Trump’s former national security advisor, John Bolton, described the exchange in his 2020 book, The Room Where it Happened.
In 2019 conversation between Trump and Chinese President Xi during a G20 meeting, Trump described the detainment and relocation of the Uighur people as “exactly the right thing to do.”
Uighur detainees in Xinjiang, April 2017. Wikipedia
An estimated 2 to 3 million Uighur Muslims, an ethnic minority in China, are separated from their families and imprisoned across hundreds of concentration camps to undergo re-education and forced labor. Survivors have recounted people being regularly beaten, tortured, and murdered.
China’s Communist Party maintains that such measures are necessary to prevent terrorism.
Trump’s 2020 presidential opponent, Joe Biden, referred to China’s treatment of the Uighur people as genocide.
As the COVID-19 pandemic began, Trump went from “It’s going to be just fine” to “I’ve felt it was a pandemic long before it was called a pandemic” in 56 days. As with that first timeline, 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.
Mar. 18 – 10,091 total US cases, 171 deaths.
It’s not racist at all. No. Not at all. It comes from China. That’s why. It comes from China. I want to be accurate.
Mar. 19 – 14,896 cases, 240 deaths. Trump promotes unproven drug treatments, falsely claiming that it has been approved by the FDA for COVID-19.
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.
America’s Private Sector is stepping up to help us be STRONG! Many of the Nation’s distillers, large and small, are producing and donating hand sanitizer to help fight #COVID19. THANK YOU! https://t.co/bcjKA9Janw
Mar. 20 – 20,873 cases, 310 deaths. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo orders all non-essential businesses to keep their workers home. Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker issues a “stay-at-home” order. Indiana, Ohio, Louisiana, and others follow.
Mar. 21 – 25,969 cases, 376 deaths.
HYDROXYCHLOROQUINE & AZITHROMYCIN, taken together, have a real chance to be one of the biggest game changers in the history of medicine. The FDA has moved mountains – Thank You! Hopefully they will BOTH (H works better with A, International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents)…..
You look at automobile accidents, which are far greater than any numbers we’re talking about. That doesn’t mean we’re going to tell everybody no more driving of cars. So we have to do things to get our country open.
Mar. 24 – 58,021 cases, 962 deaths.
Ultimately the goal is to ease the guidelines…Easter is our timeline, what a great timeline that would be.
Mar. 25 – 71,638 cases, 1,269 deaths. 3.3 million Americans file for unemployment.
Mar. 26 – 89,513 cases, 1,629 deaths. The United States now leads the world in confirmed COVID-19 cases.
Our country has to go back. Our country is based on that. And I think it’s going to happen pretty quickly. A lot of progress is made, but we’ve got to get back to work.
Mar. 27 – 108,537 cases, 2,131 deaths.
You call it a germ, you can call it a flu, you can call it a virus. You know, you can call it many different names. I’m not sure anybody even knows what it is.
Mar. 28 – 127,827 cases, 2,781 deaths.
On the recommendation of the White House CoronaVirus Task Force, and upon consultation with the Governor’s of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, I have asked the @CDCgov to issue a strong Travel Advisory, to be administered by the Governors, in consultation with the….
Because the “Ratings” of my News Conferences etc. are so high, “Bachelor finale, Monday Night Football type numbers” according to the @nytimes, the Lamestream Media is going CRAZY. “Trump is reaching too many people, we must stop him.” said one lunatic. See you at 5:00 P.M.!
“President Trump is a ratings hit. Since reviving the daily White House briefing Mr. Trump and his coronavirus updates have attracted an average audience of 8.5 million on cable news, roughly the viewership of the season finale of ‘The Bachelor.’ Numbers are continuing to rise…
Mar. 30 – 171,640 cases, 3,150 deaths. American deaths from COVID-19 surpass 9/11.
Apr. 1 – 224,651 cases, 6,465 deaths.
Did you know I was number one on Facebook?
Apr. 2 – 255,276 cases, 7,676 deaths. Global cases reaches 1 million. Another 6.6 million Americans file for unemployment.
