were paying on the open market. Kamen just needed the state to guarantee the hospitals would be able to cover those costs. […] Sununu told Kamen he could count on the state to cover the costs of the N95 masks. Kamen called his friend Fred Smith, CEO of FedEx, to arrange transportation. Smith pointed Kamen to a program within the federal Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that would pay for the flight. ‘Good news, governor,’ Kamen said he told Sununu. ‘FedEx has a relationship with the folks at HHS and they’re going to cover the cost of shipping.’ A few days later, Sununu and Kamen watched as a chartered FedEx MD-11 touched down at Manchester’s airport, crammed with masks and other protective gear.” [Hill, 5/11/20]
Colorado Hid Purchase Of 100,000 Test Kits From South Korea Over Fear Of Federal Seizure. According to Newsweek, “Colorado Governor Jared Polis did not announce that the state recently received over 100,000 coronavirus test kits from South Korea over fears that federal authorities could seize them. Multiple instances of feds seizing state supplies of tests and personal protective equipment have been reported since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Polis said on Friday that Colorado kept their latest shipment hidden because the state did not want to lose the tests to "the competition.” [Newsweek, 5/1/20]
There Were 1,235,519 Cases And 73,847 Deaths. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on May 6, 2020, there were 1,235,519 cases of and 73,847 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Trump Claimed The Coronavirus Would “Disappear” And Insisted The U.S. Was Prepared In The Event Of A Resurgence. According to the New York Times, “Mr. Trump argued that the country was better prepared to handle new cases even as doors reopened and that precautions would make a difference. As an example, he said Americans over the age of 60 and especially those with diabetes or heart problems should remain cautious about returning to work or public spaces. ‘This virus is going to disappear,’ he said. ‘It’s a question of when. Will it come back in a small way? Will it come back in a fairly large way? But we know how to deal with it now much better.’ Remaining closed, he added, is not an option. ‘We can’t have our whole country out. We can’t do it. The country won’t take it. It won’t stand it. It’s not sustainable.’” [New York Times, 5/6/20]
Trump Declined To Wear A Mask While Touring The Honeywell International Plant That Manufactures Personal Protective Equipment Insisting It Was Not Necessary. According to NBC News, “President Donald Trump on Wednesday defended his decision not to wear a mask during a tour of a mask production facility in Phoenix the day before, saying he had been told it wasn’t necessary. ‘I didn’t need it, and I asked specifically the head of Honeywell, ‘Should I wear a mask?’ and he said, ‘Well, you don’t need one in this territory.’ And as you know, we were far away from people, from the people making the masks,’ said Trump, who also didn’t wear a mask Wednesday as he spoke with reporters during a photo opportunity with nurses in the Oval Office.” [NBC News, 5/6/20]
Trump Later Claimed To Have Worn A Mask That Was Not Seen By The Media. According to NBC News, “Trump said he did have a mask on ‘for a period of time,’ and that he had at least four masks with him during the tour. ‘I can’t help it if you didn’t see me, I mean, I had a mask on,’ Trump told reporters. When Trump was seen by reporters and photographers touring the Honeywell plant his face was uncovered, and he was less than 6 feet apart from the Honeywell officials giving him the tour, who were also without masks. Other workers throughout the plant were wearing masks; a sign posted in the building said, ‘Please wear your mask at all times.’ The administration has issued guidelines to the public saying people should wear a cloth face covering in public settings where it is difficult to practice social distancing measures, such as grocery stores and pharmacies.” [NBC News, 5/6/20]
Trump Reversed Plans To Disband The Coronavirus Taskforce Attempting Instead To Redefine The Group’s Mission To Focus On Reopening The Country. According to the New York Times, “He tried to signal that this week by saying that his coronavirus task force would soon begin winding down. By his own admission, Mr. Trump was surprised to discover that many others thought it was too soon to do that. By Wednesday he reversed course, vowing to keep the task force going ‘indefinitely’ and promising that health experts like Dr. Anthony S. Fauci and Dr. Deborah L. Birx would remain part of the group even as he added other members. Even then, the president tried to pivot by redefining the task force’s mission to figuring out how to reopen the country safely and soon. ‘I thought we could wind it down sooner,’ Mr. Trump told reporters as he hosted nurses in the Oval Office to sign a proclamation honoring National Nurses Day. ‘But I had no idea how popular the task force is until actually yesterday. When I started talking about winding it down, I got calls from very respected people saying, ‘I think it would be better to keep it going.’” [New York Times, 5/6/20]
Trump Used His Repeated Wartime Analogy Referring To The Coronavirus Outbreak As An “Attack” And Comparing It To Pearl Harbor And 9/11. According to the New York Times, “In addition to the damage to the country, Mr. Trump has long viewed the pandemic through the lens of his political prospects. He openly admitted in March that he did not want to let infected patients from a cruise ship disembark because it would increase the number of cases counted in the United States. He essentially made the same calculation on Wednesday by saying that more testing only reveals more infections and therefore increases the numbers. ‘In a way, by doing all this testing we make ourselves look bad,’ he said. Mr. Trump returned to his military analogy at one point on Wednesday, calling Americans ‘warriors’ in the battle and comparing the virus outbreak, which he blamed on China, to sneak attacks by Japan on Dec. 7, 1941, and Al Qaeda on Sept. 11, 2001. ‘This is worse than Pearl Harbor,’ he said. ‘This is worse than the World Trade Center. There has never been an attack like this.’” [New York Times, 5/6/20]
TSA Ignored DHS Guidance And Stockpiled 1.3 Million N95 Masks Instead Of Donating Them As The Department Of Veterans Affairs Scrounged For PPE. According to ProPublica, “The Transportation Security Administration ignored guidance from the Department of Homeland Security and internal pushback from two agency officials when it stockpiled more than 1.3 million N95 respirator masks instead of donating them to hospitals, internal records and interviews show. Internal concerns were raised in early April, when COVID-19 cases were growing by the thousands and hospitals in some parts of the country were overrun and desperate for supplies. The agency held on to the cache of life-saving masks even as the number of people coming through U.S. airports dropped by 95% and the TSA instructed many employees to stay home to avoid being infected. Meanwhile, other federal agencies, including the Department of Veterans Affairs’ vast network of hospitals, scrounged for the personal protective equipment that doctors and nurses are dying without.” [ProPublica, 5/6/20]
TSA Actions Caused Whistleblower Complaint From TSA Attorney Charles Kielkopf. According to ProPublica, “‘We don’t need them. People who are in an infectious environment need them. Nobody is flying’” Charles Kielkopf, a TSA attorney based in Columbus, Ohio, told ProPublica. ;You don’t take things for yourself. It’s the wrong thing to do.’ Kielkopf shared a copy of an official whistleblower complaint he filed Monday. In it, he alleges the agency had engaged in gross mismanagement that represented a ‘substantial and specific danger to public health.’” [ProPublica, 5/6/20]
Trump Insisted There Was No PPE Shortage After The President Of The American Association Of Nurse Practitioners, While Being Honored In The Oval Office, Shared That Access To PPE Was “Sporadic” For Health Care Workers. According to CNN, “President Donald Trump contradicted a nurse he was honoring in the Oval Office on Wednesday, insisting there are no personal protective equipment shortages in the US despite her account that availability could be ‘sporadic.’ A reporter asked the nurses attending the National Nurse Day event if their PPE supplies are where they need to be amid the coronavirus pandemic, and many of them nodded in agreement or answered affirmatively. ‘I think it’s sporadic,’ answered Sophia L. Thomas, president of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners. ‘I mean, I talk to my colleagues around the country. Certainly there are pockets around the country where PPE is not ideal, but this is an unprecedented time.’ Thomas said she works at a community health center in New Orleans, and that her youngest COVID-19 patient was 4 days old. ‘The infection control measures that we learned back when we went to school, one gown and one mask for one patient per day -- this is a different time,’ she said, adding that she has been reusing a single N95 mask for ‘a few weeks now. […] Despite her firsthand experience, Trump disputed Thomas’ account. ‘Sporadic for you but not sporadic for a lot of other people,’ the President told her.’’ [CNN, 5/6/20]
May 7, 2020: There Were 1,263,995 Cases Of And 75,805 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on May 7, 2020, there were 1,263,995 cases of and 75,805 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
The House Oversight Committee Found That Only 10% Of 250,000 Travelers Were Screened For Temperatures Over A 10-Week Period Between January And March. According to the New York Times, “President Trump’s go-to defense of his early response to the coronavirus is his decision to close down travel from China, the virus’s original epicenter, and then from ravaged Europe. But those hasty decisions led to exoduses of American citizens, with packed, chaotic airports and, according to a new congressional report, porous screenings for passengers who could have been bringing the coronavirus home with them. Medical officials on contract from the Department of Homeland Security checked the temperature of just 10 percent of more than 250,000 travelers at U.S. airports arriving from travel-restricted countries during a 10-week span from January to March, according to a report released Thursday by the House Oversight and Reform Committee, undercutting one of the centerpieces of Mr. Trump’s argument that his administration responded aggressively to respond to the coronavirus pandemic.” [New York Times, 5/7/20]
DHS Officials Said Their Informal Policy Was To Check One-In-10 Because They “Don’t Want To Slow Things Down.” According to the New York Times, “Homeland security officials from the Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office told the committee that the informal policy was to check one of every 10 passengers because they ‘don’t want to slow things down,’ according to the report.” [New York Times, 5/7/20]
Chairman Of The Senate Health Committee, GOP Senator Lamar Alexander, Declared There Was Not Enough Testing Being Conducted To Support Safely Reopening The Country. According to Politico, “Millions more coronavirus tests will be needed to safely reopen the country, the chairman of the Senate HELP Committee said at a hearing Thursday. Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) called the more than 7 million diagnostic tests run to date ‘impressive, but not nearly enough’ adding ‘there is no safe path forward to combat the novel coronavirus without adequate testing.’” [Politico, 5/7/20]
The Trump Administration Buried Step-By-Step CDC Guidelines For Local Authorities To Reopen Public Places. According to the Associated Press, “The Trump administration has shelved a document created by the nation’s top disease investigators with step-by-step advice to local authorities on how and when to reopen restaurants and other public places during the still-raging coronavirus outbreak. The 17-page report by a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention team, titled ‘Guidance for Implementing the Opening Up America Again Framework,’ was researched and written to help faith leaders, business owners, educators and state and local officials as they begin to reopen. It was supposed to be published last Friday, but agency scientists were told the guidance ‘would never see the light of day,’ according to a CDC official. The official was not authorized to talk to reporters and spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity. The AP obtained a copy from a second federal official who was not authorized to release it. The guidance was described in AP stories last week, prior to the White House decision to shelve it.” [Associated Press, 5/7/20]
A Study Conducted At Columbia University Found The Use Of Hydroxychloroquine Ineffective In Treatment Of COVID-19 According to the Associated Press, “A new study finds no evidence of benefit from a malaria drug widely promoted as a treatment for coronavirus infection. Hydroxychloroquine did not lower the risk of dying or needing a breathing tube in a comparison that involved nearly 1,400 patients treated at Columbia University in New York, researchers reported Thursday in the New England Journal of Medicine. Although the study is observational rather than a rigorous experiment, it gives valuable information for a decision that hundreds of thousands of COVID-19 patients have already had to make without clear evidence about the drug’s risks and benefits, some journal editors and other doctors wrote in an editorial.” [Associated Press, 5/7/20]
Azar Dismissed Concerns About The Safety Of Meatpacking Plants And Claimed Infections Spread Due To Workers’ Living Conditions And Social Lives. According to Politico, “The country’s top health official downplayed concerns over the public health conditions inside meatpacking plants, suggesting on a call with lawmakers that workers were more likely to catch coronavirus based on their social interactions and group living situations, three participants said. HHS Secretary Alex Azar told a bipartisan group that he believed infected employees were bringing the virus into processing plants where a rash of cases have killed at least 20 workers and forced nearly two-dozen plants to close, according to three people on the April 28 call. Those infections, he said, were linked more to the ‘home and social’ aspects of workers’ lives rather than the conditions inside the facilities, alarming some on the call who interpreted his remarks as faulting workers for the outbreaks, the people said.” [Politico, 5/7/20]
Azar Recommended Dispatching Law Enforcement To The Communities Where Workers Lived To Enforce Social Distancing. According to Politico, “Azar emphasized the need to keep the plants open, according to the three people on the call. He also theorized that workers were largely not becoming infected at the meatpacking plants, and were instead contracting the coronavirus from their communities. Azar noted in particular that many meatpacking workers live in congregate housing, allowing that more testing at facilities would help but that the bigger issue was employees’ home environments. One possible solution was to send more law enforcement to those communities to better enforce social distancing rules, he added, according to two of the lawmakers on the call.” [Politico, 5/7/20]
The SBA Cut A Small Business Disaster Loan Individual Company Cap From $2 Million To $150,000 Without Public Notice And Restricted The Acceptance Of All New Non-Agricultural Loan Applications. According to the Washington Post, “An emergency disaster lending program for small businesses has been so overwhelmed by demand that it has significantly limited the size of loans it issues, while blocking nearly all new applications from small businesses, according to people familiar with the situation. The Economic Injury Disaster Loan program is a long-standing Small Business Administration program that’s separate from the new Paycheck Protection Program, which has challenges of its own. Congress gave the disaster loan program more than $50 billion in new funding in recent relief bills to offer quick-turnaround loans to businesses slammed by the coronavirus pandemic. But by many accounts, it is failing spectacularly. After initially telling businesses that individual disaster loans could be as high as $2 million, SBA has now imposed a $150,000 limit without publicly announcing the change, said people familiar with the situation who were not authorized to speak publicly. Additionally, the agency has faced a backlog of millions of applications for the disaster loan program for the past several weeks, several SBA officials have said. The SBA has been so overwhelmed by demand that it is now allowing only agricultural interests to submit applications as it works through an enormous backlog. Key Republican senators had been pushing hard for farmers and agriculture companies to be able to tap the program, and they are now being prioritized over other prospective borrowers. Agency officials have said the holdup is because of a lack of funding and an unprecedented crush of applications.” [Washington Post, 5/7/20]
May 8, 2020: There Were 1,291,643 Cases Of And 77,380 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on May 8, 2020, there were 1,291,643 cases of and 77,380 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Trump Claimed, “This Is Going To Go Away Without A Vaccine.” According to The Washington Post, “President Trump has been bullish about a coronavirus vaccine — so much so that experts have had to talk him off a more aggressive timeline for it. But on Friday, Trump seemed to shift his rhetoric on the topic, saying we don’t even need one for the virus to go away. ‘I just rely on what doctors say,’ Trump said when pressed. Except that’s not what his coronavirus task force doctor, Anthony S. Fauci, says. Trump offered his new comments about the potential vaccine Friday afternoon at the White House. ‘I feel about vaccines like I feel about tests: This is going to go away without a vaccine,’ Trump said. ‘It’s going to go away, and we’re not going to see it again, hopefully, after a period of time.’ Trump said that there could be ‘flare-ups,’ including in the fall, but that it would go away regardless. ‘There are some viruses or flus that came and they went for a vaccine, and they never found the vaccine,’ Trump said. ‘And they’ve disappeared. They never showed up again. They die, too, like everything else.’ Pressed on the claim, he doubled down. ‘They say it’s going to go — that doesn’t mean this year — doesn’t mean it’s going to be gone, frankly, by fall or after the fall,’ Trump said. ‘But eventually it’s going to go away. The question is will we need a vaccine. At some point it’s going to probably go away by itself. If we had a vaccine that would be very helpful.’” [Washington Post, 5/8/20]
Fauci Refuted Trump’s Claims That The Virus Would Disappear And Asserted The Coronavirus Crisis Would Not Be Fully Averted Until A Working Vaccine Is Developed. According to the Washington Post, “Fauci, though, has said we need a vaccine. A few weeks ago, Fauci was asked on Fox News about comments Joe Biden had made, that ‘this isn’t going to be over until we have a vaccine.’ Fauci responded: ‘There’s truth to that. It’s not going to be over to the point of our being able to not do any mitigation until we have a scientifically sound, safe and effective vaccine.’ A week earlier, at a White House briefing, Fauci was asked whether we will ‘truly get back to normal in this country before there’s an actual vaccine that’s available to everybody.’ Fauci said we wouldn’t. ‘If ‘back to normal’ means acting like there never was a coronavirus problem, I don’t think that’s going to happen until we do have a situation where you can completely protect the population,’ Fauci said.” [Washington Post, 5/8/20]
Over Half Of States That Began To Lift Social Distancing Restrictions Had Increasing Coronavirus Cases Loads, An Increase In Positive Test Results, Or Both. According to the New York Times, “More than half of U.S. states have begun to reopen their economies or plan to do so soon. But most fail to meet criteria recommended by the Trump administration to resume business and social activities. The White House’s guidelines are nonbinding and ultimately leave states’ fates to governors. The criteria suggest that states should have a ‘downward trajectory’ of either documented coronavirus cases or of the percentage of positive tests. Public health experts expressed criticism because ‘downward trajectory’ was not defined and the metrics do not specify a threshold for case numbers or positive rates. Still, most states that are reopening fail to adhere to even those recommendations: In more than half of states easing restrictions, case counts are trending upward, positive test results are rising, or both, raising concerns among public health experts.” [New York Times, 5/8/20]
More Than 32,000 Doses Of Remdesivir Intended For High-Priority Hospitals Were Misdirected Due To A Lack Of Communication And Coordination From Within The Trump Administration. According to Axios, “A complete breakdown in communication and coordination within the Trump administration has undermined the distribution of a promising treatment, according to senior officials with direct knowledge of the discussions. Why it matters: The drug, remdesivir, hasn’t made it to some of the high-priority hospitals where it’s most needed, and administration officials have responded by shifting blame and avoiding responsibility, sources said. Where it stands: Gilead Sciences, the company that makes remdesivir, donated hundreds of thousands of doses to the federal government after the Food and Drug Administration authorized it as an emergency treatment for coronavirus patients. More than 32,000 doses of remdesivir were shipped and delivered on Tuesday to Indiana, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Tennessee and Virginia. But many of these doses went to ‘less impacted counties,’ an administration official said. ‘Some went to the wrong places, some went to the right places,’ said one senior official. ‘We don’t know who gave the order. And no one is claiming responsibility.’” [Axios, 5/8/20]
In The Wake Of Several Staffers Testing Positive, Trump Announced He And Pence Would Begin Daily Coronavirus Testing. According to CNBC, “The president said Thursday that he and Pence would begin taking daily coronavirus tests, an increase from the weekly tests that had been White House protocol. There was no word on whether staffers would also be given daily tests. Currently, the White House tests visitors who will come into close contact with the president before they meet with him, checks temperatures for press, and provides weekly testing for staffers.” [CNBC, 5/8/20]
May 10, 2020: There Were 1,336,828 Cases Of And 79,765 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on May 10, 2020 there were 1,336,828 cases of and 79,765 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Pence’s Staff Instructed Food Industry Executives To Remove Their Masks During A Roundtable Discussion With The Vice President. According to Slate, “Mere hours after Vice President Mike Pence’s press secretary tested positive for COVID-19, he was set to meet with a group of food industry executives who had gathered for a roundtable discussion in West Des Moines, Iowa. But before Pence joined them on the stage, someone came in and asked all five guests to remove their masks, which they all did dutifully, reports the Intercept, which posted a segment of the live video stream of the event that showed the sequence of events. ‘The strange request underscored just how committed the White House is to ignoring federal health advice intended to slow the spread of the pandemic coronavirus,’ notes the Intercept’s Robert Mackey.” [Slate, 5/10/20]
May 11, 2020: There Were 1,354,449 Cases Of And 80,747 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on May 11, 2020, there were 1,354,449 cases of and 80,747 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Navarro Called Media Coverage Of Unemployment Rate A “Pity Party.” According to Talking Points Memo, “White House trade adviser Peter Navarro on Monday disparaged the media’s coverage of the staggering 14.7 percent unemployment rate in April caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. ‘That was a pity party yesterday on the Sunday shows,’ Navarro complained on ‘Fox and Friends,’ singling out CBS News ‘Face the Nation’’ host Margaret Brennan, ABC News ‘This Week’ host George Stephanopoulos and ‘Fox News Sunday’ host Chris Wallace. ‘This is not the Great Depression,’ the White House official continued. ‘Anybody who thinks this is the Great Depression doesn’t understand either history or economics.’” [TPM, 5/11/20]
Trump Claimed That. “We Have Met The Moment And We Have Prevailed.” According to Politico, “On the day the U.S. death toll from coronavirus topped 80,000, U.S. President Donald Trump stood in the White House Rose Garden for a ‘mission accomplished’ moment. Behind Trump were a row of American flags and a pair of giant signs reading, in all capital letters: ‘America leads the world in testing,’ referring to the total number of U.S. tests conducted in recent months rather than per-capita testing, in which America does not lead the world. In front of Trump sat his staff and reporters, physically distanced and all wearing face masks under an edict the president said he issued Monday afternoon to control the spread of coronavirus within the West Wing. At an event carefully crafted to reassure businesses and governors they could safely restart a crippled economy, Trump declared America had accomplished its mission on coronavirus testing. ‘In every generation, through every challenge and hardship and danger, America has risen to the task,’ Trump said. ‘We have met the moment and we have prevailed.’” [Politico, 5/11/20]
The Whistleblower Report Filed By Bright Accused His Superior, Robert Kadlec, And Other Officials Of Cronyism And Placing Politics Over Science. According to the New York Times, “The call in early February from the White House Situation Room came as a surprise to Rick Bright: Peter Navarro, President Trump’s trade adviser, wanted him to come present his ideas for fighting the coronavirus, alone. Dr. Bright, whose tiny federal research agency was pursuing a coronavirus vaccine, had long been at odds with his boss at the Department of Health and Human Services, Robert Kadlec. His White House visits, twice in a single weekend, only exacerbated those tensions. ‘Weekend at Peter’s,’ Dr. Kadlec quipped in the subject line of an email that expressed his displeasure. The hostility between these two key officials in the government’s response to a pandemic that has claimed more than 75,000 American lives burst into public view Tuesday when Dr. Bright — who was abruptly dismissed last month as head of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority — filed a formal whistle-blower complaint. The document accuses Dr. Kadlec and other top administration officials of ‘cronyism’ and putting politics ahead of science.” [New York Times, 5/11/20]
After Pressing For Masks And Drugs Stockpiling Early On, Bright Was Sidelined By Kadlec As The Coronavirus Arrived. According to the New York Times, “The internal clashes extend beyond Drs. Bright and Kadlec. Fierce battles have erupted between Alex M. Azar II, the health and human services secretary, and Seema Verma, the Medicare and Medicaid administrator. Mr. Azar has also clashed with a senior White House policymaker, Joe Grogan. But the consequences of such clashes were vividly brought to life by Dr. Bright’s complaint. Email messages show that, as early as January, when President Trump was saying the outbreak was ‘totally under control,’ Dr. Bright was pressing for the government to stock up on masks and drugs and to commence a ‘Manhattan Project’ effort to develop a vaccine. But Dr. Bright was largely sidelined by personal disputes with Mr. Kadlec and his aides, some of which long predated the coronavirus, the documents suggest. By the time the pandemic arrived in force, the relationship between them had become toxic, with Dr. Bright increasingly left out of key decisions. His ideas about battling the threat ‘were met with skepticism,’ the complaint says, ‘and were clearly not welcome.’” [New York Times, 5/11/20]
FEMA-HHS Coordinating Group Decided To Suspend Kushner’s Project Airbridge Shipments Except For Gowns. According to NBC News, “‘Project Airbridge,’ the medical-supply delivery program championed by White House senior adviser Jared Kushner, is being essentially grounded, according to coronavirus task force documents obtained by NBC News. The program, created to speed the overseas air shipment of medical supplies that would take longer to ship by boat, became a lightning rod for criticism because of its unorthodox use of federal funds to underwrite shipping costs for private companies, the massive no-bid contracts it delivered to those companies and its failure to deliver all of the goods the White House credited it with. On Thursday, the Unified Coordinating Group, a set of senior leaders from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Health and Human Services Department who work on the coronavirus response, decided to stop scheduling ‘Project Airbridge’ flights — except those carrying protective gowns — after Friday, according to a summary of the meeting, which was held at FEMA headquarters” [NBC News, 5/11/20]
Meeting Summary Noted “Current Critical Shortages” Of Gowns. According to NBC News, “Gowns are the lone exception in the termination of the Project Airbridge program because, as the meeting summary notes, there are ‘current critical shortages.’ The participants in that meeting, according to the summary, included FEMA Director Pete Gaynor, Adm. Brett Giroir, who works on the task force from his post at the HHS department, and members of the president's National Security Council staff, who were patched in by video conference.” [NBC News, 5/11/20]
Pence’s Staff Announced That The Vice-President Would Not Self-Quarantine Despite Exposure To COVID-19 Positive Staff Members. According to CNN, “Vice President Mike Pence is not planning to enter self-quarantine after his press secretary tested positive for coronavirus on Friday and plans to be at the White House on Monday, his office said on Sunday. Pence spokesperson Devin O’Malley said the vice president ‘will continue to follow the advice of the White House Medical Unit and is not in quarantine.’ ‘Additionally, Vice President Pence has tested negative every single day and plans to be at the White House tomorrow,’ O’Malley said in the statement. The announcement comes as the White House continues to urge governors to begin reopening their states even as the virus has edged closer to the West Wing with news that top members of the coronavirus task force will self-quarantine, in some form, after coming in contact with an individual who tested positive for the virus. An official said there is extreme sensitivity inside the White House at the current state of affairs with officials recognizing the contradiction in telling states to reopen while the White House enhances protocols to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.” [CNN, 5/11/20]
