Page 3 - aruba-today-20200307

A3
U.S. NEWS Saturday 7 March 2020
Continued from front So far, 14 people have died
Trump called Washington in the United States. Trump
state's governor a "snake." downplayed concern that
He said he'd prefer that the country was not ready
people exposed to the vi- to respond to an outbreak.
rus on a cruise ship be left Trump also said he talked
aboard so they wouldn't be on the phone with Califor-
added to the count for the nia Gov. Gavin Newsom
nation's total number of in- about the 3,500 people
fections. stuck on a cruise ship an-
The president touted the chored off the coast of
accuracy of the test to de- California. Trump, at the
tect the coronavirus, which CDC, advocated for the
members of his administra- passengers to remain on
tion have acknowledged the ship — in part so they
is not available to all who would not count against
wants it, declaring it was the total number of victims
"perfect like the letter was in the United States. He did
perfect. The transcription say he would defer to the
was perfect. This was not as medical experts. The legis- President Donald Trump holds a picture as he speaks during a meeting with Gov. Brian Kemp,
perfect as that, but pretty lation Trump signed at the R-Ga., left, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, Centers for Disease Control and Pre-
good." White House provides fed- vention Director Dr. Robert Redfield, Associate Director for Laboratory Science and Safety Steve
Monroe, about the coronavirus at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director, Friday,
Trump was referring to the eral public health agencies March 6, 2020 in Atlanta.
rough transcript of his July with money for vaccines, Associated Press
call with Ukraine's presi- tests and potential treat-
dent, which prompted a ments and helps state and great — he was at MIT. He said. "I like this stuff. I really ter touring tornado dam-
whistleblower complaint local governments prepare taught at MIT for a record get it. People are surprised age in Tennessee. He was
that led to his impeach- and respond to the threat. number of years. He was that I understand it. ... May- to spend the weekend at
ment. Trump, who was ac- "It's an unforeseen prob- a great super genius, Dr. be I have a natural ability." his resort in Palm Beach,
quitted by the Senate last lem," Trump said about the John Trump," the president Trump visited the CDC af- Florida.q
month, has insisted he did virus. "It came out of no-
nothing wrong. where. We're taking care
Trump said his trip to the of it."
CDC had been canceled The Senate passed the $8.3
earlier over concern about billion measure Thursday to
a possible infection there, help tackle the outbreak in
but that person tested neg- hopes of reassuring a fear-
ative. The visit was resched- ful public and accelerating
uled for Friday afternoon. the government's response
"Be calm. It will go away," to the virus. The money
Trump told reporters earlier will pay for a multifaceted
at the White House after attack on a virus that is
signing a $8.3 billion coro- spreading more widely ev-
navirus response funding ery day, sending financial
bill at the White House. markets spiraling again
"We have very low num- Thursday, disrupting travel
bers compared to major and potentially threaten-
countries throughout the ing the U.S. economy's de-
world. Our numbers are cade-long expansion.
lower than just about any- The plan would more
body," Trump said about than triple the $2.5 billion
cases of the virus, which amount outlined by the
have rocked financial mar- White House 10 days ago.
kets, interrupted travel and The Trump proposal was
threaten to affect every- immediately discarded by
day life in the United States. members of Congress from
But his messaging was both parties. Instead, the
more haphazard at the At- bipartisan leadership of the
lanta-based CDC. Despite House and Senate Appro-
calling this week for bipar- priations committees nego-
tisanship during the crisis, tiated the increased figure
he said he told Vice Presi- and other provisions of the
dent Mike Pence not to legislation in a burst of bi-
be complimentary during partisan cooperation that's
his Thursday meeting with common on the panel but
Gov. Jay Inslee of Wash- increasingly rare elsewhere
ington, where more than a in Washington.
dozen people have died, The president, while tour-
because "he is a snake." ing the CDC, also boasted
"Let me just tell you we have about his ability to un-
a lot of problems with the derstand the virus, even
governor and, that's where though he has repeatedly
you have many of your misstated how long it would
problems, OK?" Trump said. take for a vaccine to be
"So Mike may be happy developed and available.
with him but I'm not, OK?" "You know my Uncle was a