Apr. 4 – 322,790 cases, 10,537 deaths. More American deaths than those from Operation Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan) combined.
I may take [hydroxychloroquine]. I’ll have to ask my doctors about that. But I may take it.
Maybe we could allow special, for churches, maybe we could talk about it. Maybe we could allow them, with great separation outside, on Easter Sunday. I don’t know, it’s something we should talk about.
Trump has no idea how coronavirus is transmitted from person to person and therefore doesn't get why packed churches amid a pandemic is a bad idea. This clip of him talking about how he considered an Easter exemption from social distancing shows it. pic.twitter.com/G4LXzNIGKf
Apr. 6 – 381,262 cases, 13,488 deaths. Trump interjects during a question for Dr. Fauci about hydroxychloroquine.
I answered this 15 times. You don’t have to answer.
Apr. 7 – 415,992 cases, 15,755 deaths. Trump echoes past claims of fraud with mail-in voting.
Mail-in voting is horrible, it’s corrupt…sure I could vote by mail, because I’m allowed to.
Trump falsely claims in a Hannity interview that the US is not experiencing a shortage of beds and ventilators.
The good thing is that the number of beds needed, I think we were right about that. I was right. My group was right.
I just saw on your show and a couple of other people just reported back to me that everyone is in great shape from the standpoint of ventilators, which are very hard, because they’re expensive and they’re big and like — it’s, you know — it’s — and they’re very high-tech.
Apr. 8 – 448,806 cases, 17,966 deaths. Trump threatens to halt WHO funding.
They really called every aspect of it wrong…recently social media said they seem to be very China-centric.
Apr. 9 – 482,724 cases, 20,113 deaths. An additional 6.6 million Americans file for unemployment. The Federal Reserve announces a stimulus of $2,300,000,000,000 ($2.3 trillion).
This is a very brilliant enemy. You know, it’s a brilliant enemy. They develop drugs like the antibiotics. You see it. Antibiotics used to solve every problem. Now one of the biggest problems the world has is the germ has gotten so brilliant that the antibiotic can’t keep up with it… We’re fighting – not only is it hidden, but it’s very smart, okay? It’s invisible and it’s hidden, but it’s – it’s very smart.
Apr. 11 – 546,923 cases, 24,460 deaths. The United States now leads the world in COVID-19 deaths. Reports surface of Trump asking Dr. Fauci, “Why don’t we let this wash over the country?”
So now the Fake News @nytimes is tracing the CoronaVirus origins back to Europe, NOT China. This is a first! I wonder what the Failing New York Times got for this one? Are there any NAMED sources? They were recently thrown out of China like dogs, and obviously want back in. Sad!
Great businessman & philanthropist Bernie Marcus, Co-Founder of Home Depot, said that Congress was too distracted by the (phony) Impeachment Witch Hunt when they should have been investigating CoronaVirus when it first appeared in China. Media played a big roll also!@dcexaminer
Apr. 13 – 600,825 cases, 27,963 deaths. Trump plays video in White House briefing room titled “The media minimized the risk from the start.” He claims total authority over state governors.
Well I have the ultimate authority. President of the United States has the authority to do what the President has the authority to do, which is very powerful.
Trump spars with a reporter over a gap in actions taken February.
You’re so disgraceful. It’s so disgraceful the way you say that…nobody thought we should do it, and when I did it, you know what we did? You know what we did? What do you do when you have no case in the whole United States…zero cases zero deaths on January 17. …we did a lot. Look, look, you know you’re a fake, you know that, your whole network is fake.
Apr. 14 – 629,827 cases, 30,592 deaths. Trump halts US funding to the WHO.
Apr. 16 – 691,619 cases, 35,537 deaths. Another 5.2 million Americans file for unemployment, totaling approximately 22 million. Trump declines to speak out against protests in Michigan and other states against closures and social distancing.
There’s death and there’s problems in staying at home, too. It’s not just isn’t it wonderful to stay at home. They’re having – they’re suffering. This country wasn’t built on that principle, it was built on an exact opposite principle, actually. And I watched in one particular state where they were, they want to get back, the want to get back… I think they listen to me, they seem to be protesters that like me, and respect this opinion, and my opinion is the same as all the governors. They all want to open.