Three Top U.S. Health Policy Officials Entered Self-Quarantine Following Exposure To COVID-19-Infected White House Staffers. According to Politico, “Three top-ranking Trump administration health officials are in some form of quarantine after possible exposure in the White House — forcing them to self-isolate from a disease they are responsible for fighting. CDC Director Robert Redfield and Anthony Fauci, the government’s top infectious disease expert, on Saturday evening disclosed plans to isolate over the next two weeks after ‘low-risk’ contact with an infected person. A day earlier, FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn began two weeks of self-quarantine after coming in contact with White House spokesperson Katie Miller, who tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday. All three officials serve on the White House coronavirus task force, which the administration this week declared would remain intact — shortly after President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence suggested its work would be winding down as they shifted focus to reopening the country.” [Politico, 5/9/20]
Trump Directed White House Staff To Wear Masks At Work. According to the New York Times, “The White House on Monday ordered all West Wing employees to wear masks at work unless they are sitting at their desks, an abrupt shift in policy after two aides working near the president — a military valet and Katie Miller, the vice president’s spokeswoman — tested positive for the coronavirus last week. In an internal email obtained by The New York Times, people who work in the cramped quarters around the Oval Office were told that ‘as an additional layer of protection, we are requiring everyone who enters the West Wing to wear a mask or face covering.’ Asked at a Rose Garden news conference whether he had ordered the change, Mr. Trump — who did not wear a mask and has repeatedly said he sees no reason to — said, ‘Yeah, I did.’ But officials said the new requirement was not expected to apply to Mr. Trump or to Vice President Mike Pence.” [New York Times, 5/11/20]
May 12, 2020: There Were 1,376,749 Cases Of And 82,400 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on May 12, 2020 there were 1,376,749 cases of and 82,400 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
While Testifying Before The Senate, CDC Director Redfield Admitted The Outbreak Surpassed The Capacity Of The Federal Government’s Contact Tracing Program, Saying, “We Lost The Containment Edge.” According to the New York Times, “The question of testing and contact tracing — why it is still inadequate, and whether it can be scaled up enough to safely allow communities to reopen — came up repeatedly from senators of both parties. Dr. Robert Redfield, the director of the C.D.C., said that the coronavirus outbreak ‘went beyond the capacity’ of the government’s contact-tracing program, and conceded: ‘We lost the containment edge.’ He said the C.D.C. had retrained 500 people nationwide to help build up the contact-tracing capacity that states would need to prepare for the fall and winter. He also made several comments that reflected his dissatisfaction with the nation’s fragmented public health network, and his agency’s outdated system of tracking and analyzing critical data from the states. ‘There’s an archaic system, a nonintegrated public health system,’ Dr. Redfield said. ‘This nation needs modern, highly capable data analytics.’” [New York Times, 5/12/20]
The Trump Administration Designated Farm Laborers As Essential Workers, But Failed To Issue Guidelines For Protecting Workers’ Health And Safety While On The Farm. According to Politico, “The Trump administration has deemed the millions of people who are cutting lettuce, picking cherries, packing peaches and otherwise getting food from farm to table to be ‘essential workers’ but is doing little to keep them healthy during the pandemic. The lack of federal action has left state and industry leaders scrambling to shield their farmworkers from the coronavirus. As harvest season ramps up, farmers across several major produce states have installed more hand-washing stations, instructed workers to keep their distance and provided face masks — but those efforts have been inconsistent and largely voluntary. Farmworkers have long lived in the shadows of the American economy, an itinerant community that includes low-income citizens, about 250,000 legal guest workers from Mexico and Central America and hundreds of thousands of undocumented immigrants who might travel from farm to farm with the changing harvest seasons. Now, labor advocates are warning that continuing to ignore this vulnerable population not only threatens lives but endangers the food supply. ‘We’re very concerned that the worst is yet to come,’ said Bruce Goldstein, president of Farmworker Justice, an advocacy group. ‘With the limited protections that are available, we’re afraid that there’s going to be a substantial increase in COVID-19 cases among farmworkers.’” [Politico, 5/12/20]
The CDC Health-Safety Recommendations Pertaining To Essential Workers Went Unenforced By The Trump Administration And Inquiries About Supporting Farm Laborers Were Deferred To The Department Of Labor Where They Were Subsequently Dismissed. According to Politico, “The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued recommended guidelines that cover a range of critical employment sectors, including farm labor. But the Trump administration has not made the guidelines mandatory, as the Department of Labor is empowered to do on an emergency basis. And the CDC has not released recommendations specific to field workers like it did for meatpacking employees as that industry fell into chaos in recent weeks. Since March, advocates like the United Farm Workers have been urging federal agencies and states to make existing COVID-19 recommendations enforceable and to go further, ensuring benefits like paid sick leave, access to health care and a major revamp of housing standards that would allow for social distancing. The CDC referred inquiries about workplace requirements to the Labor Department, which said in a statement, ‘Because of the enforcement authorities already available to it and the fluid nature of this health crisis, OSHA does not believe that a new regulation, or standard, is appropriate at this time.’” [Politico, 5/12/20]
May 13, 2020: There Were 1,397,894 Cases Of And 84,168 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on May 13, 2020, there were 1,397,894 cases of and 84,168 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Trump And Members Of The Coronavirus Taskforce Pushed The CDC To Change Its Method Of Calculating Coronavirus-Related Deaths In Order To Lower Total Number Reported. According to the Daily Beast, “President Donald Trump and members of his coronavirus task force are pushing officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to change how the agency works with states to count coronavirus-related deaths. And they’re pushing for revisions that could lead to far fewer deaths being counted than originally reported, according to five administration officials working on the government’s response to the pandemic. Though he has previously publicly attested to the accuracy of the COVID-19 death count, the president in recent weeks has privately raised suspicion about the number of fatalities in the United States, which recently eclipsed 80,000 recorded deaths. In talks with top officials, Trump has suggested that those numbers could have been incorrectly tallied or even inflated by current methodology, two individuals with knowledge of those private comments said. The White House has pressed the CDC, in particular, to work with states to change how they count coronavirus deaths and report them back to the federal government, according to two officials with knowledge of those conversations. And Deborah Birx, the coordinator of the administration’s coronavirus task force, has urged CDC officials to exclude from coronavirus death-count reporting some of those individuals who either do not have confirmed lab results and are presumed positive or who have the virus and may not have died as a direct result of it, according to three senior administration officials.” [Daily Beast, 5/13/20]
Trump Minimized The Potential Risk Of Children Returning To School Disregarding The Ongoing Study Of Coronavirus’ Impact On Children. According to the New York Times, “The president’s comments on Wednesday were an even more direct show of disapproval. And they came as health officials in New York were investigating more than 100 cases of a rare and dangerous inflammatory syndrome that afflicts children and appears to be connected to the virus. ‘Now when you have an incident, one out of a million, one out of 500,000, will something happen? Perhaps,’ Mr. Trump said, minimizing the risk to children of returning to school. ‘But you can be driving to school and some bad things can happen, too.’ Mr. Trump added: ‘This is a disease that attacks age and it attacks health and if you have a heart problem, if you have diabetes, if you’re a certain age, it’s certainly much more dangerous. But with the young children, I mean, and students, it is really just take a look at the statistics, it is pretty amazing.’ Medical experts who are beginning to learn more about how the virus affects children have said it is an oversimplification to consider them immune.” [New York Times, 5/13/20]
A New Study Revealed Strong Evidence Linking A Deadly Inflammatory Illness To The Coronavirus In Children Across The United States And Europe. According to the New York Times, “As concerns mount over children with a serious and potentially deadly inflammatory condition, a new study sheds light on the illness’s distinctive characteristics and provides the strongest evidence yet that the syndrome is linked to the coronavirus. The condition, called pediatric multisystem inflammatory syndrome, has been reported in about 100 children in New York State, including three who died, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said this week. Cases have been reported in other states, including Louisiana, Mississippi and California, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said it will soon issue an alert asking doctors to report cases of children with symptoms of the syndrome. There have also been at least 50 cases reported in European countries, including in France, Switzerland, Spain and Britain, where at least one death has been attributed to the syndrome. In the new study, published on Wednesday in the journal Lancet, doctors in Italy compared a series of 10 cases of the illness with cases of a similar rare condition in children called Kawasaki disease.” [New York Times, 5/13/20]
The CDC Warned Physicians To Look Out And Report Symptoms Of A Coronavirus-Linked Inflammatory Disease Found In Children. According to the Huffington Post, “Surging cases of a mysterious illness in children linked to COVID-19 has triggered an alert by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to warn physicians what to look out for. Seventeen states have reported cases of what’s now labeled multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C), which can affect several organs and has been fatal in rare instances. New York has reported 102 cases. Three of the children died, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Tuesday. There’s also growing alarm across Europe about the cases. Paris scientists noted a 20-fold increase in the illness similar to Kawasaki disease in children, 82% who had contracted COVID-19. Italy has reported a 30-fold hike. The CDC alert also noted a study of recent cases in Britain. The troubling news comes as President Donald Trump is pushing for schools to reopen. On Wednesday, Trump criticized health expert Dr. Anthony Fauci’s warning Tuesday against reopening schools too quickly as he noted the troubling COVID-19 complications for children. Trump called Fauci’s advice ‘not an acceptable answer’ and urged that ‘all schools open as soon as possible.’ The CDC alert urges physicians seeing instances of the inflammatory syndrome to report them to local departments so cases, treatments and outcomes can be tracked. Children with the disease have had persistent fever and a variety of other symptoms, including low blood pressure, multi-organ complications and inflammation, the CDC alert said.” [Huffington Post, 5/14/20]
Trump Directly Rejected Fauci’s Cautious Stance On Reopening The Country Too Quickly, And Claimed Fauci, “Wants To Play All Sides Of The Equation.” According to the New York Times, “President Trump on Wednesday criticized congressional testimony delivered a day earlier by Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, who had warned against reopening the country too quickly and stressed the unknown effects the coronavirus could have on children returning to school. ‘I was surprised by his answer,’ Mr. Trump told reporters who had gathered in the Cabinet Room for the president’s meeting with the governors of Colorado and North Dakota. ‘To me it’s not an acceptable answer, especially when it comes to schools.’ The president’s desire to reopen schools and businesses in order to bring back the economy has often led to public clashes over the guidance provided by Dr. Fauci, who has warned that taking a cavalier attitude toward reopening the country could invite unnecessary suffering caused by a virus scientists are still struggling to understand. He reiterated that position on Tuesday in testimony before a Senate committee. ‘He wants to play all sides of the equation,’ Mr. Trump said on Wednesday, before bragging that the economy next year would be ‘phenomenal.’” [New York Times, 5/13/20]
May 14, 2020: There Were 1,424,856 Cases Of And 85,906 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on May 14, 2020, there were 1,424,856 cases of and 85,906 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Trump Dismissed The Need For Continued Testing In The U.S., Claiming Widespread Testing Was “Overrated.” According to The Hill, “President Trump on Thursday suggested the practice of widespread coronavirus testing may be ‘overrated,’ even as health experts insist it is critical to safely loosen restrictions and reopen businesses. Trump boasted about the United States’s testing capabilities during remarks at a Pennsylvania medical equipment distribution center, where he announced the country has administered 10 million tests since the outbreak began. ‘We have the best testing in the world,’ Trump told employees at Owens & Minor Inc. in Allentown. ‘Could be that testing’s, frankly, overrated. Maybe it is overrated.’ ‘But we have the greatest testing in the world,’ he added. ‘But what we want is we want to get rid of this thing. That’s what we want.’ The U.S. has more than 1.4 million confirmed coronavirus cases, by far the most of any country in the world. But Trump suggested the soaring infection numbers were merely a reflection of America’s testing capacity. ‘We have more cases than anybody in the world, but why? Because we do more testing,’ Trump said. ‘When you test, you have a case. When you test you find something is wrong with people. If we didn’t do any testing, we would have very few cases. They don’t want to write that. It’s common sense. We test much more.’” [Hill, 5/14/20]
A Trump Donor Received Roughly $27 Million In Coronavirus Stimulus Support For His Private Jet Company. According to NBC Philadelphia, “A private jet company founded by a donor to President Donald Trump received nearly $27 million in government funding under a program run by the Treasury Department, according to government filings. Clay Lacy Aviation, a private jet charter company based in Van Nuys, California, that serves wealthy executives and celebrities, received the government grant as part of the CARES Act, a $2 trillion federal stimulus package aimed at supporting jobs during the coronavirus crisis. The company appears to have received the largest grant of any private jet company on the list. The vast majority of the other 96 recipients of government funding or loans on the list are major commercial airlines, regional carriers or support companies. Other large private jet operators such as NetJets are not on the list. The funding is a grant rather than a loan, and doesn’t need to be repaid to the government. The money is part of the CARES Act program to "compensate aviation industry workers and preserve jobs." […] According to election filings, Lacy gave $2,700 to the Trump campaign in 2016 — the maximum for an individual to give to the campaign — and he gave $47,000 to the Republican National Committee after Trump became the nominee. According to its website, Clay Lacy Aviation manages, maintains and operates a large fleet of private jets for charter. The company said it serves ‘business and world leaders, Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, professional athletes, sports franchises, celebrities and dignitaries.’” [NBC Philadelphia, 5/14/20]
May 15, 2020: There Were 1,451,093 Cases Of And 87,499 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on May 15, 2020, there were 1,451,093 cases of and 87,499 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Three Months Into The Pandemic, The Trump Administration Was Still Attempting To Formulate A Plan To Help Minority Communities Hurt By Coronavirus. According to Politico, “Nearly three months into the pandemic, administration officials are still trying to formulate a comprehensive plan for helping minority communities — particularly African Americans and Latinos — hit disproportionately hard by the virus. The mounting concerns about inaccessible testing and high hospitalization rates are highlighting a gaping hole in Trump’s pandemic response — worries that also threaten to ricochet through the president’s 2020 reelection operation six months out from Election Day.” [Politico, 5/15/20]
The Council In Charge Of The Effort Was Still Assembling Proposals. According to Politico, “Little has come of it. The White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council, repurposed by Trump on April 22 to confront the pandemic’s disproportionate damage to communities of color, is still assembling proposals to reduce racial health disparities that have been magnified by the coronavirus outbreak, according to four people familiar with the planning.” [Politico, 5/15/20]
DeVos Distributed Millions In Coronavirus Relief Funds Intended To Support Public Education For School Vouchers And Private And Religious Institutions Regardless Of Their Financial Need. According to the New York Times, “Education Secretary Betsy DeVos is using the $2 trillion coronavirus stabilization law to throw a lifeline to education sectors she has long championed, directing millions of federal dollars intended primarily for public schools and colleges to private and religious schools. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act, signed in late March, included $30 billion for education institutions turned upside down by the pandemic shutdowns, about $14 billion for higher education, $13.5 billion to elementary and secondary schools, and the rest for state governments. Ms. DeVos has used $180 million of those dollars to encourage states to create ‘microgrants’ that parents of elementary and secondary school students can use to pay for educational services, including private school tuition. She has directed school districts to share millions of dollars designated for low-income students with wealthy private schools. And she has nearly depleted the 2.5 percent of higher education funding, about $350 million, set aside for struggling colleges to bolster small colleges — many of them private, religious or on the margins of higher education — regardless of need.” [New York Times, 5/15/20]
Trump’s FDA Ordered A Bill Gates-Backed Testing Initiative To Halt Its At-Home Testing Pending Review. According to the New York Times, “An innovative coronavirus testing program in the Seattle area — promoted by the billionaire Bill Gates and local public health officials as a way of conducting wider surveillance on the invisible spread of the virus — has been ordered by the federal government to stop its work pending additional reviews. The program involved sending home test kits to both healthy and sick people in the hope of conducting the kind of widespread monitoring that could help communities safely reopen from lockdowns. Researchers and public health authorities already had tested thousands of samples, finding dozens of previously undetected cases. But the program, a partnership between research groups and the Seattle and King County public health department that had been operating under authorization from the state, was notified this week that it now needs approval directly from the federal government. Officials with the Food and Drug Administration told the partnership to cease its testing and reporting until the agency grants further approval.” [New York Times, 5/15/20]
CDC Had Provided An In-Person Technical Advisor To The Project. According to the New York Times, “But the Seattle program does not test for antibodies and has wide backing, including from public health leaders, the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and Mr. Gates, whose foundation has been deeply involved in fighting the pandemic. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also provided an in-person technical adviser to the project.” [New York Times, 5/15/20]
May 16, 2020: There Were 1,474,752 Cases Of And 88,724 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on May 16, 2020, there were 1,474,752 cases of and 88,724 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
The Trump Administration Sent Bulk Order Of Swabs To Washington State Packaged As Baby Q-Tips Causing Confusion. According to the Seattle Times, “Earlier this week, workers at a state health department warehouse in Tumwater, Thurston County, expected to receive a large shipment of 68,000 nasal swabs to help expand coronavirus testing in Washington. Instead, they received a surprise substitution: Dozens of boxes marked ‘Comforts For Baby Cotton Swabs’ packed with what appeared to be thousands of Q-tips. Typically unsuitable for medical tests, the Q-tip-style swabs prompted Reed Schuler, a senior adviser to Gov. Jay Inslee, to place a head-scratching call to the White House coronavirus task force. ‘I asked, ‘What exactly is this shipment we’re getting?’ And they said, ‘Oh sorry, ignore the packaging. You were supposed to get a memo explaining that shipment,’’ Schuler said Friday. The task force later sent a memo from U.S. Cotton, LLC, explaining the swabs actually were produced specifically for nasal specimen collection. ‘The packaging used (comforts for baby cotton swabs) for a portion of the initial FEMA production does not accurately reflect the contents,’ a memo signed by company president and CEO John B. Nims said. ‘Be assured that the printed packaging does contain the F.D.A. approved sterilized polyester spun swab for specimen collection of COVID-19.’” [Seattle Times, 5/16/20]
Bulk Packaging Forced Washington State To Conduct Sterility Quality Assurance Testing That Could Involve Individually Packaging Each Swab Before Distribution. According to the Seattle Times, “But the way the swabs arrived in Washington this week — 22,000 in bulk, packed into the scores of mislabeled boxes — puzzled state health workers, Schuler said. The nasopharyngeal (NP) and nasal swabs widely used for specimen collection typically come individually wrapped in sterile packaging to avoid contamination. ‘Having boxes full of swabs in bulk raises questions about sterility and whether we can use them at all,’ Schuler said. The state must now conduct quality assurance tests before determining whether and how it can use the swabs to enhance its coronavirus testing, he said. That could involve taking laborious steps to individually package each swab before distribution, what Schuler described as ‘just another obstacle in a wild saga to expand testing.’” [Seattle Times, 5/16/20]
Trump Expressed No Concerns About A Rapid Test That The White House Relied On To Ensure His Health Despite NYU Data Suggesting An Inordinate Share Of False Negatives. According to ABC News, “President Donald Trump expressed no concerns Friday about a rapid coronavirus test that the White House has been relying on to ensure his safety, despite new data suggesting the test may return an inordinate share of false negatives. Trump expressed his confidence in the test from Abbott Laboratories after a preliminary study by New York University researchers reported problems with it. Trump and his deputies have promoted the 15-minute test as a ‘game changer’ and have been using it for weeks now to try to keep the White House complex safe. The Food and Drug Administration announced late Thursday it was investigating preliminary data suggesting the Abbott test can miss a large number of COVID-19 cases, falsely clearing infected patients. ‘Abbott is a great test; it’s a very quick test,’ Trump said at a Rose Garden event to highlight his administration's efforts to develop a vaccine for the virus. ‘And it can always be very rapidly double checked.’ The rapid swab is used daily at the White House to test Trump, key members of his staff as well as any visitor to the White House complex who comes in close proximity to the president or Vice President Mike Pence.” [ABC News, 5/15/20]
May 17, 2020: There Were 1,493,766 Cases Of And 89,568 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on May 17, 2020, there were 1,493,766 cases of and 89,568 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Navarro Criticized The CDC’s Response To COVID-19, Saying The CDC “Really Let The Country Down With The Testing.” According to the Washington Post, “Tensions between the White House and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention spilled out into public view on Sunday as a top adviser to President Trump criticized the public health agency’s response to the novel coronavirus pandemic. The comments by White House trade adviser Peter Navarro are the latest signal of how the Trump administration has sought to sideline the CDC. The agency typically plays the lead role in public health crises, but in recent weeks it’s had its draft guidance for reopening held up by the White House, leaving states and localities to largely fend for themselves. Speaking on NBC News’s ‘Meet the Press,’ Navarro sharply criticized the CDC over its production of a flawed coronavirus test kit that contributed to a nationwide delay in testing. ‘Early on in this crisis, the CDC — which really had the most trusted brand around the world in this space — really let the country down with the testing,’ Navarro said. ‘Because not only did they keep the testing within the bureaucracy, they had a bad test. And that did set us back.’” [Washington Post, 5/17/20]
Azar Defended The CDC From Navarro Criticism Saying, “I Don’t Believe The CDC Let This Country Down.” According to the Washington Post, “The CDC did not respond to a request for comment. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, whose agency oversees the CDC, pushed back against Navarro’s criticism in an interview on CBS’s ‘Face the Nation.’ ‘I don’t believe the CDC let this country down,’ Azar said when pressed repeatedly on Navarro’s comments. ‘I believe the CDC serves an important public health role. And what was always critical was to get the private sector to the table [on testing].’” [Washington Post, 5/17/20]
Azar Blamed Ethnographic Health Disparities For The U.S.’ Highest In The World Coronavirus Death Toll. According to Vox, “But when Tapper pressed him further, and emphasized that the overall number of deaths in the US is the highest in the world, Azar said this could be explained by ethnic demographics. ‘Unfortunately the American population is a very diverse, and, it is, it is a population with significant unhealthy comorbidities that do make many individuals in our communities, in particular African American, minority communities, particularly at risk here, because of significant underlying disease, health disparities, and disease comorbidities,’ Azar said. ‘That is an unfortunate legacy in our health care system that we certainly do need to address,’ Azar added. Azar is right that public health inequities are contributing to disproportionate casualties among communities of color. But pointing to that as the primary reason the US has surpassed every other country in the world in terms of coronavirus-related deaths is a troubling dodge: it seems to imply that racial minorities are to blame for their deaths rather than the federal government.” [Vox, 5/17/20]
May 18, 2020: There Were 1,515,593 Cases Of And 90,414 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on May 18, 2020, there were 1,515,593 of cases and 90,414 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Trump Vaccine Czar Slaoui Held More Than $12 Million In Shares Of Vaccine Developer Moderna Therapeutics. According to ABC News, “The move follows sparks of conflict of interest concerns from ethics experts in part regarding more than $12 million-worth of shares underlying stock options Slaoui holds at Moderna Therapeutics, one of the biotech companies leading the coronavirus vaccine development efforts with sizable funding from the federal government.” [ABC News, 5/18/20]
The Trump Admin Awarded $354 Million Contract To New Pharma Company Phlow Corp To Manufacture Generic Medicines And Pharma Ingredients. According to the New York Times, “The Trump administration will announce on Tuesday that it has signed a $354 million four-year contract with a new company in Richmond, Va., to manufacture generic medicines and pharmaceutical ingredients that are needed to treat COVID-19 but are now made overseas, mostly in India and China. The contract, awarded to Phlow Corp. by the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, meshes President Trump’s ‘America First’ economic promises with concerns that coronavirus treatments be manufactured in the United States. It may be extended for a total of $812 million over 10 years, making it one of the largest awards in the authority’s history. ‘This is an historic turning point in America’s efforts to onshore its pharmaceutical production and supply chains,’ Peter Navarro, Mr. Trump’s trade adviser, whose White House portfolio includes the global supply chain, said in a brief interview on Monday evening.” [New York Times, 5/18/20]
Phlow CEO Eric Edwards Previously Founded z Company With His Brother That Jacked Up Price Of Opioid Overdose Antidote By 600% Between 2014 And 2017. According to StatNews, “As the chief executive of Phlow, the new company awarded $354 million by the federal government this week to make generics that are in short supply during the pandemic, Eric Edwards maintains his business is a public benefit corporation. Besides generating a profit, Phlow is supposed to serve a greater good. But in his last role in the pharmaceutical industry, Edwards fell short of benefiting the public, at least according to a U.S. Senate subcommittee report released in 2018. Kaleo, a company Edwards founded with his twin brother, jacked up the price of its Evzio opioid overdose antidote by more than 600% between 2014 and 2017, which cost U.S. taxpayers more than $142 million.” [StatNews, 5/19/20]
Grassley Investigated Edwards’ Company Kaleo After It Charged $4,500 For Its Version Of The EpiPen. According to StatNews, “The company also drew the attention of Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), who launched a probe into Kaleo in 2017 after the company charged $4,500 for its rival to the EpiPen allergic reaction device. The price was part of a complicated strategy some called a Rube Goldberg scheme, because most insured consumers paid nothing, but insurers picked up the bill. Grassley was concerned Kaleo was shifting the burden and cost to others in the health care system.” [StatNews, 5/19/20]
Trump Said He Was Taking Hydroxychloroquine. According to the Wall Street Journal, “President Trump said he is taking hydroxychloroquine, an antimalarial drug that he has cited as a possible defense against the novel coronavirus but that some scientists have cautioned needs further study and could be dangerous. ‘I happen to be taking it, hydroxychloroquine,’ he told reporters at the White House on Monday. He said he had consulted with the White House doctor and suggested he is taking the drug as a preventive measure. Mr. Trump said he has been checked regularly for COVID-19, has tested negative and has no symptoms. He said he has been taking hydroxychloroquine for about a week and a half.” [Wall Street Journal, 5/18/20]
