As with the first and second timelines, COVID-19 case numbers for this post are taken from https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/, and there may be a lag between Trump’s statements and the day’s reported numbers.
Apr. 20 – 808,540 US cases, 43,632 US deaths. 2.5 million cases and 173,000 deaths worldwide.
Now we’re going toward 50 – I’m hearing, or 60,000 people. One is too many. I always say it. One is too many, but we’re going toward 50 or 60,000 people. That’s at the lower – as you know the lower (end of the projections) was supposed to be 100,000 people.
Trump compares a testing swab to a Q-Tip.
This is what it’s about, right? Does it remind you of something? Reminds you of this, right? One’s a swab, one’s a Q-Tip. It’s actually different. It’s very sophisticated, actually.
Apr. 21 – 835,402 cases, 46,380 deaths. Trump again brags about his press conference’s ratings, again comparing them to The Bachelor.
Apr. 22 – 866,683 cases, 48,790 deaths. Trump shuts down immigration via Executive Order.
Apr. 23 – 898,081 cases, 51,191 deaths. Trump proposes investigating whether using UV light and injecting disinfectants could combat COVID-19.
So, supposing we hit the body with a tremendous, whether its ultraviolet or just very powerful light… And I then I see the disinfectant, where it knocks it out in one minute, and is there a way you can do something like that by injection inside, or almost a cleaning
Apr. 24 – 934,555 cases, 53,183 deaths.
Trump says he made comments about UV light and injecting disinfectant “sarcastically.”
Apr. 25 – 969,206 cases, 55,295 deaths.
Trump defends himself from charges that he had called coronavirus a Democrat hoax.
Apr. 26 – 995,057 cases, 56,467 deaths.
Apr. 27 – 1,018,913 cases, 57,871 deaths.
Trump brushes off reports of people taking his former suggestions about using UV light and injecting disinfectant seriously.
I can’t imagine why [people are ingesting disinfectants].
Apr. 28 – 1,044,752 cases, 60,406 deaths. COVID-19 deaths now surpass all US deaths from the Vietnam War.
Apr. 29 – 1,073,600 cases, 62,852 deaths.
It’s going to go. It’s going to leave. It’s going to be gone. It’s going to be eradicated.
Trump repeats past claims that Joe Scarborough is a murderer.
Apr. 30 – 1,104,914 cases, 65,127 deaths.
We did a spectacular job…
Trump again warns against mass voter fraud, which he previously claimed is why he lost the 2016 popular vote.
May 1 – 1,141,084 cases, 67,077 deaths. Trump replaces watchdog who identified critical medical shortages and threatens China with new tariffs as retaliation for COVID-19.
May 2 – 1,170,057 cases, 68,809 deaths.
Hopefully we’re going to come in under that 100,000 lives lost.
May 3 – 1,196,402 cases, 69,985 deaths.
We’re going to lose anywhere from 75, 80 to 100,000 people. That’s a horrible thing.
May 5 – 1,247,549 cases, 73,733 deaths. Trump discusses shutting down the coronavirus response team.
Trump complains about aggressive reporters.
Paula Reid, she’s sitting there and I say, ‘How angry. I mean, What’s the purpose?’ They’re not even tough questions, but you see the attitude of these people, it’s like incredible.
Trump tours a mask facility without wearing a mask, while the song Live and Let Die plays over the loudspeakers.
I think it’s a mask facility, right? If it’s a mask facility, I will. Yeah. I don’t know if it’s a mask facility.
May 6 – 1,273,101 cases, 76,312 deaths. Signs Proclamation in Recognition of National Nurses Day.
Trump speaks on Dr. Bright, a vaccine expert who was fired for pushing back against the unproven drugs Trump promoted.
I never met Dr. Bright. I don’t know who he is. I didn’t hear good things about him. I did not hear good things about him at all. To me, he seems like a disgruntled employee that’s trying to help the Democrats.
Trump reversed prior remarks on dissolving the coronavirus response team.
I thought we could wind it down sooner. But I had no idea how popular the task force is until, actually, yesterday when I started talking about winding it down.
May 7 – 1,302,758 cases, 78,485 deaths. The Department of Justice drops charges against former Trump national security advisor Michael Flynn.
May 8 – 1,331,927 cases, 80,202 deaths.
This is why the whole concept of tests aren’t necessarily great. The tests are perfect, but something can happen between a test where it’s good and then something happens and all of the sudden.
May 9 – 1,357,470 cases, 81,656 deaths.
May 10 – 1,377,665 cases, 82,872 deaths. Trump tweets over 100 times during Mother’s Day.
May 11 – 1,397,037 cases, 83,948 deaths. Trump storms out of press conference.
May 15 – 1,498,606 cases, 91,154 deaths.
Joe has absolutely no idea what’s happening. AOC is a disaster. She wants all fossil fuel out. She wants everything out. She wants wind, which is expensive — kills all the birds. You know, I’m also an environmentalist. But wind is a disaster.
May 16 – 1,522,117 cases, 92,396 deaths.
We used to make our own product, would you believe it? We used to make our product, right. We don’t need 37 pencils, we can buy two pencils, and make them be better.
Trump tweets a video of himself giving the Presidential speech from the 1996 film Independence Day.
May 17 – 1,541,642 cases, 93,280 deaths.
Vaccine or no vaccine, we’re back.
CNN – April 21 coronavirus news
The Independent – Trump revises coronavirus deaths prediction to ‘hopefully’ under 100,000
Vanity Fair – Trump Casually Doubles the Number of Americans He’d Be Okay Losing to the Coronavirus
Forbes – ‘I Can’t Imagine Why’: Trump Denies Responsibility For Spike In Disinfectant Emergency Calls
The Hill – Trump says coronavirus will be ‘eradicated’
The New York Times – Trump Moves to Replace Watchdog Who Identified Critical Medical Shortages
New York Magazine – Trump to Boost Confidence in Handling Second Wave As First Still Rages: Report
The Independent – Trump tweets more than 100 times in one day as coronavirus death toll nears 80,000
The New York Times – Trump Foresees Virus Death Toll as High as 100,000 in the United States
Business Insider – Trump says Biden has ‘no idea what’s happening’ seconds before claiming that AOC ‘wants wind’ that ‘kills all the birds’
MSNBC – Trump declares ‘vaccine or no vaccine, we’re back,’ as coronavirus deaths approach 90,000
National Geographic – U.S. coronavirus deaths now surpass fatalities in the Vietnam War