After Washington State Turned To Chinese Auto Conglomerate BYD Subsidiary For Masks, Over A Million Masks Sat In A State Warehouse Waiting On Federal Approval After An Initial Denial By A Federal Safety Agency. According to the Seattle Times, “As Washington state officials raced to buy protective gear for combating COVID-19, they bet big on a Chinese automotive conglomerate that has built what it calls the world’s largest face-mask factory. Washington state has ordered $227.5 million worth of supplies — mostly masks — from a subsidiary of China’s BYD Co., accounting for more than half the value of all the state’s orders for COVID-19 supplies. Of the BYD orders, three-quarters are weeks behind schedule, while more than a million masks it has delivered are idling in a state warehouse awaiting federal regulatory approval, according to records reviewed by The Seattle Times. A federal worker safety agency on Wednesday denied initial approval for BYD’s N95s, placing the state’s order in limbo.” [Seattle Times, 5/18/20]
BYD Said The NIOSH Denial Was For “Easily Fixable” Paperwork Errors. According to the Seattle Times, “Regarding the denial of its N95 certification by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), an arm of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, BYD said the masks passed a battery of physical tests and the rejection was for ‘easily fixable’ paperwork errors.” [Seattle Times, 5/18/20]
A Congressional Oversight Commission Report Found That Treasury Had Spent Little Of $500 Billion Created By CARES Act In March. According to the Washington Post, “But while the Treasury Department has rushed to implement some stimulus programs, such as sending $1,200 checks to 140 million households and mobilizing a small-business lending program, other congressionally approved assistance funds are off to a much slower start. The Congressional Oversight Commission, a new body, released a report on Monday finding that the Treasury Department had spent very little from a $500 billion fund created by the Cares Act in March to help businesses and local governments, even though many of these entities have asked for immediate help.” [Washington Post, 5/18/20]
May 19, 2020: There Were 1,536,570 Cases Of And 91,934 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on May 19, 2020, there were 1,536,570 cases of and 91,934 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Trump Said He Considered The Number Of Coronavirus Cases In The U.S. A “Badge Of Honor” Because Of Testing. According to Politico, “President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he viewed the number of U.S. cases of coronavirus — the highest in the world — as a ‘badge of honor’ because the still-increasing figure is a reflection of the country’s testing capacity. Trump offered his take on the grim numbers unprompted, when asked by a reporter at the White House whether the administration was weighing restrictions on travel from Brazil. The reporter noted that according to Johns Hopkins University, Brazil, now ranks behind only the U.S. and Russia in total number of coronavirus infections per country. […] ‘When we have a lot of cases, I don’t look at that as a bad thing,’ the president said. ‘I look at that in a certain respect as being a good thing, because it means our testing is much better. So, if we were testing a million people instead of 14 million people, it would have far few cases, right?’ ‘So, I view it as a badge of honor. Really, it’s a badge of honor,’ he concluded. ‘It’s a great tribute to the testing and all of the work that a lot of professionals have done.’” [Politico, 5/19/20]
Trump Told Republican Senators During A Luncheon That He Did Not Support Extending Unemployment Benefits. According to the Washington Post, “President Trump on Tuesday privately expressed opposition to extending a weekly $600 boost in unemployment insurance for laid-off workers affected by the coronavirus pandemic, according to three officials familiar with his remarks during a closed-door lunch with Republican senators on Capitol Hill. The increased unemployment benefits — paid by the federal government but administered through individual states — were enacted this year as part of a broader $2 trillion relief package passed by Congress. The boost expires this summer, and House Democrats have proposed extending the aid through January 2021.” [Washington Post, 5/19/20]
Esper-Authored Leaked Draft Memo Said There Was A “Real Possibility Of A Resurgence Of COVID-19” And Instructed The Defense Department To Prepare For The Event Of A Resurgence. According to a leaked draft memo obtained by Task and Purpose, “The Defense Department should prepare to operate in a ‘globally-persistent’ novel coronavirus (COVID-19) environment without an effective vaccine until ‘at least the summer of 2021,’ according to a draft Pentagon memo obtained by Task & Purpose. ‘We have a long path ahead, with the real possibility of a resurgence of COVID-19,’ reads the memo, authored for Secretary of Defense Mark Esper but not yet bearing his signature. ‘Therefore, we must now re-focus our attention on resuming critical missions, increasing levels of activity, and making necessary preparations should a significant resurgence of COVID-19 occur later this year.’” [Task and Purpose, 5/19/20]
An Outbreak On The USNS Leroy Grumman Left Half The Crew And 30 Contractors Sick. According to the Daily Beast, “Late last month, barely a week after the Navy’s Military Sealift Command assured the public that the coronavirus was not spreading among civilian mariners, the virus ripped through the USNS Leroy Grumman, leaving nearly half the crew and 30 contractors infected, the Project On Government Oversight (POGO) has learned. One mariner has been hospitalized in critical condition, while a contractor died of what his family says are complications of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. Mariners tell POGO that the ship’s leaders struggled to respond to the outbreak, potentially exacerbating the viral spread.” [Daily Beast, 5/19/20]
May 20, 2020: There Were 1,559,640 Cases Of And 93,411 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on May 20, 2020, there were 1,559,640 cases of and 93,411 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Fauci And Birx’s Absence From Media Appearances Coincided With The Trump Administration Shifting Focus On Reopening The Economy Despite The Ongoing Pandemic. According to CNN, “Fauci’s absence comes as the newly implemented White House communications team has changed its public relations strategy for the pandemic. President Trump, who previously held freewheeling news conferences, has stopped doing so on a daily basis following an effort among aides and allies who believed the briefings damaged him politically. And in recent weeks, the White House has refocused its message on reopening the country amid the economic havoc wreaked by the virus. While the President and White House have pushed for the reopening of the economy, some experts have cautioned it could be too soon. Amid the debate, the nation’s top physicians, such as Fauci and Dr. Deborah Birx, the White House coronavirus response coordinator, have largely been absent from the conversation.” [CNN, 5/20/20]
A Study Conducted At Columbia University Projected Roughly 54,000 Fewer People Would Have Died As Of May Had The United States Begun Social Distancing On March 1. According to the New York Times, “If the United States had begun imposing social distancing measures one week earlier than it did in March, about 36,000 fewer people would have died in the coronavirus outbreak, according to new estimates from Columbia University disease modelers. And if the country had begun locking down cities and limiting social contact on March 1, two weeks earlier than most people started staying home, the vast majority of the nation’s deaths — about 83 percent — would have been avoided, the researchers estimated. Under that scenario, about 54,000 fewer people would have died by early May. The enormous cost of waiting to take action reflects the unforgiving dynamics of the outbreak that swept through American cities in early March. Even small differences in timing would have prevented the worst exponential growth, which by April had subsumed New York City, New Orleans and other major cities, the researchers found.” [New York Times, 5/20/20]
A Study From The Software Company Castlight Found That 54% Of All Counties Did Not Have A Testing Site. According to Axios, “More than half of U.S. counties don’t have a single coronavirus testing site, according to a recent report by Castlight, a health software company. Why it matters: That leaves a wide swath of the country — particularly rural areas — vulnerable to undetected coronavirus outbreaks, especially as lockdown measures ease. Asking people to travel long distances to get a coronavirus test is both unrealistic and potentially dangerous. By the numbers: 54% of all counties don’t have a testing site.” [Axios, 5/20/20]
The Coronavirus Task Force Paid $413 Million With A Ceiling Of $600 Million For Mask-Cleaning Machines That Degraded Masks After Two To Three Treatments. According to NBC News, “It sounded like a great deal: The White House coronavirus task force would buy a defense company’s new cleaning machines to allow critical protective masks to be reused up to 20 times. And at $60 million for 60 machines on April 3, the price was right. But over just a few days, the potential cost to taxpayers exploded to $413 million, according to notes of a coronavirus task force meeting obtained by NBC News. By May 1, the Pentagon pegged the ceiling at $600 million in a justification for awarding the deal without an open bidding process or an actual contract. Even worse, scientists and nurses say the recycled masks treated by these machines begin to degrade after two or three treatments, not 20, and the company says its own recent field testing has only confirmed the integrity of the masks for four cycles of use and decontamination.” [NBC News, 5/20/20]
The Trump Administration Pushed To Remove The FDA Limits Placed On The Waiver Of Safety Regulation Placed On The Battelle Company For The Production Of Mask-Cleaning Machines. According to NBC News, “Battelle’s sanitizers were mobilized by a task force designed to execute on Trump’s demands, despite reservations about safety and cost. On March 29, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, a Republican, slammed the Food and Drug Administration for limiting a waiver of safety regulations for Battelle, which is based in his state. DeWine had lobbied heavily for the waiver in the first place and was upset that the use of Battelle machines was going to be restricted. At the time, Trump was highly sensitive to criticism from the nation’s governors, having said that week that they should be ‘appreciative’ of the use of his power to help their states. DeWine went to bat for Battelle, which needed looser rules so that its machines could be deployed outside its main facility and used on more than 10,000 masks a day, according to the FDA and DeWine. The upbraiding of the administration drew headlines, and DeWine said Trump promised him the ruling would be changed. The president even pressured the FDA on Twitter. The broader waiver lifting the limit was announced by the FDA within hours, and DeWine showed his appreciation by thanking Trump and FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn for intervening.” [NBC News, 5/20/20]
May 21, 2020: There Were 1,585,373 Cases Of And 94,722 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on May 21, 2020, there were 1,585,373 cases of and 94,722 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
The CDC Combined Viral And Antibody Testing Result, Overstating The Measure Of Viral Testing Used To Test Those That Are Sick And Determine The U.S.’ Ability To Safely Reopen. According to the Atlantic, “The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is conflating the results of two different types of coronavirus tests, distorting several important metrics and providing the country with an inaccurate picture of the state of the pandemic. We’ve learned that the CDC is making, at best, a debilitating mistake: combining test results that diagnose current coronavirus infections with test results that measure whether someone has ever had the virus. The upshot is that the government’s disease-fighting agency is overstating the country’s ability to test people who are sick with COVID-19. The agency confirmed to The Atlantic on Wednesday that it is mixing the results of viral and antibody tests, even though the two tests reveal different information and are used for different reasons. This is not merely a technical error. States have set quantitative guidelines for reopening their economies based on these flawed data points. Several states—including Pennsylvania, the site of one of the country’s largest outbreaks, as well as Texas, Georgia, and Vermont—are blending the data in the same way. Virginia likewise mixed viral and antibody test results until last week, but it reversed course and the governor apologized for the practice after it was covered by the Richmond Times-Dispatch and The Atlantic. Maine similarly separated its data on Wednesday; Vermont authorities claimed they didn’t even know they were doing this. The widespread use of the practice means that it remains difficult to know exactly how much the country’s ability to test people who are actively sick with COVID-19 has improved.” [Atlantic, 5/21/20]
The CDC Withheld Daily Test Result Data And Published Altered Data That Increased The Number Of Tests Conducted And Reduced The Number Of Positive Test Results. According to the Atlantic, “The CDC stopped publishing anything resembling a complete database of daily test results on February 29. When it resumed publishing test data last week, a page of its website explaining its new COVID Data Tracker said that only viral tests were included in its figures. ‘These data represent only viral tests. Antibody tests are not currently captured in these data,’ the page said as recently as May 18. Yesterday, that language was changed. All reference to disaggregating the two different types of tests disappeared. ‘These data are compiled from a number of sources,’ the new version read. The text strongly implied that both types of tests were included in the count, but did not explicitly say so. The CDC’s data have also become more favorable over the past several days. On Monday, a page on the agency’s website reported that 10.2 million viral tests had been conducted nationwide since the pandemic began, with 15 percent of them—or about 1.5 million—coming back positive. But yesterday, after the CDC changed its terms, it said on the same page that 10.8 million tests of any type had been conducted nationwide. Yet its positive rate had dropped by a percent. On the same day it expanded its terms, the CDC added 630,205 new tests, but it added only 52,429 positive results.” [Atlantic, 5/21/20]
Trump Threatened To Withhold Grants To Michigan And Nevada Over Absentee Ballot Applications And Applications To Vote. According to the New York Times, “By threatening on Wednesday to withhold federal grants to Michigan and Nevada if those states send absentee ballots or applications to voters, President Trump has taken his latest stand against what is increasingly viewed as a necessary option for voting amid a pandemic.” [New York Times, 5/21/20]
May 22, 2020: There Were 1,609,172 Cases Of And 96,010 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on 1/31/2020 there were 1,609,172 cases and 96,010 deaths. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Two Service Members Died From COVID-19 With Nearly 6,000 Diagnosed. According to the Military Times, “As of Friday, 5,959 troops have been diagnosed, 161 of whom have been hospitalized, with 3,103 recoveries and two deaths. That brings the infection rate among service members to almost 0.3 percent, as the nationwide rate has climbed to just under 0.5 percent.” [Military Times, 5/22/20]
Trump Declared Churches And Religious Facilities “Essential” And Threatened To Use Unspecified Authority To Override Governors Who Refused To Allow Houses Of Worship To Reopen. According to the Associated Press, “President Donald Trump on Friday labeled churches and other houses of worship as ‘essential’ and called on governors nationwide to let them reopen this weekend even though some areas remain under coronavirus lockdown. The president threatened to ‘override’ governors who defy him, but it was unclear what authority he has to do so. ‘Governors need to do the right thing and allow these very important essential places of faith to open right now — for this weekend,’ Trump said at a hastily arranged press conference at the White House. Asked what authority Trump might have to supersede governors, White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said she wouldn’t answer a theoretical question. Trump has been pushing for the country to reopen as he tries to reverse an economic free fall playing out months before he faces reelection. White evangelical Christians have been among the president’s most loyal supporters, and the White House has been careful to attend to their concerns throughout the crisis” [Associated Press, 5/22/20]
The FDA Failed To Mandate Blood Banks Collecting Plasma For Convalescent Plasma Treatment Test Gathered Plasma For COVID-19 Antibodies. According to Yahoo News, “Recovering from an infectious disease usually leaves a patient with plenty of armaments, known as antibodies, against the infection. Those antibodies can be collected in the form of convalescent plasma and transferred to someone still battling the same infection, potentially providing the crucial boost the recipient needs to recover. What those patients may not realize is that the medical establishment remains uncertain about a coronavirus treatment that has been available to Americans for more than a month. In its understandable rush to make convalescent plasma available, the FDA did not mandate that blood banks test the blood they collect for the very coronavirus antibodies that make the treatment promising. Of the three levels of testing donated blood for antibodies, only the least rigorous — and hence the least exact — is mandated. That has put the medical establishment in an uncomfortable position, with many touting the treatment but some also warning against it. The epidemiologist S.P. Kalantri, of the Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, recently denounced stories of convalescent plasma’s success as ‘just small anecdotes at best’ and ‘not science.’” [Yahoo News, 5/22/20]
The Indian Health Service Granted A Former White House Deputy Chief Of Staff With No Prior Federal Contracting Experience A $3 Million Dollar Limited Bidding Contract To Provide Masks To Navajo Hospitals, Some Of The Masks May Prove Unsuitable For Medical Use. According to ProPublica, “A former White House aide won a $3 million federal contract to supply respirator masks to Navajo Nation hospitals in New Mexico and Arizona 11 days after he created a company to sell personal protective equipment in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Zach Fuentes, President Donald Trump’s former deputy chief of staff, secured the deal with the Indian Health Service with limited competitive bidding and no prior federal contracting experience. The IHS told ProPublica it has found that 247,000 of the masks delivered by Fuentes’ company — at a cost of roughly $800,000 — may be unsuitable for medical use. An additional 130,400, worth about $422,000, are not the type specified in the procurement data, the agency said. What’s more, the masks Fuentes agreed to provide — Chinese-made KN95s — have come under intense scrutiny from U.S. regulators amid concerns that they offered inadequate protection.” [ProPublica, 5/22/20]
The Masks Sold To Navajo Hospitals By A Former Trump Official Failed To Meet FDA Standards.
According to ProPublica, “The Indian Health Service acknowledged on Wednesday that 1 million respirator masks it purchased from a former Trump White House official do not meet Food and Drug Administration standards for ‘use in healthcare settings by health care providers.’ The IHS statement calls into question why the agency purchased expensive medical gear that it now cannot use as intended. The masks were purchased as part of a frantic agency push to supply Navajo hospitals with desperately needed protective equipment in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. [ProPublica, 5/27/20]
May 23, 2020: There Were 1,631,440 Cases Of And 97,060 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on May 23, 2020, there were 1,631,440 cases of and 97,060 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Trump Went Golfing Over Memorial Day Weekend. According to Bloomberg, “President Donald Trump golfed on Saturday for the first time in over two months, engaging in his personal passion as well as attempting to show how the U.S. can return to normal after stay-at-home orders taken against the coronavirus. Trump arrived at the Trump National Golf Club in Sterling, Virginia, around 10:30 a.m. on Saturday and departed some three and a half hours later. A CNN photojournalist posted photos on Twitter of Trump swinging a golf club, waving at the camera, and driving, solo, in a golf cart. He appeared to be playing in a foursome. […] […The U.S. now has over 1.6 million confirmed cases of COVID-19, and over 96,000 have died, according to Johns Hopkins University. States are moving to alleviate stay-at-home orders and allowing many types of business to reopen. Most U.S. golf courses are now open, including those in Maryland and Virginia but so far not those in the nation’s capital, just a short drive from the White House.]” [Bloomberg, 5/23/20]
May 26, 2020: There Were 1,689,467 Cases Of And 98,937 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on May 26, 2020, there were 1,689,467 cases of and 98,937 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
NPR Reported That The Trump Administration Ended The Development Of Regulations That Would Have Required The Health Care Industry To Effectively Prepare For Airborne Infectious Diseases. According to NPR, “When President Trump took office in 2017, his team stopped work on new federal regulations that would have forced the health care industry to prepare for an airborne infectious disease pandemic such as COVID-19. That decision is documented in federal records reviewed by NPR. ‘If that rule had gone into effect, then every hospital, every nursing home would essentially have to have a plan where they made sure they had enough respirators and they were prepared for this sort of pandemic,’ said David Michaels, who was head of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration until January 2017.” [NPR, 5/26/20]
The Trump Administration Cut Infectious Disease Rule As A Part Of Run-Of-The-Mill Effort To Cut Regulations. According to NPR, “In the spring of 2017, the Trump team formally stripped OSHA’s airborne infectious disease rule from the regulatory agenda. NPR could find no indication the new administration had specific policy concerns about the infectious disease rules. Instead, the decision appeared to be part of a wider effort to cut regulations and bureaucratic oversight. [NPR.org, 5/26/20]
Trump Demanded A Traditional Republican Convention Despite A Surge In Coronavirus Cases Within The Projected Host City. According to the Associated Press, “President Donald Trump’s demand for a full-capacity Republican convention in August is putting pressure on North Carolina health officials — and local Republicans — as coronavirus cases surge in the host county and statewide. Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper’s administration has refused to give in, though, responding with a letter demanding a written safety plan from organizers of the Republican National Convention, slated for August in Charlotte. Even local Republican officials note that Trump doesn’t have the power to unilaterally move the event scheduled to start in 90 days after two years of planning. Asked about Trump’s tweets threatening to move the convention, Cooper said Tuesday he’s ‘not surprised at anything that happens on Twitter,’ without mentioning the president by name. He said discussions with RNC organizers are continuing. ‘We have asked them to present a plan on paper to us laying out the various options that we’ve already discussed,’ Cooper said. ‘They know we’re talking about a time that’s three months from now, so we have to have options regarding how this convention is going to be run depending on where we are with the virus in August.’” [Associated Press, 5/26/20]
Trump Dismissed Mask Wearing Overall As, “Politically Correct.” According to Vox, “The first question Trump fielded was from Jeff Mason of Reuters, who asked him to explain a retweet he posted on Monday seemingly mocking presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden for wearing a mask during a public appearance earlier in the day. Trump’s response indicated he’s deeply confused about how masks work. ‘He was standing outside with his wife, perfect conditions, perfect weather — when they’re inside they don’t wear masks,’ Trump said. ‘And so I thought it was very unusual he had one on.’ But all Biden was doing was following the guidance of Trump’s own government about wearing masks in public. Trump seems to think he should also be wearing a mask at home, but the entire point is to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus when people are out and about — something Biden obviously doesn’t have to worry about at home. But even this basic understanding of how masks work is seemingly lost on the president. Then, as Mason tried to ask a follow-up question, Trump cut him off and asked him to remove his mask. Mason refused, prompting Trump to dismiss mask-wearing as an effort to be ‘politically correct.’ ‘You want to be politically correct,’ Trump said. ‘No sir, I just want to wear the mask,’ Mason responded.” [Vox, 5/26/20]
May 27, 2020: There Were 1,708,211 Cases Of And 100,422 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on May 27, 2020, there were 1,708,211 cases of and 100,422 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Scientists Across The U.S. Challenged The CDC For Allegedly Under-Reporting The Coronavirus Related Fatalities In Their Newest Death Toll Estimate. According to BuzzFeed, “New CDC estimates of coronavirus death rates look suspiciously low and present almost no data to back them up, say public health experts who are concerned that the agency is buckling under political pressure to restart the economy. A week ago, as the US began to reopen, the CDC put out five scenarios for how the coronavirus crisis could play out across the country. This ‘pandemic planning’ document is being used throughout the federal government and is meant to help public officials make decisions about when and how to reopen, according to the CDC. In addition to providing various rates of hospitalizations and infections, the CDC gave new estimates of the total fatality rate of the virus, ranging from about 0.1% (its least deadly scenario) to 0.8% (its deadliest scenario). The agency also cited a ‘best estimate’ of 0.26%. While no one yet knows the coronavirus’s actual death rate, the agency’s range of possible rates seemed alarmingly low to many epidemiologists, compared to existing data in places both inside and outside the US. For instance, estimates of New York City’s total death rate, 0.86% to 0.93%, are even higher than the CDC’s worst-case scenario. Estimates from countries like Spain and Italy are also higher, ranging from 1.1% to 1.3%.” [BuzzFeed, 5/27/20]
Education Secretary DeVos Demanded That Public School Districts Share Pandemic Relief Aid With Private Institutions. According to the New York Times, “Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, defiant amid criticism that she is using the coronavirus to pursue a long-sought agenda, said she would force public school districts to spend a large portion of federal rescue funding on private school students, regardless of income. Ms. DeVos announced the measure in a letter to the Council of Chief State School Officers, which represents state education chiefs, defending her position on how education funding from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act, or CARES Act, should be spent. ‘The CARES Act is a special, pandemic-related appropriation to benefit all American students, teachers and families,’ she wrote in the letter on Friday. ‘There is nothing in the act suggesting Congress intended to discriminate between children based on public or nonpublic school attendance, as you seem to do. The virus affects everyone.’” [New York Times, 5/27/20]
The Trump Administration Awarded Numerous No-Bid Contracts To Improperly Vetted Companies With A Lack Of Professional Inexperience And Accusations Of Fraud. According to ProPublica, “A firm set up by a former telemarketer who once settled federal fraud charges for $2.7 million. A vodka distributor accused in a pending lawsuit of overstating its projected sales. An aspiring weapons dealer operating out of a single-family home. These three privately held companies are part of the new medical supply chain, offered a total of almost $74 million by the federal government to find and rapidly deliver vital protective equipment and COVID-19 testing supplies across the U.S. While there’s no evidence that they obtained their deals through political connections, none of the three had to bid against competing firms. One has already lost its contract for lack of performance; it’s unclear if the other two can fulfill their orders on time, or at all. They are among about 345 first-time federal contractors promised at least $1.8 billion in deals by the Trump administration since March, representing about 13% of total government spending on pandemic-related contracts of $13.8 billion, a ProPublica analysis of federal procurement data found. Like the three companies, many of the new contractors have no experience acquiring medical products.” [ProPublica, 5/27/20]
FEMA Awarded $10.5 Million Contract To Fillakit LLC, A First-Time Contractor Whose Owner Was Repeatedly Accused Of Fraud. According to ProPublica, “The owner of one first-time contractor examined by ProPublica, Fillakit LLC, has repeatedly faced fraud allegations. Beginning on May 7, FEMA gave three deals totaling $10.5 million to Fillakit, which had incorporated in Florida just seven days before, according to government records. Under the terms of the contracts, Fillakit is supposed to supply FEMA with swabs as well as containers for uncontaminated samples. Fillakit’s incorporation documents list an address in a business park north of Houston, and a St. Petersburg, Florida, lawyer as its agent. They provide no information about the company’s ownership. However, the cellphone number for Fillakit in the federal contract data belongs to Paul Wexler, a businessman repeatedly accused of fraudulent practices over the past two decades. Wexler’s background is primarily in law and real estate, not medical supplies.” [ProPublica, 5/27/20]
FEMA Awarded A $48.8 Million Surgical Mask Supply Contract To The Boutique Liquor Company Accused Of Fraudulently Representing Itself During Negotiations. According to ProPublica, “Medea Inc., a California-based liquor company, also got a federal contract to supply surgical masks. This month, FEMA awarded a $48.8 million deal to Medea, which is a boutique vodka brand best known for decorating its bottles with colorful LED displays. Its marketing videos feature former NBA star Shaquille O’Neal. A New Jersey finance firm is suing Medea in federal court, alleging it committed fraud during sales negotiations by falsely claiming Costco and Kroger had agreed to stock the brand nationwide. Medea has denied the allegations in court filings. A pending lawsuit is not normally grounds to deny a federal contract. Medea has high-level political ties in California. Terry McGann, a member of Medea’s board and its former chief executive, is a former registered state lobbyist. McGann’s wife, Marie Moretti, led a state agency that coordinated volunteer efforts across California before working as Medea’s first chief financial officer. She’s now its chief marketing officer. McGann said political influence did not help the liquor distributor secure the contract, and he referred all other questions to the company. Medea executives, including Moretti, did not respond to repeated requests for comment. FEMA did not answer a question about whether Medea has begun delivering masks, which are due by June 1. Asked about the company’s qualifications, a FEMA spokesperson wrote that the liquor company was chosen ‘based on meeting the evaluation factors for award specified in the solicitation.’” [ProPublica, 5/27/20]
May 28, 2020: There Were 1,708,211 Cases Of And 100,422 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on May 28, 2020, there were 1,708,211 cases of and 100,422 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Data Shared By The CDC Revealed Nearly 300 Health Care Workers Died And 60,000 Infected By COVID-19. According to NPR, “The coronavirus continues to batter the U.S. health care workforce. More than 60,000 health care workers have been infected, and close to 300 have died from COVID-19, according to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The numbers mark a staggering increase from six weeks ago when the CDC first released data on coronavirus infections and deaths among nurses, doctors, pharmacists, EMTs, technicians and other medical employees. On April 15, the agency reported 27 deaths and more than 9,000 cases of infection in health care workers. The latest tally doesn’t provide a full picture of illness in this essential workforce, because only 21% of the case reports sent to the CDC included information that could help identify the patient as a health care worker. Among known health care workers, there was also missing information about how many of those people actually died. Still, the growing number of health care workers infected by the coronavirus provides sobering evidence that many are still working in high-risk settings without reliable or adequate protection against the virus.” [NPR, 5/28/20]
Trump Minimized The Role Of The White House Coronavirus Taskforce
The Trump Administration Significantly Reduced The Role White House Coronavirus Taskforce Despite The Total Number Of Coronavirus Related Deaths Surpassing 100,000. According to CNN, “As the American death count from coronavirus ticks above 100,000, the panel assembled by President Donald Trump to confront the pandemic has been sharply curtailed as the White House looks ahead to reopening. Vice President Mike Pence convened the White House coronavirus task force on Thursday for the first time in a week. The group of doctors and high-ranking administration officials, which met daily even on weekends at the height of the pandemic, has seen its formal sessions reduced from three per week at the start of May to one per week now, according to White House schedules. The task force has essentially been sidelined by Trump, said senior administration officials and others close to the group, who described a greatly reduced role for the panel created to guide the administration’s response to the pandemic. Asked about the dwindling number of task force meetings, one administration official said there are not as many decisions that need to be made on an urgent basis. ‘You don’t need a decision every day’ on some of the items on the task force’s agenda, the official said. ‘We’re monitoring things,’ the official added.” [CNN, 5/28/20]
When Congress Requested Data Related To The Effects Of Coronavirus On Communities of Color, The CDC Responded By Providing A Two-Page Report Referencing Inadequate And Incomplete Records Available On Its Public Website. According to BuzzFeed, “As communities of color are disproportionately dying from the coronavirus, Congress asked the CDC to collect national data on the race and ethnicity of COVID-19 cases and deaths. On the day of the deadline set in law by Congress, the CDC responded with a page of links that referred back to its public website. The Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the CDC, ‘should be embarrassed by the lazy, incomplete, 2.5-page copy-and-paste job it calls a ‘report’ on the racial disparities of COVID-19 cases,’ Sen. Elizabeth Warren tweeted last week. Dr. Robert Redfield, the director of the CDC, sent the report to Congress on March 15. The links that CDC forwarded include some racial and ethnic data on the coronavirus, but it is incomplete. The report includes a link to the CDC’s updating data on cases and deaths across the US, but only includes race and ethnicity information for less than half of the 1.7 million people who have tested positive for COVID-19. The report also linked to the CDC’s data on hospitalizations broken down by race and ethnicity, but that page only includes data from specific network hospitals in 14 states, totaling just about 10% of the US population.” [BuzzFeed, 5/28/20]
After Several Requests Were Made Of The White House And The CDC, The Agency Did Not Respond To Questions Of How It Said It Was Studying The Impact Of COVID-19 On Racial And Ethnic Groups. According to BuzzFeed, “The CDC did not respond to several questions on how it obtained its data or the timeframe in which it will update the information. And while incomplete, Redfield wrote that the CDC data does suggest ‘a disproportionate burden of illness and death among racial and ethnic minority groups,’ adding that ‘studies are underway to confirm these data.’ The CDC did not respond to BuzzFeed News’ requests to specify what kind of studies are being conducted. The report comes after Congress passed its most recent coronavirus stimulus package, which required the CDC to report COVID-19 race and ethnicity data to several congressional committees, as they investigate the disproportionate effects of COVID-19 on black and Hispanic people. Last month, a group of bipartisan members of Congress urged the Trump administration to gather data on high-risk communities in order to better understand the racial disparity and aid those communities in response to the pandemic. Health experts say complete reports are key to addressing COVID-19 disparities in communities of color.” [BuzzFeed, 5/28/20]
The White House Asserted That Trump Would Take The Controversial Drug Hydroxychloroquine Again If Exposed To The Coronavirus. According to The Hill, “President Trump is feeling ‘perfect’ after taking hydroxychloroquine and would take the drug again if he felt he were exposed to the novel coronavirus, White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said Thursday. ‘He is feeling perfect,’ McEnany told reporters. ‘He is feeling absolutely great after taking this regimen.’ McEnany, who said she spoke with Trump about the subject just before the briefing, said Trump told her that he ‘would take it again if he thought he was exposed.’ Trump revealed last week that he was taking the drug along with zinc as a preventative measure, despite doubts about its effectiveness in treating the novel coronavirus and concerns about safety. Trump said he decided to take the drug after hearing positive reports from doctors and frontline healthcare workers, telling reporters last week it gave him an ‘additional level of safety.’ Hydroxychloroquine has not been proven effective to treat patients with COVID-19 and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has warned against the use of it outside hospital settings or clinical trials due to the risk of heart rhythm problems. The drug has been used to treat patients with malaria and lupus.” [Hill, 5/28/20]
The White House Continued To Encourage The Use Of Hydroxychloroquine Despite Warnings. According to Yahoo News, “The White House continued on Thursday to promote the use of hydroxychloroquine, the antimalarial drug that President Trump and some of his supporters have held out as a treatment for the coronavirus, against the advice of the Food and Drug Administration and in the face of studies that have shown it can be harmful in some cases. The drug, which is also used by lupus patients, has become a flash point in the politicization of the pandemic response, along with the wearing of face masks. Routinely touted by prominent conservative allies of the president, including primetime Fox News anchor Laura Ingraham, it has been denounced by members of the medical establishment as an unproven therapy that poses the risk of potentially fatal heart complications. The FDA recommends that COVID-19 patients, if they choose to use it, do so only in a hospital or under medical supervision in a clinical trial.” [Yahoo News, 5/28/20]
The Demand For Coronavirus Testing Machines Outpaced Supply, Threatening To Critically Slow Nationwide Diagnostic Testing. According to NPR, “Coronavirus testing in the U.S. has run into a number of snags, from a lack of nasal swabs to not enough chemicals needed to run the tests. Now there’s a new bottleneck emerging: A shortage of the machines that process the tests and give results. Civilian labs and the Pentagon say they’ve had trouble getting the sophisticated, automated machines that can run hundreds of diagnostic tests at once. Three machine manufacturers — Hologic Inc., Roche and Abbott Laboratories — have confirmed to NPR that demand is outstripping supply. Public health experts say the machine shortages are upending a complicated supply chain just as the shortages of swabs, chemicals and other testing materials have begun to ease. Experts warn the lack of machines will hold the U.S. back from ramping up diagnostic testing to better understand where the coronavirus is spreading and how to stop outbreaks. ‘We’re gonna get stuck again,’ said Ashish Jha, director of the Harvard Global Health Institute. ‘We keep sort of fixing one bottleneck, and testing gets a bit better, and then we get stuck with the next bottleneck.’” [NPR, 5/28/20]
Pence’s Chief Of Staff, Marc Short Owned Between $506,043 and $1.64 Million Worth Of Stock In Companies Directly Tied To White House Pandemic Relief Efforts. According to NPR, “Marc Short, the chief of staff to Vice President Pence, owns between $506,043 and $1.64 million worth of individual stocks in companies doing work related to the Trump administration’s pandemic response — holdings that could run afoul of conflict of interest laws. Many of the medical, pharmaceutical and manufacturing companies – including 3M, Abbott Laboratories, Gilead Sciences, Procter & Gamble, Medtronic, Bristol Myers Squibb and Johnson & Johnson – in which Short and his wife hold stock have been directly affected by or involved in the work of the coronavirus task force chaired by Pence. Other companies among his holdings, such as CVS, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Walmart and Roche, have been publicly touted by the White House for their work with the federal government on the coronavirus response. Short declared at least some of his stock holdings — more than 100 listings of individual stocks across a range of economic sectors — to be potential conflicts of interest after he joined the vice president’s office last year. But he did not divest those holdings after being denied a tax break often granted to government officials who must sell stock to comply with ethics laws.” [NPR, 5/28/20]
May 29, 2020: There Were 1,755,271 Cases Of And 102,812 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on May 29, 2020, there were 1,755,271 cases of and 102,812 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Trump Announced His Intent To Break U.S. Ties To The World Health Organization
Without Addressing Specifics, Trump Announced The United States Intended To Cut Ties To The World Health Organization, Claiming That China Had “Total Control” Over The Organization. According to CNBC, “President Donald Trump announced Friday that the United States will cut ties with the World Health Organization. ‘China has total control over the World Health Organization despite only paying $40 million per year compared to what the United States has been paying, which is approximately $450 million a year,’ Trump said during a press conference from the White House Rose Garden. ‘The world needs answers from China on the virus. We must have transparency. Why is it that China shut off infected people from Wuhan to all other parts of China?’ he added. ‘It didn’t go to Beijing, it went nowhere else, but they allowed them to freely travel throughout the world, including Europe and the United States.’ Trump has repeatedly criticized the WHO’s response to the coronavirus, which has hit the U.S. worse than any other country, amid scrutiny of his own administration’s response to the pandemic. He has claimed WHO is ‘China-centric’ and blames the agency for advising against China travel bans early in the outbreak. […] On Friday, Trump said WHO ‘failed to make the requested greatly needed reform’ and the U.S. ‘will be today terminating our relationship with the World Health Organization and redirecting those funds to other worldwide and deserving urgent global public health needs.’ The WHO’s funding runs in two-year budget cycles. For the 2018 and 2019 funding cycle, the U.S. paid a $237 million required assessment as well as $656 million in voluntary contributions, averaging $446 million a year and representing about 14.67% of its total budget, according to WHO spokesman Tarik Jasarevic. It’s unclear exactly what mechanism Trump intends to use to terminate WHO funding, much of which is appropriated by Congress. The president typically does not have the authority to unilaterally redirect congressional funding.” [CNBC, 5/29/20]
June 1, 2020: There Were 1,821,199 Cases Of And 105,113 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on June 1, 2020, there were 1,821,199 cases of and 105,113 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Data From The New York State Department Of Health Showed The Trump Administration Distributed Large Quantities Of COVID-19 Drugs To 15 Hospitals, Some Of Which Had A Surplus, While Over 182 Other New York Hospitals That Needed The Drug Did Not Receive A Single Dose. According to the New York Daily News, “The Trump administration shipped nearly 50,000 doses of a promising new coronavirus drug to just 15 hospitals in New York last month, leaving some facilities with too much medicine while dozens of others had nothing to give their critically-ill patients, according to healthcare officials and data from local agencies. The 49,760 vials of remdesivir — the only federally approved COVID-19 medication — were sent to New York by the Department of Health and Human Services in early May as part of a larger national allocation donated by drugmaker Gilead Sciences. The shipment came on the heels of the medication getting emergency approval from the Food and Drug Administration after studies found the antiviral drug sped up the recovery process for patients with severe COVID-19 symptoms. A faster recovery, in turn, can be the difference between life and death. An HHS spokeswoman said last week that the 15 hospitals were picked because they had ‘the greatest disease burden.’ But data from the New York State Department of Health obtained by the Daily News shows that the hospitals that received the potentially life-saving drug got such large supplies that some didn’t even use them up. Two of the selected hospitals were also in regions that have seen relatively small outbreaks of the virus, according to the data. Meanwhile, 182 other hospitals in New York that had a need for the drug — nearly a third of which are in the five boroughs — weren’t given a single dose as part of the early May delivery, the data shows.” [New York Daily News, 6/1/20]
June 2, 2020: There Were 1,841,990 Cases Of And 106,195 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on June 2, 2020, there were 1,841,990 cases of and 106,195 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub – New York Times, Accessed ¾/24]
ProPublica Reported That Deputy Treasury Secretary Justin Muzinich Transferred $60 Million In Shares Of His Family’s Company Muzinich & Co. To His Father For $0. According to ProPublica, “Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin have become the public faces of the $3 trillion federal coronavirus bailout. Behind the scenes, however, the Treasury’s responsibilities have fallen largely to the 42-year-old deputy secretary, Justin Muzinich. A major beneficiary of that bailout so far: Muzinich & Co., the asset manager founded by his father where Justin served as president before joining the administration. He reported owning a stake worth at least $60 million when he entered government in 2017. Today, Muzinich retains financial ties to the firm through an opaque transaction in which he transferred his shares in the privately held company to his father. Ethics experts say the arrangement is troubling because his father received the shares for no money up front, and it appears possible that Muzinich can simply get his stake back after leaving government.” [ProPublica, 6/2/20]
Twenty-Eight Of Muzinich & Co.’s 29 Funds Rose After Treasury And The Fed Bought Corporate Debt, Which Muzinich & Co Specialized In. According to ProPublica, “When lockdowns crippled the economy in March, the Treasury and the Fed launched an unprecedented effort to buy up corporate debt to avert a freeze in lending at the exact moment businesses needed to borrow to keep running. That effort has succeeded, at least temporarily, with credit continuing to flow to companies over the last several weeks. This policy also allowed those who were heavily invested in corporate loans to recoup huge losses. Muzinich & Co. has long specialized in precisely this market, managing approximately $38 billion of clients’ money, including in riskier instruments known as junk, or high-yield, bonds. Since the Fed and the Treasury’s actions in late March, the bond market has roared back. Muzinich & Co. has reversed billions in losses, according to a review of its holdings, with 28 of the 29 funds tracked by the investor research service Morningstar Direct rising in that period. The firm doesn’t publicly detail all of its holdings, so a precise figure can’t be calculated.” [ProPublica, 6/2/20]
Muzinich Was Personally Involved In Crafting Lending Programs Including The Junk Bond Market Bailout. According to ProPublica, “As the markets panicked about the economic impact of the coronavirus, Muzinich’s responsibilities expanded. The Treasury worked with the Fed on the emergency lending programs, and the agency has ultimate power to sign off. Muzinich was personally involved in crafting the programs, including the effort to bail out the junk bond market, The Wall Street Journal reported in April. He communicates with Fed officials daily by phone, email or text, the paper said.” [ProPublica, 6/2/20]
June 3, 2020: Anthony Fauci Wrote That Trump Privately Condemned Him For Publicly Saying The Country Was Still In “For A Whole Lot Of Hurt.” According to the Huffington Post, “In the same call, Fauci, who was the government’s lead adviser for its response to the coronavirus pandemic, said Trump condemned him for publicly stating America was still in “for a whole lot of hurt” from COVID-19.” [Huffington Post, 6/17/24]
Trump Berated Fauci For Correctly Predicting That Booster Shots Would Be Necessary For The Coronavirus Vaccine. According to the Huffington Post, “Fauci also recalled his ‘first experience’ of bearing the brunt of Trump’s rage during a call on June 3, 2020, when the then-president ‘started screaming at me’ for correctly predicting immunity to coronavirus from vaccines would probably last six months to a year. Trump was furious by the implication that booster shots would likely be required after the administration of initial vaccines, which had yet to be rolled out. ‘It was quite a phone call,’ Fauci said. ‘The president was irate, saying that I could not keep doing this to him. He said he loved me, but the country was in trouble, and I was making it worse.’ ‘I have a pretty thick skin but getting yelled at by the president of the United States, no matter how much he tells you that he loves you, is not fun,’ he added.” [Huffington Post, 6/17/24]
June 4, 2020: There Were 1,883,593 Cases Of And 108,192 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on June 4, 2020, there were 1,883,593 cases of and 108,192 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
U.S. Nursing Homes Ran Short On Staff And Supplies As Residents And Employees Died; Hundreds Had No Surgical Or N95 Masks. According to the Washington Post, “More than three months after the coronavirus began sweeping through U.S. nursing homes, thousands of homes are still underequipped for the continuing onslaught, the data show. So far, the number of nursing home deaths attributed to COVID-19 has reached nearly 32,000 residents and more than 600 employees, and both counts are sure to rise: About 12 percent of the nation’s 15,000 homes have not yet reported figures. The new numbers, building on data released Tuesday that showed about 26,000 resident deaths, include the death toll from more homes. The data offer a statistical portrait of an industry at the center of the pandemic’s fury unable to properly care for its 1.4 million residents: Nearly 2,000 facilities reported a shortage of nursing staff and more than 2,200 said they lack enough aides, according to the data. The figures on basic supplies are similarly dire: More than 250 nursing homes lack any surgical masks and another 800 are within a week of running out. More than 2,000 are a week away from running out of gowns and more than 800 are a week away from depleting hand sanitizer supplies. More than 500 lack any N95 masks used to prevent infection, according to the data.” [Washington Post, 6/4/20]
June 5, 2020: There Were 1,912,302 Cases Of And 109,304 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on June 5, 2020, there were 1,912,302 cases of and 109,304 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
A Maine Swab Factory Trump Toured Said It Had To Discard Swabs Made During Trump’s Visit. According to USA Today, “President Donald Trump traveled to Maine Friday to tour a facility that makes medical swabs used for coronavirus testing, but the swabs manufactured in the background during his visit will ultimately be thrown in the trash, the company said. Puritan Medical Products said it will have to discard the swabs, a company spokeswoman told USA TODAY in response to questions about the visit. It is not clear why the swabs will be scrapped, or how many. The company described its manufacturing plans for Friday as ‘limited’ – but the disruption comes as public health officials in Maine and other states have complained that a shortage of swabs has hampered their ability to massively scale up coronavirus testing.” [USA Today, 6/5/20]
Kushner Taskforce Volunteers Were Instructed To Fast Track PPE Leads From VIPs Including Conservative Journalists Favored By The Trump Administration. According to the Washington Post, “Supply-chain volunteers were instructed to fast-track protective equipment leads from ‘VIPs,’ including conservative journalists friendly to the White House, according to the complaint and one senior administration official. ‘Fox & Friends’ host Brian Kilmeade, for example, called two people he knew in the administration to pass along a lead about protective equipment in an effort to be helpful, according to two people familiar with the outreach. Fox News Channel host Jeanine Pirro also repeatedly lobbied the administration for a specific New York hospital to receive a large quantity of masks, one of the people said. Kilmeade and Pirro said they were not aware that their tips were being prioritized, a Fox News spokeswoman said.” [Washington Post, 5/5/20]
June 9, 2020: There Were 1,990,446 Cases Of And 112,174 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on June 9, 2020, there were 1,990,446 cases of and 112,174 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
The Federal Government Failed To Meaningfully Increase Supply Of Domestically Made PPE Gowns. According to Roll Call, “Internal Federal Emergency Management Agency data show that the government’s supply of surgical gowns has not meaningfully increased since photos first emerged in March of nurses wearing trash bags for protection. “The demand for gowns outpaces current U.S. manufacturing capabilities,” a document released Tuesday says. The document confirms the fears of nurses and other health care providers. After months of pressure on federal officials to use wartime powers to mobilize U.S. plants, the document's slides show that domestic manufacturing of gowns and surgical masks has ticked up by a few thousand per month since the pandemic hit, falling far short of need. The United States still does not manufacture any nitrile rubber gloves.” [Roll Call, 6/9/20]
June 11, 2020: There Were 2,036,500 Cases Of And 113,980 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on June 11, 2020, there were 2,036,500 cases of and 113,980 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Trump Planned Extensive Official And Campaign Travel And Events. According to Politico, “For the first time since before the coronavirus gripped the United States and protesters took to the streets, Trump is lining up in-person fundraisers, trips to his luxury resort in New Jersey and campaign rallies. It’s a sign of the president’s approach to a series of historic crises that lack easy solutions and the longstanding comfort he draws from being bathed in adoration by rally-goers, donors and the rest of his base. Trump is scheduled to fly to Dallas on Thursday for an event on the nation’s racial disparities and a $10 million fundraiser and then head to his luxury golf club in Bedminster, N.J. — his first weekend trip to one of his namesake resorts since the pandemic forced Americans into their homes in March. During the weekend, Trump will deliver a commencement address in New York. Next week, he will headline a campaign rally next week in Tulsa, Okla. And the next month he will view fireworks in South Dakota. He also expects to hold rallies in Florida, Arizona and North Carolina in the coming weeks. Plans are also being made for larger fundraisers in the Hamptons, as well as in Tampa the first week of July and in Mississippi the last week of August.” [Politico, 6/11/20]
June 12, 2020: There Were 2,061,993 Cases Of And 114,759 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on June 12, 2020, there were 2,061,993 cases of and 114,759 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
The Trump Administration Said It Would Not Release Data On Companies That Received PPP Loans. According to the Washington Post, “The Trump administration doesn’t plan to release details about companies that received billions of dollars through a high-profile federal coronavirus-relief initiative, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said this week -- reversing earlier guidance. The Trump administration believes names of borrowers from the Paycheck Protection Program and the amounts they receive are ‘proprietary,’ and ‘confidential’ in many cases, Mnuchin said Wednesday during a Senate committee hearing.” [Washington Post, 6/12/20]
June 13, 2020: There Were 2,087,327 Cases Of And 115,451 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on June 13, 2020 there were 2,087,327 cases of and 115,451 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Federal Shipments Of PPE To Nursing Homes Touted By Pence Were Defective. According to ABC News, “Federal shipments of protective gear touted by Vice President Mike Pence as part of an effort to provide vital support to the nation's nursing homes beleaguered by COVID-19 have at times included flimsy cloth masks and "trash bag"-like gowns that fail to meet even basic infection control standards, according to several groups that represent elder facilities. Nursing home officials described equipment that was difficult to use or did not serve its intended purpose, such as masks with snapped elastic straps and gowns with no holes for arms or heads, even as Pence posed for camera crews unloading boxes of the supplies.” [ABC News, 6/13/20]
June 15, 2020: There Were 2,126,574 Cases Of And 116,216 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on June 15, 2020, there were 2,126,574 cases of and 116,216 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
The FDA Revoked Emergency Use Authorizations For Hydroxychloroquine. According to Politico, “The Food and Drug Administration on Monday withdrew emergency use authorizations for two coronavirus treatments that President Donald Trump promoted despite concerns about their safety and effectiveness. The agency revoked the authorizations for hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine after a request from Gary Disbrow, acting director of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority.” [Politico, 6/15/20]
The Daily Beast Reported That Then-Acting Chief Of Staff Mulvaney Dumped $215,000 To $550,000 In Stock As Trump Insisted The Economy Was Strong. According to the Daily Beast, “As the novel coronavirus began to tank the stock market in early March, President Donald Trump went on Fox News to assure the country that the economy remained strong. That same day, Trump’s chief of staff unloaded hundreds of thousands of dollars in publicly traded securities. Mick Mulvaney, then the acting White House chief of staff and the director of the Office of Management and Budget, sold between $215,000 and $550,000 in holdings in three mutual funds on March 4, according to ethics paperwork he submitted late last month. Holdings in each of the three funds are made up almost entirely of U.S. stocks.” [Daily Beast, 6/15/20]
June 16, 2020: There Were 2,151,459 Cases Of And 116,985 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on June 16, 2020, there were 2,151,459 cases of and 116,985 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
The Trump Administration Sent Faulty PPE To Nursing Homes
The Federal Government Shipped Expired Masks That “Should Never Have Gone Out” To Nursing Homes. According to ABC News, “Federal officials are trying to correct errors that resulted in shipments of outdated or impractical equipment to America’s hard-hit nursing homes in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, according to an audio recording obtained by ABC News of a call between a top government official and advocates for those in nursing care. Col. Brian Kuhn, the defense logistics official overseeing the shipments, acknowledged that some nursing homes received respirator masks that were ‘way expired’ and ‘should have never gone out,’ according to the recording of a call with members of LeadingAge, an association of nonprofit providers of aging services that includes many nursing homes. The group also posted the audio of the call online.” [ABC News, 6/16/20]
Trump’s West Palm Beach Golf Club Asked The County To Defer Its Monthly Rent. According to the Palm Beach Post, “President Donald Trump’s golf club in West Palm Beach has asked Palm Beach County to defer some of the $88,338 monthly rent it pays to lease public land for the president’s private golf club, citing hardships caused by the coronavirus pandemic. In a June 5 letter to the county, the club’s finance director, Ed Raymundo, cited the ‘significant impact’ caused by county’s order shutting parks and golf courses during the pandemic. The March 25 order coincided with the ‘busiest part of our season,’ Raymundo wrote. The county and its Department of Airports, which both hold leases on Trump’s 27-hole golf club on airport property, have taken no action on the club’s request for rent relief, according to county officials. The club has paid rent through June.” [Palm Beach Post, 6/16/20]
June 18, 2020: There Were 2,205,173 Cases Of And 118,473 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on June 18, 2020, there were 2,205,173 cases of and 118,473 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Trump Administration Paid Texas Company $7.3 Million For Test Tubes, But The Company Supplied Unusable Mini Soda Bottles. According to ProPublica, “Since May, the Trump administration has paid a fledgling Texas company $7.3 million for test tubes needed in tracking the spread of the coronavirus nationwide. But, instead of the standard vials, Fillakit LLC has supplied plastic tubes made for bottling soda, which state health officials say are unusable. The state officials say that these “preforms,” which are designed to be expanded with heat and pressure into 2-liter soda bottles, don’t fit the racks used in laboratory analysis of test samples. Even if the bottles were the right size, experts say, the company’s process likely contaminated the tubes and could yield false test results. Fillakit employees, some not wearing masks, gathered the miniature soda bottles with snow shovels and dumped them into plastic bins before squirting saline into them, all in the open air, according to former employees and ProPublica’s observation of the company’s operations.” [ProPublica, 6/18/20]
June 19, 2020: There Were 2,236,009 Cases Of And 119,171 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on June 19, 2020, there were 2,236,009 cases of and 119,171 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub – New York Times, Accessed ¾/24]
Politico Reported That The Trump Administration Halted Funding For Lung Treatments For Coronavirus. According to Politico, “But earlier this month, the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, or BARDA, a federal health agency, abruptly notified companies and researchers that it was halting funding for treatments for this severe form of COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus. The new policy highlights how staunchly the Trump administration has placed its bet on vaccines as the way to return American society and the economy to normal in a presidential election year. BARDA has pledged more than $2.2 billion in deals with five vaccine manufacturers for the coronavirus, compared with about $359 million toward potential COVID-19 treatments.” [Politico, 6/19/20]
June 21, 2020: There Were 2,294,413 Cases Of And 119,974 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on June 21, 2020, there were 2,294,413 cases of and 119,974 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Trump Claimed, “When You Do Testing To That Extent, You’re Gonna Find More People You’re Gonna Find More Cases. So I Said To My People Slow The Testing Down, Please.” According to Reuters, “‘When you do testing to that extent, you’re gonna find more people you’re gonna find more cases. So I said to my people slow the testing down, please,’ Trump told a campaign rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where many supporters were not wearing face masks.” [Reuters, 6/21/20]
NBC News: Trump Held Tulsa Rally With “Underwhelming” Attendance. According to NBC News, “President Donald Trump is ‘furious’ at the ‘underwhelming’ crowd at his rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on Saturday evening, a major disappointment for what had been expected to be a raucous return to the campaign trail after three months off because of the coronavirus pandemic, according to multiple people close to the White House.” [NBC News, 6/21/20]
The Trump Administration Gave Nigel Farage A “National Interest” Waiver To Attend Trump Tulsa Rally. According to the Huffington Post, “Donald Trump’s presidential reelection campaign chartered jets to fly in VIPs to attend his much-hyped but ultimately flopped Oklahoma rally on Saturday, including his pro-Brexit ally Nigel Farage, who was given a ‘national interest’ waiver to enter the country despite the coronavirus travel ban. Farage, who recently lost his radio show in Britain after comparing Black Lives Matter protesters to the Taliban, was flown from Palm Beach, Florida, to Tulsa for the evening rally, and then to New York City, according to an informal Trump adviser who spoke on condition of anonymity.” [Huffington Post, 6/22/20]
June 22, 2020: There Were 2,324,879 Cases Of And 120,334 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on June 22, 2020, there were 2,324,879 cases of and 120,334 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Trump Extended Immigration Restrictions Through December 2020. According to the Washington Post, “President Trump issued a proclamation Monday barring many categories of foreign workers and curbing immigration visas through the end of the year, moves the White House said will protect U.S. workers reeling from job losses amid the coronavirus pandemic. The ban expands earlier restrictions, adding work visas that many companies use, especially in the technology sector, landscaping services and the forestry industry. It excludes agricultural laborers, health-care professionals supporting the pandemic response and food-service employees, along with some other temporary workers.” [Washington Post, 6/22/20]
A Schumer-Murray Letter To Azar Said Trump Administration Had Not Spent $14 Billion Meant For Testing And Contact Tracing. According to NBC News, “The Trump administration has been sitting on nearly $14 billion in funding that Congress passed for coronavirus testing and contact tracing, according to Democratic Sens. Chuck Schumer of New York and Patty Murray of Washington. The top Democrats said in a letter Sunday to Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar that the Trump administration has ‘still failed’ to distribute more than $8 billion out of $25 billion appropriated by Congress to expand testing and contact tracing. The letter indicated that Congress passed these funds as part of a coronavirus relief bill in April. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also hasn’t awarded nearly $4 billion for surveillance and contact tracing at the state and local levels and tribal territories, they said, and little of $2 billion set aside for free testing for uninsured people has been disbursed. ‘While it has been months since these funds were first appropriated, the Administration has failed to disburse significant amounts of this funding, leaving communities without the resources they need to address the significant challenges presented by the virus,’ they wrote.” [NBC News, 6/22/20]
June 23, 2020: There Were 2,359,939 Cases Of And 121,167 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on June 23, 2020, there were 2,359,939 cases of and 121,167 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Trump Said He Asked Staff To Slow Down Testing. According to CBS News, “President Trump doubled down on his recent comments about ordering his administration to slow down coronavirus testing, contradicting several White House officials who defended his remarks by claiming they were made in jest. During a campaign rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on Saturday, Mr. Trump said, ‘When you do testing to that extent you're going to find more people, you're going to find cases. So I said to my people, 'Slow the testing down, please.' They test and they test. We got tests for people who don't know what's going on.’” [CBS News, 6/23/20]
Asked If He Was Kidding, Trump Said, “I Don’t Kid.” According to CBS News, “But when asked by CBS News' Weijia Jiang on Tuesday if he was kidding when he made those remarks, Mr. Trump replied, ‘I don't kid.’” [CBS News, 6/23/20]
Contradicting Trump’s Opposition To Testing, Birx Encouraged Governors To Ramp Up Testing To Identify Asymptomatic Individuals. According to the Daily Beast, “Dr. Deborah Birx, the coordinator of President Donald Trump’s coronavirus task force, told the nation’s governors in a call Monday that it was vital that they ramp up testing to find asymptomatic individuals to prevent further community spread. Her remarks stood in stark contrast to those by the president at his rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma over the weekend—and the days since—in which he said he had asked his team to slow-walk testing initiatives so as not to inflate the country’s official case count.” [Daily Beast, 6/23/20]
Top U.S. Health Officials Said They Had Not Been In Contact With Trump For More Than Two Weeks. According to Bloomberg, “Top U.S. health officials told lawmakers Tuesday that they haven’t discussed the COVID-19 pandemic with President Donald Trump for more than two weeks, a period in which cases have surged in some of the most populous states.” [Bloomberg, 6/23/20]
Trump Held Rally At Dream City Megachurch In Arizona. According to Politico, “After a disappointing showing at his campaign rally over the weekend, President Donald Trump renewed his performance for a packed crowd of students on Tuesday, telling his Arizona audience that they were guardians in a cultural war over the heritage of the country. […] The appearance, at the Dream City megachurch, was one of his first rallies since taking a three-month hiatus because of the coronavirus pandemic. Images from the event showed a large crowd tightly packed together, with almost no one wearing protective masks. There were no temperature checks for the estimated 3,000 cheering attendees who, like many of Trump’s staunchest fans, ignored a new local ordinance requiring them to wear a mask, despite a public-health plea from the Democratic mayor on Monday.” [Politico, 6/24/20]
Trump Called The Coronavirus “Kung Flu.” According to the Hill, “President Trump referred to the coronavirus as the ‘kung flu’ on Tuesday during his speech addressing young people in Phoenix, despite past criticisms that the phrase is racist. The president used the term ‘kung flu’ when speaking to students from the conservative group Turning Point Action, days after saying it at his campaign rally in Tulsa, Okla., on Saturday.” [Hill, 6/23/20]
The Trump Administration Planned To End Funding For 13 Local Testing Sites
The Trump Administration Planned To End Funding For 13 Local Coronavirus Testing Sites. According to Talking Points Memo, “The Trump administration is ending funding and support for local COVID-19 testing sites around the country this month, as cases and hospitalizations are skyrocketing in many states. The federal government will stop providing money and support for 13 sites across five states which were originally set up in the first months of the pandemic to speed up testing at the local level. Local officials and public health experts expressed a mixture of frustration, resignation, and horror at the decision to let federal support lapse.” [Talking Points Memo, 6/23/20]
An Airline With A Deportation Contract And Ties To Trump And Republicans Was Given $67 Million In CARES Relief. According to Yahoo News, “Four days before the 2016 presidential election, Republican candidate Donald Trump arrived for a campaign rally at an airplane hangar in Wilmington, Ohio, that belonged to an aviation company called Air Transport Services Group, or ATSG. The company’s chief executive at the time, Joe Hete, was a reliable supporter of the Republican Party. […] Trump has not been back to Wilmington since then. But his administration has not forgotten about ATSG. Last month, an ATSG-owned charter airline company, Omni Air, secured a $67 million bailout as part of the congressional coronavirus relief package. That came on the heels of a $77.65 million contract with the Department of Defense for ‘international charter airlift services.’ In addition, Omni Air has charged the federal government exorbitant prices for ‘high risk’ deportation flights for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the federal agency tasked with addressing the plight of millions who live within the United States without proper documentation. The expense was related to the unwillingness of airlines other than Omni Air to conduct such flights.” [Yahoo News, 6/23/20]
June 26, 2020: There Were 2,483,629 Cases Of And 125,033 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on June 26, 2020, there were 2,483,629 cases of and 125,033 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
A Company Run By A Former Trump White House Volunteer Received A $2.4 Million Dollar Federal Contract For Surgical Gowns Through The U.S. Bureau Of Prisons. According to ProPublica, “A company created by a former Pentagon official who describes himself as a White House volunteer for Vice President Mike Pence won a $2.4 million dollar contract in May — its first federal award — to supply the Bureau of Prisons with surgical gowns. Mathew J. Konkler, who worked in the Department of Defense during the George W. Bush administration, formed BlackPoint Distribution Company LLC in August 2019 in Indiana, state records show, but had won no federal work until May 26. The Bureau of Prisons chose the company with limited competition for a contract to supply surgical gowns to its facilities.” [ProPublica, 6/26/20]
June 28, 2020: There Were 2,565,436 Cases Of And 125,815 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on June 28, 2020 there were 2,565,436 cases of and 125,815 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub – New York Times, Accessed ¾/24]
Federal Officials Knew Antibody Test Kits Were Flawed. According to CBS News, “Wyatt Earp, the gunslinger who helped tame the American West, once said, ‘fast is fine but accuracy is final.’ The same thing could be said about testing for COVID-19. Back in March, the Food and Drug Administration took the unprecedented step of allowing COVID antibody tests to flood the market without review. The tests were billed as a critical tool to assess where the virus had spread and who might have immunity. But in the government’s rush to get more people tested quickly, it may have missed the mark. Over the course of a three-month investigation, 60 Minutes has learned that federal officials knew many of the antibody tests were seriously flawed but continued to allow them to be sold anyway. Now, as Coronavirus surges in parts of the country, that government failure is complicating efforts to know the reach of the Coronavirus” [CBS News, 6/28/20]
July 6, 2020: There Were 2,958,098 Cases Of And 130,332 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on July 6, 2020, there were 2,958,098 cases of and 130,332 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Trump Falsely Asserted That 99% Of Cases Of COVID-19 Were “Harmless.” According to CNN, “Playing with fire at a time when experts say the spread of the virus appears to be spiraling out of control, Trump continued gaslighting Americans about the threat to their health during a Fourth of July speech from the South Lawn of the White House, where he minimized the dangers of COVID-19 with a baseless statement that 99% of coronavirus cases are ‘harmless,’ a claim his Food and Drug Administration chief could not back up Sunday morning.” [CNN, 7/6/20]
July 7, 2020: There Were 3,012,182 Cases Of And 131,290 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on July 7, 2020, there were 3,012,182 cases of and 131,290 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Over 100 Trump Donors’ Companies Took In $273 Million In Coronavirus Aid Loans. According to the Associated Press, “As much as $273 million in federal coronavirus aid was awarded to more than 100 companies that are owned or operated by major donors to President Donald Trump’s election efforts, according to an Associated Press analysis of federal data. Many were among the first to be approved for a loan in early April, when the administration was struggling to launch the lending program. And only eight businesses had to wait until early May before securing the aid, according to the AP’s review of data released Monday. The Trump-connected companies obtained the aid through the Paycheck Protection Program, which extends a lifeline to small businesses struggling to navigate the pandemic. Fast-food chains like Muy Brands, oil and gas companies and white-collar firms were all granted a slice of more than $659 billion in low-interest business loans that will be forgiven if the money is used on payroll, rent and similar expenses. All told, the Trump supporters who run these companies have contributed at least $11.1 million since May 2015 to Trump’s campaign committees, the Republican National Committee and America First Action, a super PAC that has been endorsed by Trump, the AP review found. Each donor gave at least $20,000.” [Associated Press, 7/7/20]
July 8, 2020: There Were 3,071,637 Cases Of And 132,238 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on July 8, 2020, there were 3,071,637 cases of and 132,238 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Tulsa Health Department Director: Trump’s Tulsa Campaign Rally “More Than Likely” Contributed To The Area’s Spike In COVID-19 Cases
Tulsa City-County Health Department Director Stated Trump’s Campaign Rally “More Than Likely” Contributed The Dramatic Surge In COVID-19 Cases. According to the Associated Press, “President Donald Trump’s campaign rally in Tulsa in late June that drew thousands of participants and large protests ‘likely contributed’ to a dramatic surge in new coronavirus cases, Tulsa City-County Health Department Director Dr. Bruce Dart said Wednesday. Tulsa County reported 261 confirmed new cases on Monday, a one-day record high, and another 206 cases on Tuesday. By comparison, during the week before the June 20 Trump rally, there were 76 cases on Monday and 96 on Tuesday. Although the health department’s policy is to not publicly identify individual settings where people may have contracted the virus, Dart said those large gatherings ‘more than likely’ contributed to the spike. ‘In the past few days, we’ve seen almost 500 new cases, and we had several large events just over two weeks ago, so I guess we just connect the dots,’ Dart said.” [Associated Press, 7/8/20]
July 9, 2020: There Were 3,131,526 Cases Of And 133,079 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on July 9, 2020, there were 3,131,526 cases of and 133,079 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Trump Falsely Claimed That More Testing Resulted In More Confirmed COVID-19 Cases In The U.S. Than In Other Countries. According to CNN, “Trump has argued, as he did again on Twitter Thursday, that the US has higher case numbers than other countries only because the US is testing more than those countries are. Trump has even claimed that the higher number of US tests is the reason the US shows more cases than Germany, a country that has been widely praised for its handling of the pandemic. ‘So Germany is going to show fewer cases because they’re testing far fewer people -- different-sized countries and all, but they’re testing far fewer people,’ Trump said on Fox News in late June. That is also inaccurate. By aggressively testing at the outset of the crisis, Germany -- like another country Trump has mentioned while boasting of the total number of US tests, South Korea -- simply did a better job suppressing its outbreak. It therefore required fewer tests per person over the long term.” [CNN, 7/9/20]
Trump Inaccurately Continued To Attribute The Rise In U.S. COVID-19 Cases To Increases In Testing. According to CNN, “No matter how high the daily number of new coronavirus cases has gotten, President Donald Trump has responded with the argument he repeated on Thursday: the big number is just more evidence of the country’s success with testing. ‘Cases, Cases, Cases! If we didn’t test so much and so successfully, we would have very few cases,’ Trump tweeted on Saturday. ‘There is a rise in Coronavirus cases because our testing is so massive and so good, far bigger and better than any other country,’ he tweeted last week. Trump’s own officials and his Republican allies have acknowledged it’s not true that a rising number of tests is the reason the number of cases has skyrocketed over the last month. One telling piece of evidence that the spike is genuine: the percentage of people testing positive, a key measure of the true spread of the virus, has also spiked.” [CNN, 7/9/20]
July 10, 2020: There Were 3,199,753 Cases Of And 133,907 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on July 10, 2020, there were 3,199,753 cases of and 133,907 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
ICE Confirmed Roughly 3,000 Coronavirus Positive Detainees Across Its Detention Centers, With Ongoing Domestic And Deportation Flights Transferring Detained Symptomatic Migrants Within And Outside The US. According to the New York Times, “So far, ICE has confirmed at least 3,000 coronavirus-positive detainees in its detention centers, though testing has been limited. We tracked over 750 domestic ICE flights since March, carrying thousands of detainees to different centers, including some who said they were sick. Kanate, a refugee from Kyrgyzstan, was moved from the Pike County Correctional Facility in Pennsylvania to the Prairieland Detention Facility in Texas despite showing COVID-19 symptoms. He was confirmed to have the virus just a few days later. ‘I was panicking,’ he said. ‘I thought that I will die here in this prison.’ We also tracked over 200 deportation flights carrying migrants, some of them ill with coronavirus, to other countries from March through June. Under pressure from the Trump administration and with promises of humanitarian aid, some countries have fully cooperated with deportations.” [New York Times, 7/10/20]
July 12, 2020: There Were 3,318,279 Cases Of And 134,977 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on July 12, 2020, there were 3,318,279 cases of and 134,977 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
The White House Attempted To Discredit Fauci By Providing NBC News With A List Of Past Comments By Fauci. According to CNBC, “The White House is seeking to discredit Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s leading infectious disease expert, as it works to marginalize him and his dire warnings about the shortcomings in the U.S. coronavirus response. A White House official told NBC News that ‘several White House officials are concerned about the number of times Dr. Fauci has been wrong on things.’ The official provided NBC News with a lengthy list of past comments by Fauci earlier in the pandemic, including Fauci saying in January that coronavirus was ‘not a major threat’ and ‘not driven by asymptomatic carriers’ and Fauci’s comment in March that ‘people should not be walking around with masks.’ Many of the past statements the White House is criticizing Fauci for are ones that were based on the best available data at the time and were widely echoed by Trump, other members of the task force and senior White House officials.” [CNBC, 7/12/20]
July 13, 2020: There Were 3,379,846 Cases Of And 135,402 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on July 13, 2020, there were 3,379,846 cases of and 135,402 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Test Results Were Delayed Due To Labs Pushed Beyond Capacity And Supply Shortages. According to the Washington Post, “Test results for the novel coronavirus are taking so long to come back that experts say the results across the United States are often proving useless in the campaign to control the deadly disease. Some testing sites are struggling to provide results in five to seven days. Others are taking even longer. Outbreaks across the Sun Belt have strained labs beyond capacity. That rising demand, in turn, has caused shortages of swabs, chemical reagents and equipment as far away as New York. The long testing turnaround times are making it impossible for the United States to replicate the central strategy used by other countries to effectively contain the virus — test, trace and isolate. Like catching any killer, speed is of the essence when it comes to the coronavirus. ‘Instead of going from one step to the next, it’s like you’re already stumbling right out of the gate,’ said Crystal R. Watson, a public health expert at Johns Hopkins University. ‘It makes contact tracing almost useless. By the time a person is getting results, they already have symptoms, their contacts may already have symptoms and have gone on to infect others.’” [Washington Post, 7/12/20]
The Trump Administration Refused To Acknowledge The Widespread Supply Shortages Impacting U.S. Testing Facilities, Claiming HHS And FEMA Were “Meeting All State Testing Needs.” According to the Washington Post, “This week, eight organizations representing those working in U.S. labs sent a letter to Vice President Pence pleading for help with test supplies. One of those groups, the American Association for Clinical Chemistry, said it raised those same concerns last month in a call with Giroir, who said he had designated an official in each state to oversee the test supply chain and promised to give the organizations a list of those officials so they could direct pleas for help to them. But the group never received that list and has not heard back from the administration. ‘Instead, we’re all still competing against each other like the Hunger Games for critical supplies,’ said David Grenache, president-elect of the association and chief scientific officer of a lab in New Mexico. In response to questions, the Trump administration did not acknowledge shortages of testing supplies exist. HHS spokeswoman Heck said, ‘At this time, HHS and FEMA are meeting all state testing needs.’ HHS noted that the federal government has sent many testing supplies to states, and that states are responsible for distributing them to labs.” [Washington Post, 7/12/20]
July 14, 2020: There Were 3,445,448 Cases Of And 136,356 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on July 14, 2020, there were 3,445,448 cases of and 136,356 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
The Trump Administration Ordered Hospitals Stop Sending The Daily Coronavirus Reports To The CDC And Directed The Reports Be Sent Directly To The Department Of Health And Human Services. According to the New York Times, “The Trump administration has ordered hospitals to bypass the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and send all COVID-19 patient information to a central database in Washington beginning on Wednesday. The move has alarmed health experts who fear the data will be politicized or withheld from the public. The new instructions were posted recently in a little-noticed document on the Department of Health and Human Services website. From now on, the department — not the C.D.C. — will collect daily reports about the patients that each hospital is treating, the number of available beds and ventilators, and other information vital to tracking the pandemic. Officials say the change will streamline data gathering and assist the White House coronavirus task force in allocating scarce supplies like personal protective gear and remdesivir, the first drug shown to be effective against the virus. But the Health and Human Services database that will receive new information is not open to the public, which could affect the work of scores of researchers, modelers and health officials who rely on C.D.C. data to make projections and crucial decisions.” [New York Times, 7/14/20]
Pence Asserted That CDC Warnings Should Not Preclude Schools From Reopening. According to 4WWL, “‘My analysis of this on the public health scale is way in favor of reopening schools face to face and these kids can get the education they deserve,’ he said. But the CDC’s guidelines for schools to consider encourage teachers and students to stay home when possible, mitigating the contact between students and teachers who might be at a higher risk from COVID-19. Pence was blunt Tuesday in dismissing those guidelines in favor of a quick reopening. ‘To be very clear, we don’t want CDC guidance to be a reason why people don’t reopen their schools,’ he said.” [4WWL, 7/14/20]
July 15, 2020: There Were 3,513,790 Cases Of And 137,327 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on July 15, 2020, there were 3,513,790 cases of and 137,327 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Trump’s Admin Did Not Require Former Pharmaceutical Executive Slaoui To Make A Public Ethics Disclosure. According to the New York Times, “The scientist leading the Trump administration’s coronavirus vaccine program will be allowed to remain a government contractor, a decision that permits him to avoid ethics disclosures required of federal employees and maintain his investments in pharmaceutical companies. Two prominent watchdog groups as well as some Democrats in Congress had called for the Department of Health and Human Services to require that the scientist, Dr. Moncef Slaoui, a venture capitalist and a former executive at the pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline, fall under the same ethics rules as federal employees. The office of the inspector general at H.H.S. responded this week that it could not require such a shift, citing the unusual role that Dr. Slaoui was playing in the administration amid the pandemic. As the chief adviser for the vaccine program — called Operation Warp Speed — Dr. Slaoui is working on a contract that pays him $1. Under the arrangement, he is exempt from federal disclosure rules that would require him to list his outside positions, stock holdings and other potential conflicts of interest.” [New York Times, 7/15/20]
Amid The Pandemic Trump’s Administration Waived Training Requirements For Nurses Aides Dropping The Required 75 Hours Of Training For Eight Hours Online. According to Politico, “Shortly after the first coronavirus outbreak ravaged a nursing home in Kirkland, Wash., the Trump administration moved to fulfill a longstanding industry goal — waiving the requirement that nurse’s aides receive 75 hours of training and allowing people who study only eight hours online to become caregivers during the pandemic. The industry had been fighting for years to reduce training requirements, saying they make it harder to recruit staff. The day after the administration announced the change, the industry rolled out a free online training program for certifying the new role — called a ‘temporary nurse aide’ — that has since been adopted by at least 19 states. Now, after more than 55,000 nursing home residents and workers across the country have died from the coronavirus, advocates for older adults and families of residents say they fear the change was premature, and contributed to the spread of the disease. Nurse’s aides are often the main caretakers of residents, some of whom need round-the-clock monitoring; nurse’s aides are also on the front lines in implementing the cleaning and disinfecting practices that prevent the spread of COVID-19.” [Politico, 7/15/20]
July 16, 2020: There Were 3,589,477 Cases Of And 138,285 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on July 16, 2020, there were 3,589,477 cases of and 138,285 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
After Trump Claimed The CDC Guidance Was “Too Tough,” The CDC Delayed The Release Of Its Guidance For School Reopening. According to NPR, “The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will not release a set of documents this week aimed at giving schools advice on how to reopen to students after coronavirus shutdowns, NPR has learned. Instead, the full set will be published before the end of the month, a CDC spokesperson says. ‘These science and evidence-based resources and tools will provide additional information for administrators, teachers and staff, parents, caregivers and guardians, as together we work towards the public health-oriented goal of safely opening schools this fall,’ the spokesperson said. President Trump has emphasized that he wants to see schools reopen their classrooms in the fall, but many teachers and parents have balked, concerned that children would spread the virus and get sick themselves. Trump complained on Twitter that the CDC's existing guidance was ‘too tough.’” [NPR, 7/16/20]
July 17, 2020: There Were 3,660,400 Cases Of And 139,186 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on July 17, 2020, there were 3,660,400 cases of and 139,186 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub – New York Times, Accessed ¾/24]
Fauci Said He Had Not Briefed Trump For Over Two Months. According to the Financial Times, “Fauci last saw Trump in person at the White House on June 2 — and says he has not briefed the president for at least two months. He tells me this in a matter-of-fact tone, but I suspect that his indifference is feigned. While Trump holds potential superspreader events, Fauci meets with the task force run by the vice-president.” [Financial Times, 7/10/17]
McEnany Said That “Science Should Not Stand In The Way” Of Schools Reopening. According to NBC News, “White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said during a Thursday press briefing that ‘science should not stand in the way of’ schools fully reopening for the upcoming academic year, later blasting coverage of her comments as a ‘case study in media bias.’ Asked about President Donald Trump's message to parents as some schools opt to go fully online in the coming weeks, McEnany said ‘the president has said unmistakably that he wants schools to open.’ ‘And I was just in the Oval talking to him about that,’ she said. ‘When he says open, he means open in full, kids being able to attend each and every day in their school. The science should not stand in the way of this.’” [NBC News, 7/17/20]
July 19, 2020: There Were 3,785,126 Cases Of And 140,373 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on July 19, 2020, there were 3,785,126 cases of and 140,373 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Trump Falsely Claimed That The U.S. Had “The Best Mortality Rate.” According to the New York Times, “The president made a litany of false claims about his administration’s handling of the virus, despite evidence that key officials and public health experts advising the president made crucial missteps and played down the spread of the disease this spring. In the interview, Mr. Trump falsely claimed that the United States had ‘one of the lowest mortality rates in the world’ from the virus. ‘That’s not true, sir,’ Mr. Wallace said. ‘Do you have the numbers, please?’ Mr. Trump said. ‘Because I heard we had the best mortality rate.’ The United States has the eighth-worst fatality rate among the countries currently most affected by the coronavirus, and the death rate per 100,000 people — 42.83 — ranks it third-worst, according to data on the countries most affected by the coronavirus compiled by Johns Hopkins University. Mr. Trump said that by increasing testing, his administration was ‘creating trouble for the fake news to come along and say, “Oh, we have more cases.” [New York Times, 7/19/20]
July 20, 2020: There Were 3,845,014 Cases Of And 140,904 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on July 20, 2020, there were s 3,845,014 cases of and 140,904 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
The Trump Administration Resisted Extending A Program That Allowed Families To Pick Up Food From Whichever School Was Most Convenient Without Means Testing, Potentially Increasing The Amount Of Means Testing And Raising Logistical Hurdles For Families. According to Politico, “During the spring and summer, as the coronavirus health crisis exploded, the government allowed most families to pick up free meals from whichever school was closest or most convenient without proving they were low-income. But that effort is on the verge of expiring as states prepare for children to return to school, and as school systems are pushing the federal government to continue the free meals program through the fall. So far, President Donald Trump’s Agriculture Department isn’t on board with an extension. School leaders are now asking Congress to force the government’s hand as lawmakers buckle down to work on the next coronavirus aid package. ‘It’s impossible. It’s insane,’ said Katie Wilson, executive director of the Urban School Food Alliance, which represents the largest school districts in the country, including those in New York, Chicago and Dallas. ‘Our districts have been screaming about it. They’re panicked.’ Schools already face enormous logistical challenges as they decide whether to have students learn online, in classrooms or in some combination of both this fall. Expanding free meal access would also cut down the pile of paperwork needed to enroll the millions of children expected to become newly eligible for government-subsidized or free meal programs. If USDA doesn’t extend the flexibility through the fall, families may be able to get food for their children only from the school where they are enrolled, after being deemed eligible for help — a change that would create logistical barriers for many families, particularly those without cars or with parents working multiple jobs.” [Politico, 7/20/20]
July 21, 2020: There Were 3,910,291 Cases Of And 142,031 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on July 21, 2020, there were 3,910,291 cases of and 142,031 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
In The First Of His Resumed Daily Press Conferences, Trump Claimed COVID-19 Would “Disappear.” According to the White House’s transcript of remarks by Trump in a press briefing, in response to the question, “You’ve been saying for months the virus would simply disappear, and now you’re saying that it’s likely to get worse before it gets better. If it does keep getting worse, if Americans keep dying, are you responsible for them?” Trump said, “Well, the virus will disappear. It will disappear. I think that — I always like to say, as — you know, either way, when you look at it, the governors are working with me. I’m working with the governors. We’re working hand in hand. I think we’re all responsible. I view it as a team. Very good relationships with the governors. Very, very good relationships. I could say I’m fully responsible. But, you know, one day, we had a virus come in, and I closed the borders, did a lot of things that were very good. In fact, Dr. Fauci said we saved tens of thousands of lives when I closed the border. And nobody wanted to do it. I wanted to do it. We closed the border to China. We put on the ban. We didn’t want people coming in from heavily infected China. Fairly shortly thereafter, I closed the borders from Europe — coming in from Europe. Those were tremendous moves. We would have — if it’s one person, it’s too much. But we’re at, let’s say, 140,000; we could have double, triple, quadruple that number if we didn’t. So we did a lot of things right. We did a lot of things right, including with equipment. So it’s a shame that it happened. It shouldn’t have happened. China should have stopped it.” [White House, 7/21/20]
Guests At Trump Properties Repeatedly Ignored Local Mask Requirements Including At Events With Trump And Other Prominent Republicans. According to ABC News, “As the coronavirus surges across the country, several properties owned by President Donald Trump have continued to host gatherings with guests and employees that skirt state and city-mandated face covering ordinances as well as the organization's own public rules for resuming business during the pandemic. […] Amid the president's mixed signals, in recent weeks guests and employees at Trump hotels from Washington D.C. to North Carolina have attended events and gathered in common areas without wearing masks, flouting local mandates and guidelines that the president's own properties have issued, according to a review of social media posts. While Trump for months has refused to wear a face covering in public, the president on Monday tweeted an image of himself in a mask, writing that ‘many people say that it is Patriotic to wear a face mask when you can't socially distance.’ But hours later, Trump held at fundraiser at Trump International Hotel in D.C., where multiple guests including the president, White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, Sen. Lindsey Graham and Madison Cawthorn, who recently won a Republican primary runoff for a western North Carolina congressional seat, were all shown on camera at the hotel not wearing masks in the lobby, bunched closely together and not social distancing while the president and attendees did not appear to be eating or drinking, according to a video from the event posted by Cawthorn. At Tuesday's first White House coronavirus press briefing in weeks, the president was asked about not wearing a mask Monday night at his hotel, claiming that he was ‘pretty far away from people, but I would say this: I've explained it, I think, very well. If you're close together, I would put on the mask,’ despite video showing that not to be the case.” [ABC News, 7/21/20]
TeleTracking’s Contract To Take Over The CDC’s Data Coordination Strategy Was The Largest Government Contract The Company Had Ever Received, With Experts Unsure Of Their Aptitude To The Scale Of The Problem Due To The Fact That “They Have No History With Infection Preventionists.” According to Talking Points Memo, “Due to a Trump administration order earlier this month, thousands of hospitals will now bypass the CDC and instead funnel their COVID-19-related data to a Pittsburgh-based private technology firm that some experts say could be ill-equipped for the task. TeleTracking, which specializes in helping hospitals manage patient flow, had never before scored as large a government contract as it did this April when it clinched the $10.2 million deal to become a repository for hospitals’ COVID-19 data, according to government records. Now that the administration has elbowed aside the CDC’s infection tracking system, the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN), TeleTracking is being launched from the land of four- and five-figure government contracts to the front lines of tracking the pandemic. That has some experts concerned. The company’s track record just doesn’t compare to the CDC’s, said Karen Hoffmann, former president of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC). ‘The biggest issue with this new data system is, they are not the gold standard with data,’ she told TPM. ‘They have no history with infection preventionists, where the CDC is really considered the gold standard to be able to track and use their expertise and their technical support for collecting data.’ ‘And for infection preventionists and epidemiologists that have a longstanding relationship with the CDC — decades to build — we don’t have that with TeleTracking,’ she added. ‘We don’t know who’s on the other end, who can assist us, and if they have any personnel that have any epidemiologic knowledge to know what to do with that data.’” [Talking Points Memo, 07/21/20]
Michael Zamagias, The CEO Of TeleTracking And A Major Republican Donor, Mentored Neal Cooper, Who Has Done Billions Of Dollars In Business With The Trump Organization. According to NPR, “The CEO of the company, Michael Zamagias, came from the real estate sector. He founded Zamagias Properties, a real estate investment and development company, in Pittsburgh, Pa., in 1987. The company went on to develop iconic office buildings, shopping centers and malls in Pittsburgh and Virginia, and its success helped Zamagias become a fixture outside Pittsburgh and, in particular, in the New York real estate scene. Zamagias is a longtime Republican donor and community philanthropist, giving generously to Pittsburgh schools and youth programs. One of the young people who came to Zamagias for advice and counsel was a New Yorker named Neal Cooper, though he was hardly new to business or real estate. Zamagias became the young Cooper's mentor. He gave Cooper an internship. Neal's father, Howard, was the named partner in a Manhattan company called Cooper-Horowitz, one of the largest privately held real estate debt and equity firms in the country. ‘Cooper did business with Michael in the late 1980s,’ Neal Cooper told NPR, referring to his dad's company. ‘I don't know if we ever did big deals with him, but we ran in the same circles. I learned a lot from Michael. He was always one or two steps ahead of the next guy.’ Cooper-Horowitz handles debt and equity in all classes of real estate and specializes in the hospitality industry. And in that vein, it did billions of dollars of work with the Trump Organization on projects like the Trump International Hotel & Tower in Chicago.” [NPR, 07/29/20]
July 23, 2020: There Were 4,050,036 Cases Of And 144,283 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In the U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on July 23, 2020, there were 4,050,036 cases of and 144,283 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
As Trump Claimed There Were “Zero Unfilled Requests” For PPE And Other Critical Supplied, 13 States Still Had Outstanding Orders. According to ABC News, “During his first coronavirus press briefing in nearly three months, President Donald Trump said his administration had filled every single request it has received from the nation’s governors for supplies to battle the coronavirus. But contrary to Trump's claim, officials in 13 states told ABC News they still have requests pending for critical equipment as the virus spreads through much of the country. ‘My administration currently has zero unfilled requests for -- unfulfilled requests for equipment or anything else that they need from the governors,’ Trump said on Tuesday. ‘No governor needs anything right now and we think we’ll have it that way until the end because frankly we are stocked up and ready to go.’ However, nearly half of the state officials with whom ABC News spoke, some of which are in states seeing a rise in coronavirus cases, said they've asked for a range of supplies, from thousands of N95 masks and ventilators to COVID-19 testing equipment, which have run in critically short supply in some areas. For this report ABC News reached out to officials in all 50 states, and 29 provided relevant responses to questions about supply orders. Officials in Oregon, Indiana, Georgia, New Hampshire, Alaska, Montana, Wyoming, North Carolina, Maryland, Michigan, Idaho, Utah and Washington each told ABC News they are either waiting for requests to be fulfilled, had identified orders that were never filled at all or have made recent requests that they understand are being processed. Other states, including especially hard-hit California, Arizona and South Carolina, said they had no outstanding orders with the government. Florida and Texas were among those that did not respond to ABC News' request for information.” [ABC News, 07/23/20]
July 28, 2020, There Were 4,366,851 Cases Of And 149,776 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on July 28, 2020, there were 4,366,851 cases of and 149,776 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Trump Continued To Promote Hydroxychloroquine At A Press Conference. According to the New York Times, “President Trump returned to defending a discredited drug at a White House briefing Tuesday evening in which he also made claims about the trajectory of the virus that clash with his own administration’s assessments and bemoaned his low approval ratings. The president defended sharing a version of a video promoting the use of the drug hydroxychloroquine that was deleted Monday night by Facebook, YouTube and Twitter, which all said that the video had violated their policies on sharing misinformation about the virus. He claimed that ‘you can look at large portions of our country — it’s corona-free,’ even as federal officials distributed a new report finding that 21 states had outbreaks so severe that they were in the ‘red zone.’ Twenty-eight states were in the ‘yellow zone,’ and only one state, Vermont, was in the ‘green zone.’” [New York Times, 7/28/20]
Trump Tweeted A Video From A Right-Wing Backed Group Promoting Hydroxychloroquine As A Cure For COVID-19 Which Was Taken Down By Twitter, Facebook, And YouTube For Violating Anti-COVID-19 Misinformation Policies. According to the BBC, “In the video, members of the group America's Frontline Doctors promote it both as a preventative measure and as a cure for COVID-19. The World Health Organization (WHO) say ‘there is currently no proof’ that hydroxychloroquine is effective as a treatment or prevents coronavirus. The video was broadcast online by right-wing online platform Breitbart, viewed over 17 million times on Facebook. It was also shared on Twitter by Donald Trump and many of his supporters. The president's son, Donald Jnr, was suspended from tweeting for 12 hours by Twitter after he posted it on his account. The video, a 45-minute livestream of the first day of a ‘White Coat’ summit by the group, was posted to Facebook, Twitter and YouTube by Breitbart and quickly went viral. ‘The virus has a cure, it's called hydroxychloroquine, zinc, and Zithromax,’ says one of the doctors in the video. ‘You don't need masks. There is a cure. I know they don't want to open schools. No, you don't need people to be locked down. There is prevention and there is a cure.’ The Facebook video, as well as racking up millions of views, was shared nearly 600,000 times before it was taken down. The hashtag #hydroxychloroquine was tweeted more than 153,000 times, becoming one of Twitter's top trends in the US overnight. Multiple versions of the video continue to be widely shared on social media. According to data from the Facebook-owned social media analytics tool CrowdTangle, public posts in the last 24 hours containing the word hydroxychloroquine have had 6.6 million engagements (likes, shares, views, comments and reactions) on Facebook and Instagram despite the removal of several versions of the video. In a statement to BBC News, Twitter said: ‘Tweets with the video are in violation of our COVID-19 misinformation policy. We are taking action in line with our policy here.’ ‘We've removed this video for sharing false information about cures and treatments for COVID-19,’ Facebook told the BBC, confirming it was also removing other versions of the video. YouTube told the BBC: ‘We have removed the video for violating our COVID-19 misinformation policies.’ BBC News also approached Breitbart, the White House and America's Frontline Doctors for comment. […] America's Frontline Doctors is a collection of physicians critical of the scientific consensus around the pandemic. Their event was backed by the Tea Party Patriots, a conservative organisation seeking to re-elect President Trump.” [BBC, 7/28/20]
July 30, 2020: There Were 4,502,581 Cases Of And 152,433 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on July 30, 2020, there were 4,502,581 cases of and 152,433 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Kushner’s Group Worked And Communicated Over WhatsApp. According to Vanity Fair, “Inside the White House, over much of March and early April, Kushner’s handpicked group of young business associates, which included a former college roommate, teamed up with several top experts from the diagnostic-testing industry. Together, they hammered out the outline of a national testing strategy. The group—working night and day, using the encrypted platform WhatsApp—emerged with a detailed plan obtained by Vanity Fair.” [Vanity Fair, 7/30/20]
Vanity Fair Reported That Three Weeks After The WHO Designated COVID-19 A Pandemic, The White House Ordered $52.5 Million Worth Of Faulty Tests Through Irregular Procurement Procedures. According to Vanity Fair, “On March 31, three weeks after the World Health Organization designated the coronavirus outbreak a global pandemic, a DHL truck rattled up to the gray stone embassy of the United Arab Emirates in Washington, D.C., delivering precious cargo: 1 million Chinese-made diagnostic tests for COVID-19, ordered at the behest of the Trump administration. Normally, federal government purchases come with detailed contracts, replete with acronyms and identifying codes. They require sign-off from an authorized contract officer and are typically made public in a U.S. government procurement database, under a system intended as a hedge against waste, fraud, and abuse. This purchase did not appear in any government database. Nor was there any contract officer involved. Instead, it was documented in an invoice obtained by Vanity Fair, from a company, Cogna Technology Solutions (its own name misspelled as ‘Tecnology’ on the bill), which noted a total order of 3.5 million tests for an amount owed of $52 million. The ‘client name’ simply noted ‘WH.’ […] During that period, more than 2.4 million Americans contracted COVID-19 and 123,331 of them died of the illness. First in New York, and then in states around the country, governors, public health experts, and frightened citizens sounded the alarm that a critical shortage of tests, and the ballooning time to get results, were crippling the U.S. pandemic response. But the million tests, some of which were distributed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency to several states, were of no help. According to documents obtained by Vanity Fair, they were examined in two separate government laboratories and found to be ‘contaminated and unusable.’” [Vanity Fair, 7/30/20]
Within Kushner’s Group, The Idea That The Virus Would Primarily Affect Blue States Could Have Swayed Him Against Moving Forward With A National Plan. According to Vanity Fair, “Most troubling of all, perhaps, was a sentiment the expert said a member of Kushner’s team expressed: that because the virus had hit blue states hardest, a national plan was unnecessary and would not make sense politically. ‘The political folks believed that because it was going to be relegated to Democratic states, that they could blame those governors, and that would be an effective political strategy,’ said the expert. That logic may have swayed Kushner. ‘It was very clear that Jared was ultimately the decision maker as to what [plan] was going to come out,’ the expert said.” [Vanity Fair, 7/30/20]
Kushner’s Group Plus Several Diagnostic Testing Experts Developed A Comprehensive National Testing Plan To Establish Coordinated National Virus Surveillance. Then, It Was Abandoned. According to Vanity Fair, “Inside the White House, over much of March and early April, Kushner’s handpicked group of young business associates, which included a former college roommate, teamed up with several top experts from the diagnostic-testing industry. Together, they hammered out the outline of a national testing strategy. The group—working night and day, using the encrypted platform WhatsApp—emerged with a detailed plan obtained by Vanity Fair. Rather than have states fight each other for scarce diagnostic tests and limited lab capacity, the plan would have set up a system of national oversight and coordination to surge supplies, allocate test kits, lift regulatory and contractual roadblocks, and establish a widespread virus surveillance system by the fall, to help pinpoint subsequent outbreaks. The solutions it proposed weren’t rocket science—or even comparable to the dauntingly complex undertaking of developing a new vaccine. Any national plan to address testing deficits would likely be more on the level of ‘replicating UPS for an industry,’ said Dr. Mike Pellini, the managing partner of Section 32, a technology and health care venture capital fund. ‘Imagine if UPS or FedEx didn’t have infrastructure to connect all the dots. It would be complete chaos.’ The plan crafted at the White House, then, set out to connect the dots. Some of those who worked on the plan were told that it would be presented to President Trump and likely announced in the Rose Garden in early April. ‘I was beyond optimistic,’ said one participant. ‘My understanding was that the final document would make its way to the president over that weekend’ and would result in a ‘significant announcement.’ But no nationally coordinated testing strategy was ever announced. The plan, according to the participant, ‘just went poof into thin air.’” [Vanity Fair, 7/30/20]
August 4, 2020: There Were 4,780,324 Cases Of And 157,301 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on August 4, 2020, there were 4,780,324 cases of and 157,301 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Trump Dismissed The Scale Of The Impact Of COVID-19 On America, “They Are Dying, That’s True. […] It Is What It Is,” And Said, “We’ve Done A Great Job.” According to NBC News, “President Donald Trump said in an interview that the coronavirus in the United States is under control and that the rising death toll ‘is what it is’ as cases have surged in some states. In the interview with Axios’ Jonathan Swan last week that aired in full Monday night on HBO, Trump was asked how the virus is under control when 1,000 Americans are dying each day. ‘They are dying, that's true. And you have — it is what it is. But that doesn't mean we aren't doing everything we can. It's under control as much as you can control it. This is a horrible plague,’ Trump said. Asked how he thinks 1,000 deaths a day is as much as the U.S. can control the outbreak, the president said, "First of all, we have done a great job. We've gotten the governors everything they needed. They didn't do their (jobs) — many of them didn't, and some of them did. ‘Someday, we'll sit down, we'll talk about the successful ones, the good ones ... We had good and bad. And we had a lot in the middle,’ he added.” [NBC News, 8/4/20]
August 5, 2020: There Were 4,834,047 Cases Of And 158,554 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on August 5, 2020, there were 4,834,047 cases of and 158,554 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
The Trump Administration’s Plan To Provide Nursing Homes With Testing Was Inadequately Funded, Providing Limited Testing And Taking Months To Deliver Testing Kits To Nursing Homes. According to the Associated Press, “The Trump administration’s plan to provide every nursing home with a fast COVID-19 testing machine comes with an asterisk: The government won’t supply enough test kits to check staff and residents beyond an initial couple of rounds. A program that sounded like a game changer when it was announced last month at the White House is now prompting concerns that it could turn into another unfulfilled promise for nursing homes, whose residents and staff represent a tiny share of the U.S. population but account for as many as 4 in 10 coronavirus deaths, according to some estimates. The weekly cost of testing employees could range from more than $19,000 to nearly $38,000, according to estimates by the national organization. LeadingAge is urging the administration to set up a nationwide testing program to take over from the current patchwork of state and local arrangements. The Trump administration responds that nursing homes could cover the cost of ongoing testing from a $5 billion pot provided by Congress, and allocated to the facilities by the White House. Adm. Brett Giroir, the Health and Human Services department’s ‘testing czar,’ recently told reporters that the government would only supply enough kits to test residents once and staff twice. However, informational materials from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, or CMS, say getting a machine to every nursing home could take 14 weeks. That would mean deliveries may not be completed until early November. […] ‘Part of the problem is resources and a lack of clarity about who pays for this in the future.’ said Tamara Konetzka, a research professor at the University of Chicago, who specializes in long-term care issues. ‘Doing one round of testing doesn’t really solve the problem in a pandemic that could last months or years.’” [Associated Press, 08/05/20]
August 8, 2020: There Were 5,007,958 Cases Of And 161,947 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on August 8, 2020, there were 5,007,958 cases of and 161,947 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Meadows Eschewed Morning Meetings With Health Officials For A Meeting With Political Aides. According to the Washington Post, “Meadows no longer holds a daily 8 a.m. meeting that includes health professionals to discuss the raging pandemic. Instead, aides said, he huddles in the mornings with a half-dozen politically oriented aides — and when the virus comes up, their focus is more on how to convince the public that President Trump has the crisis under control, rather than on methodically planning ways to contain it.” [Washington Post, 8/8/20]
August 10, 2020: There Were 5,103,611 Cases Of And 163,023 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on August 10, 2020, there were 5,103,611 cases of and 163,023 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Trump Reiterated The False Claim That Children Were Essentially Immune To Coronavirus. According to the Washington Post, “Despite a study that found nearly 100,000 children were infected with the coronavirus in the final two weeks of July, President Trump on Monday reiterated the false claim that children are essentially immune to the virus, and that schools should reopen for in-person instruction in the fall. ‘I think, for the most part, they don’t get very sick,’ Trump said of children. ‘... It’s also a case where there’s a tiny fraction of death, tiny fraction, and they get better very quickly.’” [Washington Post, 8/10/20]
August 14, 2020: There Were 5,324,784 Cases Of And 168,341 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on August 14, 2020, there were 5,324,784 cases of and 168,341 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
The Wall Street Journal Reported That The Federal Government Required Inspections Of Nursing Homes For Infection Control, However There Was No Requirement That The Inspectors Be Regularly Tested. According to the Wall Street Journal, “More than half the states, including Texas, Pennsylvania and Ohio, don’t require their own inspectors to be tested for COVID-19 before going inside nursing homes, despite concerns that asymptomatic visitors could pose a risk to residents. The federal government said in June that states needed to complete special infection control-focused examinations of the approximately 15,000 federally-certified nursing homes by late August, or risk losing some federal funding. But the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, or CMS, the agency that oversees nursing-home inspections, didn’t require states to test workers who perform site visits. The Wall Street Journal contacted health regulators in all 50 states to ask about testing requirements for nursing-home inspectors, known as surveyors. At least 26 states don’t require regular testing, though some, including New Hampshire and New Jersey, said they offer it on a voluntary basis. Others, such as South Carolina, Washington and Idaho, are developing new testing programs for inspectors. ‘With the increased spread of the virus in Idaho, and surveyors being in and out of nursing homes, it is the responsible thing to do,’ said Niki Forbing-Orr, a spokeswoman for the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare. The state knows of two surveyors who have previously tested positive for the virus, she said.” [Wall Street Journal, 8/14/20]
August 16, 2020: There Were 5,417,664 Cases Of And 169,915 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on August 16, 2020, there were 5,417,664 cases of and 169,915 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Trump Pressed The FDA To Approve A Dietary Supplement Marketed As A “Cure” For The Coronavirus. According to Axios, “To the alarm of some government health officials, President Trump has expressed enthusiasm for the Food and Drug Administration to permit an extract from the oleander plant to be marketed as a dietary supplement or, alternatively, approved as a drug to cure COVID-19, despite lack of proof that it works. Driving the news: The experimental botanical extract, oleandrin, was promoted to Trump during an Oval Office meeting in July. It's embraced by Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson and MyPillow founder and CEO Mike Lindell, a big Trump backer, who recently took a financial stake in the company that develops the product. Lindell told Axios that in the meeting, Trump ‘basically said: …’The FDA should be approving it.’’ The White House did not respond to requests for comment.” [Axios, 8/16/20]
Lindell Held An Ownership Stake In Phoenix Biotechnology, The Company Attempting To Market Oleandrin. According to CNN, “The US Food and Drug Administration has rejected a submission from Phoenix Biotechnology Inc. to market oleandrin as a dietary supplement ingredient, citing ‘significant concerns’ about the safety evidence the company presented. Last month, MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell, who recently joined the board of Phoenix Biotechnology and has a financial stake in the company, said he had participated in a July meeting at the White House with President Donald Trump regarding the use of oleandrin as a potential therapeutic for the coronavirus.” [CNN, 9/4/20]
August 17, 2020: There Were 5,455,187 Cases Of And 170,449 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on August 17, 2020, there were 5,455,187 cases of and 170,449 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Trump Elevated Dr. Scott Atlas Because Of His More Optimistic Assessment, Despite No Expertise In Epidemiology Or Infectious Diseases. According to Politico, “Dr. Scott Atlas warns against coronavirus overreaction and hysteria, pushes for the reopening of schools and sports leagues, and downplays the need for broader testing to root out the virus. Unlike bigger-name, more circumspect public health officials, who’ve watched their luster dim at the White House, Atlas has become a star adviser in President Donald Trump’s inner circle at a crucial moment during the pandemic. With the virus showing no sign of letting up — the U.S. has recorded roughly 5.4 million COVID-19 cases and 170,000 deaths — and with less than three months to go in an uphill reelection battle, the president is betting that a telegenic physician with a positive outlook, but no expertise in infectious diseases or epidemiology, can change his fortunes.” [Politico, 8/17/20]
Atlas Argued Against Expanded Testing And Downplayed The Effectiveness Of Masks. According to Politico, “In private meetings at the White House, Atlas has irritated other aides by arguing against expanded COVID-19 testing. He opposed a proposal championed by Dr. Deborah Birx, the response coordinator for the White House coronavirus task force, to scale up home testing through methods such as saliva tests. And recently, in a task force meeting, he told Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, that science does not definitively support government mandates on wearing masks. (The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that Americans wear masks when they interact with those outside the home and in instances when social distancing is not possible.)” [Politico, 08/17/20]
August 19, 2020: There Were 5,541,433 Cases Of And 173,093 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on August 19, 2020, there were 5,541,433 cases of and 173,093 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Despite Being The State With The Fifth-Highest Number Of Positive Tests Over The Previous Two Weeks, North Carolina Was Not One Of The 31 States To Which The Federal Government Allocated Remdesivir. According to NPR, “By the second week in July, COVID-19 cases in North Carolina were climbing fast. With nearly 19,000 diagnoses over the previous two weeks, only five states recorded more new coronavirus cases than North Carolina did. ‘Today is our highest day of hospitalizations and our second-highest day of cases,’ Gov. Roy Cooper, a Democrat, announced on July 9, standing behind a podium in the state's Emergency Operations Center. ‘Please continue to treat the virus like the deadly threat that it is.’ One of the few treatment options for patients seriously ill with COVID-19 is the antiviral drug remdesivir. Authorized by the Food and Drug Administration in May for emergency use in the pandemic, remdesivir is in short supply. The federal government has taken on the responsibility for deciding where vials of the medicine should go. Between July 6 and July 19, the federal Department of Health and Human Services allocated shipments of remdesivir to 31 states. North Carolina wasn't one of them.” [NPR, 8/19/20]
August 20, 2020: There Were 5,587,475 Cases Of And 174,136 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on August 20, 2020, there were 5,587,475 cases of and 174,136 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
By Designating Teachers “Critical Infrastructure Workers,” Trump Exempted Them From Quarantine Requirements Following Coronavirus Exposure. According to the Associated Press, “New guidance from President Donald Trump’s administration that declares teachers to be ‘critical infrastructure workers’ could give the green light to exempting teachers from quarantine requirements after being exposed to COVID-19 and instead send them back into the classroom. Keeping teachers without symptoms in the classroom, as a handful of school districts in Tennessee and Georgia have already said they may do, raises the risk that they will spread the respiratory illness to students and fellow employees. Multiple teachers can be required by public health agencies to quarantine for 14 days during an outbreak, which can stretch a district’s ability to keep providing in-person instruction. South Carolina health officials also describe teachers as critical infrastructure workers, although it’s unclear if any district there is asking teachers to return before 14 days. Among the first districts to name teachers as critical infrastructure workers was eastern Tennessee’s Greene County, where the school board gave the designation to teachers July 13. ‘It essentially means if we are exposed and we know we might potentially be positive, we still have to come to school and we might at that point be carriers and spreaders,’ said Hillary Buckner, who teaches Spanish at Chuckey-Doak High School in Afton.” [Associated Press, 08/20/20]
Wall Street Journal: After The HHS System Touted By The White House Was “Plagued By Delays And Inconsistencies,” The White House Was Forced To Return Data Coordination To The CDC. According to the Wall Street Journal, “The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is reversing course on a change to the way hospitals report critical information on the coronavirus pandemic to the government, returning the responsibility for data collection to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Deborah Birx, the White House’s coronavirus coordinator, told hospital executives and government officials in Arkansas this week that the current system under which hospitals report new cases is ‘solely an interim system’ and that the reporting would soon go back to the CDC. ‘CDC is working with us right now to build a revolutionary new data system so it can be moved back to the CDC, and they can have that regular accountability with hospitals relevant to treatment and PPE,’ Dr. Birx said, referring to personal protective equipment used by doctors and nurses. The reversal comes after increasing reports that the new system has been plagued by delays and inconsistencies in data since being implemented in July. Among other things, certain key statistics, such as inpatient beds occupied by COVID-19 patients, were updated only once a week, rather than daily or multiple times a week, as under the CDC system.” [Wall Street Journal, 8/20/20]
The Contractor Chosen By HHS Struggled To Incorporate Timely Hospital-Level Data. According to the Wall Street Journal, “The HHS instructed hospitals last month to no longer report numbers on new cases, hospital capacity, inventories of key supplies and other data through the CDC’s National Health Safety Network. Instead, the facilities were directed to report daily numbers through the HHS Protect system using software provided by TeleTracking Technologies Inc., a hospital IT specialist that won a roughly $10 million contract with the HHS this year. At the time, Michael Caputo, the HHS’s deputy secretary for public affairs, defended the decision, saying that the CDC’s data gathering system was inadequate and that the CDC ‘just cannot keep up with this pandemic,’ according to news reports. ‘The changeover was very abrupt,’ said Dr. Thomas Talbot, chief hospital epidemiologist at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tenn. ‘We track across our region things like hospitalization numbers, and we’ve increasingly noticed it being more difficult for hospitals to meet daily deadlines. We still see hospitals that just have no data reported for the day.’ The hospital data is important because it helps determine how much remdesivir, a key antiviral treatment for COVID-19, the federal government distributes to each state. But hospitals also need to see consistent data from other hospitals in their region so that they can deploy enough health-care workers and beds in certain areas and respond to outbreaks by providing doctors and nurses with sufficient protective equipment. ‘We use that data for a lot of different reasons, and one is to forecast and predict onwards not just the space capacity but the right number of workers, the right numbers of supplies,’ Dr. Talbot said. ‘It’s also not just for the patients but for the community: Are we safe to start and relax the interventions? Are we still a hot spot? We really need to have that data to see what’s going on.’” [Wall Street Journal, 8/20/20]
August 22, 2020: There Were 5,681,517 Cases Of And 176,247 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on August 22, 2020, there were 5,681,517 cases of and 176,247 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Trump Accused “The Deep State” Of Slowing Down The FDA’s Vaccine Development Efforts With The Goal Of Pushing It Past The Election. According to his twitter, “The deep state, or whoever, over at the FDA is making it very difficult for drug companies to get people in order to test the vaccines and therapeutics. Obviously, they are hoping to delay the answer until after November 3rd. Must focus on speed, and saving lives! @SteveFDA” [Twitter, @realDonaldTrump, 8/22/20]
August 24, 2020: There Were 5,754,254 Cases Of And 177,197 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S.. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on August 24, 2020, there were 5,754,254 cases of and 177,197 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn Was Forced To Walk Back Comments About The Effectiveness Of Blood Plasma Treatments He Had Touted At A Press Conference With Trump. According to Bloomberg, “The head of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration walked back his claim that an experimental therapy had provided a dramatic benefit to COVID-19 patients, a rare reversal for an agency that has prided itself on rock-solid science and public trust. On Sunday night at a press conference with President Donald Trump, FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn said that blood plasma from COVID-19 survivors given to new patients could save huge numbers of lives. ‘What that means is -- and if the data continue to pan out -- 100 people who are sick with COVID-19, 35 would have been saved because of the administration of plasma,’ Hahn said. Hahn’s remarks followed similar comments by Trump, who said that the therapy is ‘proven to reduce mortality by 35%,’ and by Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar. On Monday night, Hahn reversed himself. ‘I have been criticized for remarks I made Sunday night about the benefits of convalescent plasma. The criticism is entirely justified,’ Hahn said in a tweet. He went on CBS on Tuesday morning to continue walking back the claim, telling the network that ‘I could have done a better job of explaining that at the press conference.’ Hahn had spent much of Monday taking heat from health experts, including two former FDA commissioners, for his remarks. ‘That was not the way that I would have worded it,’ said one of the doctors who led the blood plasma study, Arturo Casadevall, chair of the department of molecular microbiology and immunology at the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health. ‘I hope they will issue a clarification,’ he said earlier Monday.” [Bloomberg, 8/24/20]
August 25, 2020: There Were 5,793,385 Cases Of And 178,410 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on August 25, 2020, there were 5,793,385 cases of and 178,410 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
The Trump Administration Quietly Changed Its Testing Guidelines To Exclude People Not Showing Symptoms. According to the New York Times, “The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention quietly modified its coronavirus testing guidelines this week to exclude people who do not have symptoms of COVID-19 — even if they have been recently exposed to the virus. Experts questioned the revision, pointing to the importance of identifying infections in the small window immediately before the onset of symptoms, when many individuals appear to be most contagious. Models suggest that about half of transmission events can be traced back to individuals still in this so-called pre-symptomatic stage, before they start to feel ill — if they ever feel sick at all.” [New York Times, 8/25/20]
Trump’s Coronavirus Task Force Came To The Determination While Fauci Was Under General Anesthetic. According to the Washington Post, “On a conference call with reporters, Giroir said he and Redfield discussed the idea with all the physicians on the White House’s coronavirus task force, including Anthony S. Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, and Scott Atlas, a new member influential with Trump from his appearances on Fox News who is a fellow at Stanford University’s conservative Hoover Institution. Atlas has said fewer people need tests for the virus, which has led to more than 5.7 million cases in the United States and more than 176,000 deaths. He is not an infectious-disease specialist. ‘All the docs signed off on this … before it got to a place where the political leadership would have ever seen it,’ Giroir said. He said the task force debated the change for about a month before approving it last Thursday. Fauci contradicted aspects of that, however, in a statement he gave to CNN’s Sanjay Gupta. ‘I was under general anesthesia in the operating room last Thursday and was not part of any discussion or deliberation regarding these new testing recommendations … I am concerned about the interpretation of these recommendations and worried it will give people the incorrect assumption asymptomatic spread is not of great concern. In fact, it is.’” [Washington Post, 8/26/20]
August 31, 2020: There Were 6,045,457 Cases Of And 183,472 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on August 31, 2020, there were 6,045,457 cases of and 183,472 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
The Wall Street Journal Reported That HHS Commissioned A Supply-Chain Study Which Alerted Federal Officials To The Lack Of N95 Masks, Gowns, And Gloves. It Took Officials A Month To Place An Order For More Masks, Which Would Only Be Delivered Over 18 Months. According to the Wall Street Journal, “Robert Kadlec, a retired Air Force physician whose HHS office oversees the Strategic National Stockpile of medical supplies, had commissioned in January a supply-chain task force to examine the federal inventory and find out what shortages might emerge. Officials became aware the stockpile wasn’t big enough. Its stock of N95 masks, gowns and gloves had been depleted during the H1N1 flu pandemic a decade earlier and never replenished. Many of the masks were past their expiration dates. Dr. Kadlec was consumed by the task of repatriating Americans abroad and gave his task force little authority to address the anticipated shortages, some officials said. An HHS spokeswoman said the job of the task force was only to assess the supply situation. HHS officials had become alarmed by the number of N95 masks hospitals were using: on average, between 350 and 425 per coronavirus patient at the time. If there was a major breakout, HHS’s Mr. Mango said, ‘we would be in trouble.’ Mr. Azar testified in Congress on Feb. 26 that the stockpile only had about 12 million N95 masks, but that the nation would need 300 million. But it wasn’t until a month later that HHS placed orders for 600 million N95 masks, to be delivered over the following 18 months.” [Wall Street Journal, 8/31/20]
Atlas Pushed For The White House To Follow The Swedish Model Of “Herd Immunity” To Combat The Coronavirus. According to the Washington Post, “One of President Trump’s top medical advisers is urging the White House to embrace a controversial ‘herd immunity’ strategy to combat the pandemic, which would entail allowing the coronavirus to spread through most of the population to quickly build resistance to the virus, while taking steps to protect those in nursing homes and other vulnerable populations, according to five people familiar with the discussions. The administration has already begun to implement some policies along these lines, according to current and former officials as well as experts, particularly with regard to testing. The approach’s chief proponent is Scott Atlas, a neuroradiologist and fellow at Stanford’s conservative Hoover Institution, who joined the White House in August as a pandemic adviser. He has advocated that the United States adopt the model Sweden has used to respond to the virus outbreak, according to these officials, which did not impose lockdown orders or close most schools and businesses. Instead, Sweden recommended social distancing measures and masks, while keeping bars and restaurants open with restrictions.” [Washington Post, 8/31/20]
September 1, 2020: There Were 6,089,506 Cases Of And 184,563 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on September 1, 2020, there were 6,089,506 cases of and 184,563 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
FEMA Announced They Would Stop Paying For Masks For Schools. According to NPR, “The Federal Emergency Management Agency said it will no longer pay for some safety measures related to COVID-19 that it had previously covered. Keith Turi, FEMA assistant administrator for recovery, announced the changes during a call Tuesday with state and tribal emergency managers, many of whom expressed concerns about the new policy. Under the new guidance, FEMA will generally not reimburse states for the costs of cloth face coverings or personal protective equipment in nonemergency settings, including schools, public housing and courthouses. The policy goes into effect on Sept. 15. The changes narrow what constitutes an ‘emergency protective measure’ and is thus eligible for FEMA's Public Assistance Program. A recording of the call was provided to NPR by a government official responsible for emergency funding. The official is not authorized to speak to the media and is concerned about a possible job loss for doing so. Going forward, Turi explained, cloth face masks and personal protective equipment in nonemergency settings will be classified as ‘increased operating costs’ for public services and will not be covered by the fund.” [NPR, 9/1/20]
The Contract Negotiated By Navarro Overpaid By $500 Million Relative To The Price Per Ventilator The Obama Administration Had Paid. According to ProPublica, “The congressional investigation determined that the deal would have resulted in the U.S. overpaying for the ventilators by as much as $500 million, thanks to ‘inept contract management and incompetent negotiating by the Trump Administration.’ ProPublica first wrote about the U.S. government’s relationship with Philips in March, detailing how a decade ago government planners had paid Philips millions of dollars to develop a low-cost ventilator that could be stockpiled and deployed if ever there were a pandemic. The U.S. ordered 10,000 once the company received clearance from the Food and Drug Administration. But when COVID-19 cases overwhelmed hospitals in New York in the spring, Philips hadn’t delivered any. Instead, ProPublica found, Philips was selling a commercial version of that ventilator — manufactured at its Pennsylvania factory — overseas at far higher prices. Rather than force production of low-cost ventilators, a White House team led by Navarro cut a new deal for more ventilators, agreeing to pay more than four times the price. ProPublica in April revealed that this new deal boosted the price of what appeared to be similar ventilators from $3,280 each under the Obama administration deal to $15,000 under the Trump administration. Neither Philips nor HHS would explain how the two models were different.” [ProPublica, 9/1/20]
Following ProPublica’s Reporting, The Federal Government Backed Away From A $646.7 Million Contract For Ventilators. According to ProPublica, “The federal government is backing out of a controversial $646.7 million deal to buy ventilators from Royal Philips N.V., acting before the company had delivered a third of the order. The deal has been the focus of several ProPublica stories since March. That reporting prompted a congressional investigation that last month found “evidence of fraud, waste and abuse” in the acquisition of the Philips ventilators. This week, the House Committee on Oversight and Reform’s Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy announced it is expanding its probe to look at other coronavirus-related deals negotiated by Peter Navarro, the president’s trade adviser, who served as the point man on the Philips deal. In addition, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which oversaw the Philips contract, confirmed that the deal is the subject of an internal investigation and legal review. ‘It was ProPublica’s reporting that got my subcommittee interested in this contract,’ Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, the Illinois Democrat who chairs the subcommittee, said in a statement. ‘It prompted our investigation where we uncovered unfathomably inept dealmaking by top Administration officials like Peter Navarro.’” [ProPublica, 9/1/20]
The Administration Included A Letter Signed By Trump Touting His Administration’s Response To The Virus In Food Aid Boxes. According to ProPublica, “Millions of Americans who are struggling to put food on the table may discover a new item in government-funded relief packages of fresh fruits and vegetables, dairy and meat: a letter signed by President Donald Trump. The message, printed on White House letterhead in both English and Spanish, touts the administration’s response to the coronavirus, including aid provided through the Farmers to Families Food Box Program, a U.S. Department of Agriculture initiative to buy fresh food and ship it to needy families.” [ProPublica, 9/1/20]
September 2, 2020: There Were 6,121,950 Cases Of And 185,639 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on September 2, 2020, there were 6,121,950 cases of and 185,639 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Trump Publicly Endorsed Atlas’ Ideas On Herd Immunity. According to the New York Times, “The core of his appeal in the West Wing rests in his libertarian-style approach to disease management in which the government focuses on small populations of at-risk individuals — the elderly, the sick and the immune-compromised — and minimizes restrictions for the rest of the population, akin to an approach used to disastrous effect in Sweden. The argument: Most people infected by the coronavirus will not get seriously ill, and at some point, enough people will have antibodies from COVID-19 to deprive the virus of carriers — ‘herd immunity.’ ‘Once you get to a certain number — we use the word herd — once you get to a certain number, it’s going to go away,’ Mr. Trump told Laura Ingraham on Fox News on Monday night.” [New York Times, 9/2/20]
September 3, 2020: There Were 6,168,347 Cases Of And 186,717 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on September 3, 2020, there were 6,168,347 cases of and 186,717 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
FEMA Changed Its Rules So That Public Schools And Transportation Workers’ PPE And Cleaning Were No Longer Supported, Calling Them “Not Immediate Actions Necessary To Protect Public Health And Safety.” According to the New York Daily News, “Transit systems, schools and other public facilities in New York could soon become a whole lot dirtier because of a policy change enacted by the Trump administration that’ll strip millions of dollars in critical coronavirus aid for the state, the Daily News has learned. It’s a gut-punch no one saw coming, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) railed Thursday. Since the outset of the pandemic, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has helped New York and other states cover the costs of coronavirus-fighting efforts — from disinfecting schools and government buildings to stocking up on personal protective equipment for public employees. But FEMA snuck in a rules change this week to say ‘the operation of schools and other public facilities’ are no longer considered ‘emergency protective measures eligible for reimbursement,’ declaring, ‘These are not immediate actions necessary to protect public health and safety.’” [New York Daily News, 9/3/20]
The Change In Policy Followed Trump’s Designation Of Areas As “Anarchist Jurisdictions.” According to the New York Daily News, “A FEMA spokesman declined to explain what prompted the policy change, saying only the agency is no longer ‘authorized to support the day to day operations and operational expenses of facilities.’ The spokesman added that hospitals, ‘emergency operations centers’ for COVID-19 and some other public facilities remain eligible for reimbursements under the new rule. The FEMA funding shakeup comes on the heels of President Trump’s threat to withhold federal cash from what he described as ‘anarchist jurisdictions.’ A Trump memo — most likely headed straight for court — specifically names New York as one of the cities the president wants to punish in retaliation for local leaders refusing to let his administration send in federal law enforcement to crack down on racial justice protests. A White House spokesman did not respond to emailed questions about whether the FEMA rule shift was part of Trump’s effort to defund New York and other Democrat-run cities.” [New York Daily News, 9/3/20]
September 9, 2020: There Were 6,380,139 Cases Of And 190,716 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on September 9, 2020, there were 6,380,139 cases of and 190,716 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
The Trump White House Decided Travelers Coming Into The United States No Longer Had To Go Through Health Screening Or Provide Contact Information. According to Yahoo, “The U.S. government on Monday will stop conducting enhanced screening of passengers on inbound international flights for COVID-19, Yahoo News has learned. The screening operations have been held at select airports since January, when the first cases of the disease began to emerge from Wuhan, China. Since March, incoming international flights from select high-risk countries, including much of Europe, China and Iran, among other regions, have been funneled through 15 designated airports in the United States. As of Monday, however, international flights will no longer be funneled into select airports for screening purposes and all screenings will come to a halt, according to communications and sources. All screenings and rerouting of select international flights will cease at exactly 12:01 a.m. on Monday, Sept. 14. Currently, travelers upon arrival to the United States are sent to health screeners who take their temperatures and conduct a basic health screening with questions about typical COVID-19 symptoms. After the health screening, passengers proceed through passport control and customs. One aspect of the screening is that travelers provide contact information, which can be used to perform contact tracing for infections. Without that information, it likely won’t be possible to contact passengers on a flight who may have potentially been exposed to someone infected with COVID-19. The orders to cease prescreening operations came from the White House, with strict orders to keep the information secret until a public announcement is made. Meanwhile, behind the scenes, the various agencies — and contractors — involved in the airport screening operations are working frantically to prepare for Monday’s shutdown.” [Yahoo, 9/9/20]
September 10, 2020: There Were 6,418,200 Cases Of And 191,631 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on September 10, 2020, there were 6,418,200 cases of and 191,631 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
The Department Of Education Rejected A Request By Senate Democrats To Track Cases At Educational Institutions. According to Politico “Last month, a group of Senate Democrats pressed the Trump administration to start tracking outbreaks at colleges, warning that the lack of federal guidance on reporting coronavirus infections among students was ‘likely to create a patchwork of inconsistent information across states.’ They wanted an answer by Sept. 2 but haven’t received a reply. The federal Education Department said it does not plan to track school or college cases or outbreaks.” [Politico, 9/10/20]
Neither Trump Nor DeVos Encouraged Federal Rules For Tracking Or Reporting Coronavirus Cases At Schools Or Colleges. According to Politico, “The data on how coronavirus is spreading at schools and colleges is inconsistent, erratic — and sometimes purposely kept out of the public’s reach. Federal rules don’t specifically require tracking or reporting the numbers by school or college, despite pressure from President Donald Trump and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos to open schools and colleges for in-person classes. The result is a distorted picture of how and where the virus may be spreading, not just for parents, teachers, students and professors, but the cities and towns where campuses are located.” [Politico, 9/10/20]
September 11, 2020, There Were 6,465,767 Cases Of And 192,858 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on September 11, 2020, there were 6,465,767 cases of and 192,858 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub – New York Times, Accessed ¾/24]
After Trump Officials Complained About CDC Reports Undermining Trump’s Public Statements, His HHS Communications Appointees Demanded The Right To Review Scientific Reports. According to Politico, “The health department’s politically appointed communications aides have demanded the right to review and seek changes to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s weekly scientific reports charting the progress of the coronavirus pandemic, in what officials characterized as an attempt to intimidate the reports’ authors and water down their communications to health professionals. In some cases, emails from communications aides to CDC Director Robert Redfield and other senior officials openly complained that the agency’s reports would undermine President Donald Trump's optimistic messages about the outbreak, according to emails reviewed by POLITICO and three people familiar with the situation. CDC officials have fought back against the most sweeping changes, but have increasingly agreed to allow the political officials to review the reports and, in a few cases, compromised on the wording, according to three people familiar with the exchanges. The communications aides’ efforts to change the language in the CDC’s reports have been constant across the summer and continued as recently as Friday afternoon.” [Politico, 9/11/20]
Trump Appointees Attempted To Add Caveats, Make Retroactive Changes, And Halt Releases Of The CDC’s Weekly Morbidity And Mortality Reports. According to Politico, “The CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Reports are authored by career scientists and serve as the main vehicle for the agency to inform doctors, researchers and the general public about how COVID-19 is spreading and who is at risk. Such reports have historically been published with little fanfare and no political interference, said several longtime health department officials, and have been viewed as a cornerstone of the nation's public health work for decades. But since Michael Caputo, a former Trump campaign official with no medical or scientific background, was installed in April as the Health and Human Services department's new spokesperson, there have been substantial efforts to align the reports with Trump's statements, including the president's claims that fears about the outbreak are overstated, or stop the reports altogether. Caputo and his team have attempted to add caveats to the CDC's findings, including an effort to retroactively change agency reports that they said wrongly inflated the risks of COVID-19 and should have made clear that Americans sickened by the virus may have been infected because of their own behavior, according to the individuals familiar with the situation and emails reviewed by POLITICO. Caputo's team also has tried to halt the release of some CDC reports, including delaying a report that addressed how doctors were prescribing hydroxychloroquine, the malaria drug favored by Trump as a coronavirus treatment despite scant evidence. The report, which was held for about a month after Caputo’s team raised questions about its authors’ political leanings, was finally published last week. It said that ‘the potential benefits of these drugs do not outweigh their risks.’” [Politico, 9/11/20]
September 13, 2020: There Were 6,538,214 Cases Of And 193,958 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on September 13, 2020, there were 6,538,214 cases of and 193,958 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
March 2020 – September 2020: OSHA Received Almost 10,000 Requests To Investigate Workplace Violations Of Virus Safety, But In Total, OSHA Had Issued Eight Citations And Fines Related To The Virus. According to the Washington Post, “Of the nearly 10,000 virus-related requests OSHA received to investigate workplaces in all industries since early March, Smithfield and JBS are the only ones that have so far resulted in a citation and fine. Unrelated to the complaints, OSHA has issued six other virus-related citations and fines for industries other than the meat industry, which resulted from routine reports the agency received from hospitals and employers about workers being hospitalized or fatally injured, records show.” [Washington Post, 9/13/20]
Despite More Than 40,000 Cases And More Than 200 Deaths, Only Two Meatpacking Plants Received Fines For A Total Of Three Safety Violations. According to the Washington Post, “Federal regulators knew about serious safety problems in dozens of the nation’s meat plants that became deadly coronavirus hot spots this spring but took six months to take action, recently citing two plants and finally requiring changes to protect workers. The financial penalties for a Smithfield Foods plant in South Dakota and a JBS plant in Colorado issued last week total about $29,000 — an amount critics said was so small that it would fail to serve as an incentive for the nation’s meatpackers to take social distancing and other measures to protect their employees. Meat plant workers, union leaders and worker safety groups are also outraged that the two plants, with some of the most severe outbreaks in the nation, were only cited for a total of three safety violations and that hundreds of other meat plants have faced no fines. The companies criticized federal regulators for taking so long to give them guidance on how to keep workers safe. At least 42,534 meatpacking workers have tested positive for the novel coronavirus in 494 meat plants, and at least 203 meatpacking workers have died since March, according to an analysis by the Food Environmental Reporting Network, a nonprofit investigative news organization.” [Washington Post, 9/13/20]
September 14, 2020: There Were 6,575,101 Cases Of And 194,408 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on September 14, 2020, there were 6,575,101 cases of and 194,408 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Caputo Accused The CDC Of Acting As A “Resistance Unit” Engaged In “Sedition” Against Trump. According to the New York Times, “The top communications official at the powerful cabinet department in charge of combating the coronavirus made outlandish and false accusations on Sunday that career government scientists were engaging in ‘sedition’ in their handling of the pandemic and that left-wing hit squads were preparing for armed insurrection after the election. Michael R. Caputo, the assistant secretary of public affairs at the Department of Health and Human Services, accused the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of harboring a ‘resistance unit’ determined to undermine President Trump, even if that opposition bolsters the COVID-19 death toll.” [New York Times, 9/14/20]
Caputo Claimed There Were “Hit Squads Being Trained” Against Trump. According to the New York Times, “Over all, his tone was deeply ominous: He warned, again without evidence, that ‘there are hit squads being trained all over this country’ to mount armed opposition to a second term for Mr. Trump. ‘You understand that they’re going to have to kill me, and unfortunately, I think that’s where this is going,’ Mr. Caputo added. In a statement on Monday, Mr. Caputo told The Times: ‘Since joining the administration, my family and I have been continually threatened’ and harassed by people who have later been prosecuted. ‘This weighs heavily on us, and we deeply appreciate the friendship and support of President Trump as we address these matters and keep our children safe.’” [New York Times, 9/14/20]
September 15, 2020: There Were 6,614,318 Cases Of And 195,689 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on September 15, 2020, there were 6,614,318 cases of and 195,689 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Even As Trump Publicly Downplayed The Virus, He Told Woodward “It’s So Easily Transmissible, You Wouldn’t Believe It.” According to Axios, “What Trump told Woodward: ‘Bob, it's so easily transmissible, you wouldn't believe it ... I mean you could, you could be in the room ... I was in the White House a couple of days ago, meeting with 10 people in the Oval Office and a guy sneezed — innocently. Not a horrible ... you know, just a sneeze. The entire room bailed out, OK? Including me, by the way.’ The other side: Trump told Fox News in an interview broadcast last Wednesday that he downplayed the virus' threat because he wanted to ‘show a calmness.’ The president also accused Woodward of doing ‘hit jobs with everybody’ on his books. Addressing Woodward's book, ‘Rage,’ about his presidency, Trump said: ‘I don't know if the book is good or bad — I have no idea. [I] probably, almost definitely, won't read it because I don't have time to read it.’” [Axios, 9/15/20]
Politico Reported That Azar Led A Pressure Campaign Against The FDA, Pushing Against Standardizing Safety And Accuracy In Testing. According to Politico, “Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar led an escalating pressure campaign against his own Food and Drug Administration this spring and summer, urging the agency to abandon its responsibility for ensuring the safety and accuracy of a range of coronavirus tests as the pandemic raged.” [Politico, 9/15/20]
August 2020: Azar Revoked The FDA’s Ability To Check The Quality Of Some Tests. According to Politico, “The unilateral policy change — which applies to ‘lab-developed’ tests for a wide range of diseases, including COVID-19 — had long been sought by commercial, university and public health labs in the name of greater flexibility. But Hahn viewed the move as inappropriate and ill-timed because it removed safeguards designed to prevent inaccurate tests from flooding the market during a public health crisis. That could have disastrous consequences as the country struggles to bring its coronavirus outbreak under control. False negative results could mislead some people with COVID-19 into thinking they’re free of the virus and can’t infect others. False positive results could spark unnecessary contact-tracing efforts that sap already stretched resources.” [Politico, 9/15/20]
September 17, 2020: There Were 6,698,896 Cases Of And 197,535 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on September 17, 2020 there were 6,698,896 cases of and 197,535 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Kushner Blamed Cuomo For New York’s PPE Shortage. According to Vanity Fair, “The same attendee explained that although he believed in open markets, he feared that the system was breaking. As evidence, he pointed to a CNN report about New York governor Andrew Cuomo and his desperate call for supplies. ‘That’s the CNN bullshit,’ Kushner snapped. ‘They lie.’ According to another attendee, Kushner then began to rail against the governor: ‘Cuomo didn’t pound the phones hard enough to get PPE for his state…. His people are going to suffer and that’s their problem.’ ‘That’s when I was like, We’re screwed,’ the shocked attendee told Vanity Fair. The group argued for invoking the Defense Production Act. ‘We were all saying, ‘Mr. Kushner, if you want to fix this problem for PPE and ventilators, there’s a path to do it, but you have to make a policy change,’’ one person who attended the meeting recounted. In response Kushner got ‘very aggressive,’ the attendee recalled. ‘He kept invoking the markets’ and told the group they ‘only understood how entrepreneurship works, but didn’t understand how government worked.’ Though Kushner’s arguments ‘made no sense,’ said the attendee, there seemed to be little hope of changing his mind. ‘It felt like Kushner was the president. He sat in the chair and he was clearly making the decisions.’” [Vanity Fair, 9/17/20]
The Change In Regulations For Testing Was Not Written By CDC Scientists, And Did Not Clear The Scientific Review Process. According to the New York Times, “A heavily criticized recommendation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last month about who should be tested for the coronavirus was not written by C.D.C. scientists and was posted to the agency’s website despite their serious objections, according to several people familiar with the matter as well as internal documents obtained by The New York Times. The guidance said it was not necessary to test people without symptoms of COVID-19 even if they had been exposed to the virus. It came at a time when public health experts were pushing for more testing rather than less, and administration officials told The Times that the document was a C.D.C. product and had been revised with input from the agency’s director, Dr. Robert Redfield. But officials told The Times this week that the Department of Health and Human Services did the rewriting and then ‘dropped’ it into the C.D.C.’s public website, flouting the agency’s strict scientific review process.” [New York Times, 9/17/20]
September 19, 2020: There Were 6,789,594 Cases Of And 199,154 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on September 19, 2020, there were 6,789,594 cases of and 199,154 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Stripped The FDA Of The Authority To Approve New Products, Including Medicines And Vaccines, Reserving That Authority For Himself. According to the New York Times, “In a stunning declaration of authority, Alex M. Azar II, the secretary of health and human services, this week barred the nation’s health agencies, including the Food and Drug Administration, from signing any new rules regarding the nation’s foods, medicines, medical devices and other products, including vaccines. Going forward, Mr. Azar wrote in a Sept. 15 memorandum obtained by The New York Times, such power ‘is reserved to the Secretary.’ The bulletin was sent to heads of operating and staff divisions within H.H.S. It’s unclear if or how the memo would change the vetting and approval process for coronavirus vaccines, three of which are in advanced clinical trials in the United States. Political appointees, under pressure from the president, have taken a string of steps over the past few months to interfere with the standard scientific and regulatory processes at the health agencies. For example, a much criticized guideline on testing for the coronavirus was not written by C.D.C. scientists, and was posted on the agency’s public website over their objections. It was reversed on Friday.” [New York Times, 9/19/20]
September 20, 2020: There Were 6,825,950 Cases Of And 199,367 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on September 20, 2020, there were 6,825,950 cases of and 199,367 deaths related to COVID-19. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
The Share Of Testing Labs Having Difficulty Accessing Enough Reagents To Process Their Tests Jumped From 58% In July To 67%. According to the Wall Street Journal, “The overall number of COVID-19 tests distributed around the country has grown from 15.8 million in April to 37.6 million last month, according to the Advanced Medical Technology Association, a medical device trade group. But shortages have continued to occur in reagents and other supplies, caused by regional increases in demand when infection rates rise, schools reopen and new testing requirements take effect, such as those for nursing homes, medical experts said. According to a survey last month by the American Association for Clinical Chemistry, which represents commercial, hospital and public-health laboratories, 67% of labs are having issues getting both reagents and test kits—the highest level since the group started querying labs in May. In late June and early July, 58% of labs struggled to get enough test kits and 46% enough reagents, according to an earlier survey.” [Wall Street Journal, 9/22/20]
September 21, 2020: There Were 6,880,902 Cases Of And 199,797 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on September 21, 2020, there were 6,880,902 cases of and 199,797 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Because The Trump Administration Did Not Use The Defense Production Act To Facilitate The Sharing Of Information Related To Making N95 Masks, Many Companies That Started Making Them Created Inferior Products. According to the Washington Post, “Others have gradually joined in on their own. But then those filters have to be made into respirators, and those respirators have to be approved by NIOSH, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. The entire process has moved at a glacial pace in comparison with the flurry of activity that rid the country of its ventilator shortage. Ventec, a company known for its efficient, toaster-size ventilators, handed its plans over to General Motors so that the auto company, under the DPA, could mass produce a product that was known to work. Other ventilator companies followed, handing over their trade secrets to Ford, Foxconn and other major manufacturers. But when GM started making N95s, engineers with expertise in car interiors and air bags were charged with figuring out the process from scratch, the company said. Although they received advice from major mask makers, there were no groundbreaking corporate partnerships this time. The first N95s GM made were rejected by NIOSH. The second design didn’t correctly fit most people. Other potential manufacturers went through the same challenges as GM, failing tests and making flat-fold N95s that experts worry do not offer a tight enough seal. ‘If there was some kind of intellectual sharing, they wouldn’t be doing that,’ said Christopher Coffey, who was the associate director for science in the NIOSH approvals program before retiring in January. The DPA does have a provision that would allow manufacturers to work together without being subject to antitrust laws. But it has yet to be used for N95s.” [Washington Post, 9/21/20]
September 22, 2020: There Were 6,918,293 Cases Of And 200,738 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on September 22, 2020, there were 6,918,293 cases of and 200,738 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Trump Claimed “Virtually Nobody” Younger Than 18 Was Affected By The Virus. According to the Washington Post, “As the U.S. death toll from the novel coronavirus prepares to eclipse 200,000, President Trump on Monday incorrectly claimed at a campaign rally that COVID-19 ‘affects virtually nobody’ younger than 18, again downplaying the extent of the pandemic and contradicting his previous statements that the virus poses a risk to ‘plenty of young people.’ In front of a crowd of mostly maskless supporters not adhering to social distancing in Swanton, Ohio, Trump suggested that only older Americans with heart problems and preexisting conditions truly need to fear the virus.” [Washington Post, 9/22/20]
September 23, 2020: There Were 6,959,842 Cases Of And 201,828 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on September 23, 2020, there were 6,959,842 cases of and 201,828 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Study: College Reopening Drove About 3,000 Additional Cases Per Day. According to Kaiser Health News, “Reopening colleges drove a coronavirus surge of about 3,000 new cases a day in the United States, according to a draft study released Tuesday. The study, done jointly by researchers at the University of North Carolina-Greensboro, Indiana University, the University of Washington and Davidson College, tracked cellphone data and matched it to reopening schedules at 1,400 schools, along with county infection rates. ‘Our study was looking to see whether we could observe increases both in movement and in case count — so case reports in counties and all over the U.S.,’ said Ana Bento, an infectious disease expert and assistant professor at Indiana University’s School of Public Health. ‘Then we tried to understand if these were different in counties where, of course, there were universities or colleges, and particularly, to see if these increases were larger in magnitude in colleges with face-to-face instruction primarily,’ she said. Nearly 900 of those schools opened primarily with in-person classes, according to the draft study. The research examines the period from July 15 to Sept. 13. It does not name specific institutions or locations, but researchers found a correlation between schools that attempted in-person instruction and greater disease transmission rates.” [Kaiser Health News, 9/23/20]
September 25, 2020: There Were 7,059,627 Cases Of And 203,566 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on September 25, 2020, there were 7,059,627 cases of and 203,566 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
HHS Planned To Begin Before Election Day A $300 Million Public Relations Campaign Organized By Michael Caputo To Tout The Administration’s Response To The Virus. According to Politico, “The health department is moving quickly on a highly unusual advertising campaign to ‘defeat despair’ about the coronavirus, a $300 million-plus effort that was shaped by a political appointee close to President Donald Trump and executed in part by close allies of the official, using taxpayer funds. The ad blitz, described in some budget documents as the ‘COVID-19 immediate surge public advertising and awareness campaign,’ is expected to lean heavily on video interviews between administration officials and celebrities, who will discuss aspects of the coronavirus outbreak and address the Trump administration's response to the crisis, according to six individuals with knowledge of the campaign who described its workings to POLITICO. Senior administration officials have already recorded interviews with celebrities like actor Dennis Quaid and singer CeCe Winans, and the Health and Human Services Department also has pursued television host Dr. Mehmet Oz and musician Garth Brooks for roles in the campaign. The public awareness campaign, which HHS is seeking to start airing before Election Day on Nov. 3, was largely conceived and organized by Michael Caputo, the health department's top spokesperson who took medical leave last week and announced on Thursday that he had been diagnosed with cancer. Caputo, who has no medical or scientific background, claimed in a Facebook video on Sept. 13 that the campaign was ‘demanded of me by the president of the United States. Personally.’” [Politico, 9/25/20]
October 2, 2020: There Were 7,362,733 Cases Of And 208,564 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on October 2, 2020, there were 7,362,733 cases of and 208,564 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Trump Announced That He Had Tested Positive For COVID-19. According to CNN, “The news comes after a chaotic day marked by Trump’s announcement early Friday morning that he and first lady Melania Trump had tested positive for COVID-19, followed by the sudden news Friday afternoon that he was being taken to Walter Reed at Conley’s recommendation.” [CNN, 10/2/20]
Trump Flew To Walter Reed After Contracting COVID-19. According to CNN, “Friday, October 2
Trump emerged from the White House at 6:16 p.m. ET for his first public appearance since his diagnosis was announced. He walked under his own power to his waiting helicopter, which took him to Walter Reed.” [CNN, 10/12/20]
October 4, 2020: There Were 7,445,575 Cases Of And 209,606 Deaths Related To COVD-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on October 4, 2020, there were 7,445,575 cases of and 209,606 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Trump Left Walter Reed To Wave To His Supporters From The Back Of An SUV Endangering His Staff. According to CNN, “In the midst of an aggressive course of treatment for coronavirus, President Donald Trump left the hospital with his security detail Sunday so he could ride in an SUV past supporters cheering him on outside Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. The short trip, where Trump waved to his supporters through the window while wearing a mask in the back of his SUV, was an attempted show of strength that displayed the President’s questionable judgment, his willingness to endanger his staff and the fact that he still does not seem to comprehend the seriousness of a highly contagious and deadly disease.” [CNN, 10/4/20]
Trump’s White House Physician Failed To Answer Basic Questions And Admitted That He Omitted Drops In Trump’s Oxygen Levels. According to CNN, “Also on Sunday, Conley held a briefing that raised more questions than answers about the President's condition. The White House physician failed to answer basic questions about the President's condition, and he admitted that in his news conference Saturday he had omitted alarming drops in the President's oxygen levels. Conley said it was because he wanted to "reflect the upbeat attitude" that the team and the President had about his condition.” [CNN, 10/12/20]
October 5, 2020: There Were 7,507,988 Cases Of And 210,035 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on October 5, 2020, there were 7,507,988 cases of and 210,035 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Trump Left Walter Reed After 72 Hours And Posed Maskless On The White House Balcony. According to CNN, “President Donald Trump staged a reckless departure from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Monday, telling his followers the virus that dangerously deprived him of oxygen and hospitalized him for 72 hours was nothing to fear before posing for a mask-less photo-op on the White House balcony.” [CNN, 10/5/20]
Trump Posted A Propaganda Video After Returning To The White House Of His Entrance. According to CNN, “Peeling off his mask, Trump posed in salute as his helicopter departed before walking inside. The building he’s returning to has become a center for viral contagion – in part because of disregard for mitigation measures. Then Trump posted a propaganda video after apparently re-doing his White House entrance for effect. He also nonsensically seemed to claim he faced the coronavirus because he ‘had to’ as a ‘leader’ – a deeply misleading message to deliver.” [CNN, 10/5/20]
Trump Refused To Answer When He Last Tested Negative. According to CNN, “He also continued to obfuscate on critical pieces of information, such as when Trump last tested negative for coronavirus or what was revealed in a lung scan. He said privacy rules prevented him from disclosing those details, even though he and other doctors treating the President offered very specific figures in other areas that seemed to show Trump’s condition improving.” [CNN, 10/5/20]
October 6, 2020: There Were 7,550,850 Cases Of And 210,756 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on October 6, 2020, there were 7,550,850 cases of and 210,756 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Three Additional White House Staffers Were Reported To Have Tested Positive. According to CNN, “At least three additional staff members, including senior adviser Stephen Miller, were revealed to have tested positive on Tuesday. The atmosphere inside the White House was described by one official as ‘chaotic,’ largely because many people were working remotely and the President was calling the shots. The West Wing remained largely vacant.” [CNN, 10/12/20]
October 7, 2020: There Were 7,603,867 Cases Of And 211,752 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on October 7, 2020, there were 7,603,867 cases of and 211,752 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Trump Called Catching COVID-19 “A Blessing From God.” According to the New York Times, “President Trump claimed on Wednesday that catching the coronavirus was ‘a blessing from God’ and portrayed as a miracle cure the unproven therapeutic drug he was given after testing positive last week for the virus.” [New York Times, 10/7/20]
October 10, 2020: There Were 7,770,859 Cases And 214,187 Deaths. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on October 10, 2020, there were 7,770,859 cases of and 214,187 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Trump Held A Rally For 2,000 On The White House Lawn. According to CNN, “Saturday, October 10 Trump, in his first public event since he was diagnosed with the coronavirus, gave a brief campaign-style speech from the balcony of the White House. The President invited some 2,000 people for the speech. The large gathering followed Trump’s acknowledgment during a televised interview Friday that he may have contracted the virus at one of the recent events at the White House.” [CNN, 10/12/20]
October 11, 2020: There Were 7,815,642 Cases Of And 214,606 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on October 11, 2020, there were 7,815,642 cases of and 214,606 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Trump Said He “Beat” COVID-19 And That He Was “Immune.” According to NBC News, “In an extensive interview with Fox News' Maria Bartiromo, Trump claimed that he ‘beat’ the coronavirus, passing the ‘highest standards’ for proving so. Trump said he is also no longer taking any medications to combat the virus after having been placed on a heavy steroid typically given to people with more severe cases. ‘It looks like I'm immune for, I don't know, maybe a long time, maybe a short time,’ he said. ‘It could be a lifetime. Nobody really knows, but I'm immune. So the president is in very good shape to fight the battles.’” [NBC News, 10/11/20]
October 12, 2020: There Were 7,863,658 Cases Of And 214,957 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on October 12, 2020, there were 7,863,658 cases of and 214,957 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
More Than 12 People In Trump’s Circle Tested Positive For COVID-19. According to CNN, “More than a dozen members of Trump’s circle also tested positive, including press secretary Kayleigh McEnany, senior adviser Stephen Miller, campaign manager Bill Stepien and assistant to the President Nicholas Luna.” [CNN, 10/12/20]
October 15, 2020: There Were 8,043,257 Cases Of And 217,585 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on October 15, 2020, there were 8,043,257 cases and 217,585 deaths. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Trump Claimed He Did Not Remember If He Was Tested For COVID-19 The Day Before The First Presidential Debate With Biden. According to NBC News, “President Trump claimed he doesn't remember if he was tested for coronavirus the day of his first presidential debate with Joe Biden during a town hall in Miami.” [NBC News, 10/15/20]
October 26, 2020: There Were 8,777,994 Cases Of And 225,701 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on October 26, 2020, there were 8,777,994 cases of and 225,701 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Trump Claimed The Worsening COVID-19 Outbreak Was A “Fake News Media Conspiracy.” According to CNBC, “President Donald Trump on Monday claimed the worsening coronavirus outbreak in the United States is a ‘Fake News Media Conspiracy,’ saying the nation has the most cases in the world only because ‘we TEST, TEST, TEST.’” [CNBC, 10/26/20]
October 30, 2020: There Were 9,124,800 Cases Of And 229,674 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S.. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on October 30, 2020, there were 9,124,800 cases of and 229,674 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Trump Accused Doctors Of Over Reporting COVID-19 To “Make Money.” According to Time, “Trump has marked his final blitz of rallies with a cascade of misinformation on the pandemic. Speaking in Waterford Township, Michigan on Oct. 30, Trump joked that mask use was ‘politically correct,’ falsely accused doctors of over reporting COVID-19 deaths to ‘make money,’ inaccurately blamed the rise in cases on more testing, and said, ‘If you get it, you’re gonna get better,’ which hasn’t been the case for hundreds of thousands of Americans and more than one million people worldwide.” [Time, 10/31/20]
November 2, 2020: There Were 9,377,208 Cases Of And 231,480 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on November 2, 2020, there were 9,377,208 cases of and 231,480 deaths related to COVID-19 in the U.S. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
A Stanford Study Concluded That Trump’s Campaign Rallies Led To Over 30,000 Cases Of COVID-19. According to CNBC, “President Donald Trump’s campaign rallies led to more than 30,000 coronavirus cases, according to a new paper posted by researchers at Stanford.” [CNBC, 11/2/20]
November 13, 2020: There Were 10,819,442 Cases Of And 244,255 Deaths Related To COVID-19 In The U.S. According to the New York Times’s COVID-19 data on GitHub, on 1/31/2020 there were 10,819,442 cases and 244,255 deaths. [GitHub - New York Times, Accessed 3/4/24]
Trump Threatened To Withhold COVID-19 Vaccine From New York State As Part Of A Feud With Then Governor Cuomo. According to NBC News, “President Donald Trump threatened to withhold a coronavirus vaccine from New York state on Friday and escalated his feud with Gov. Andrew Cuomo during his first public comments since Joe Biden was projected the winner in the presidential race.” [NBC News, 11/13/20]