Apr. 17 – 724,900 cases, 38,134 deaths. Trump tweets in response to reports of protests against state closures, even citing the 2nd Amendment, though he has suggested taking guns without due process.
The timeline below includes Trump’s remarks alongside US cases and other major events. 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.
Dec. 31 – World Health Organization first alerted to the existence of a new respiratory virus in China.
Jan. 5 – WHO publishes first Disease Outbreak News for COVID-19.
Jan. 8 – CDC issues first travel advisory, “alerting clinicians on January 8, 2020, to be on the look-out for patients with respiratory symptoms and a history of travel to Wuhan, China.”
Jan. 9 – Trump holds Ohio rally.
Jan. 12 – China shares genetic sequence of COVID-19.
Jan. 14 – WHO says evidence of human-to-human transmission is inconclusive. Trump holds Wisconsin rally.
Preliminary investigations conducted by the Chinese authorities have found no clear evidence of human-to-human transmission of the novel #coronavirus (2019-nCoV) identified in #Wuhan, #China🇨🇳. pic.twitter.com/Fnl5P877VG
Jan. 18 – Trump receives a briefing from Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, who said the President viewed him as “alarmist.” The briefing was by phone, as Trump was at Mar-a-Lago golfing for the weekend.
Jan. 19 – Trump golfs.
Jan. 21 – First reported case in the United States.
Jan. 22 – 1 case. WHO declares evidence of person to person transmission.
“We have it totally under control. … It’s going to be just fine.”
Jan. 23 – WHO issues global advisory.
WHO’s risk assessment is that the outbreak is a very high risk in China, and a high risk regionally and globally…We know that there is human-to-human transmission in China, but for now it appears limited to family groups and health workers caring for infected patients. At this time, there is no evidence of human-to-human transmission outside China, but that doesn’t mean it won’t happen.
Jan. 24 – 2 cases.
China has been working very hard to contain the Coronavirus. The United States greatly appreciates their efforts and transparency. It will all work out well. In particular, on behalf of the American People, I want to thank President Xi!
Jan. 30 – 7 cases. First person-to-person transmission confirmed by CDC, indicating COVID-19 had been freely spreading for several days, possibly weeks. Trump holds Iowa rally.
“We think we have it very well under control. We have very little problem in this country at this moment — five. And those people are all recuperating successfully. But we’re working very closely with China and other countries, and we think it’s going to have a very good ending for it. So that I can assure you.”
Working closely with China and others on Coronavirus outbreak. Only 5 people in U.S., all in good recovery.
Jan. 31 – 8 cases. China travel ban issued; US citizens and legal residents are exempt. HHS Secretary Azar declares public health crisis. There are 11,950 confirmed cases worldwide, 156 of which are outside of China spanning 19 nations.
Feb 1. – 8 cases. Trump golfs.
Feb 2. – 11 cases. China travel ban goes into effect.
Well, we pretty much shut it down coming in from China. We have a tremendous relationship with China, which is a very positive thing.
Feb. 5 – 11 cases. Trump’s impeachment trial ends as the Senate votes not to convict.
Feb. 7 – 11 cases. In tapes revealed in September 2020, Trump tells Bob Woodward about the severity of the virus.
It goes through air, Bob. That’s always tougher than the touch. 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…This is more deadly. This is 5% versus 1%, and less than 1%. So this is deadly stuff.
Feb. 10 – 12 cases. Trump holds New Hampshire rally.
Now, the virus that we’re talking about having to do — you know, a lot of people think that goes away in April with the heat — as the heat comes in. Typically, that will go away in April. We’re in great shape though.
The virus, they’re working hard. Looks like by April, you know, in theory, when it gets a little warmer, it miraculously goes away.
Feb. 15 – 15 cases. Trump golfs.
Feb. 19 – 15 cases. Trump holds Arizona rally.
Feb. 20 – 15 cases. Trump holds Colorado rally.
Feb. 21 – 35 cases. Trump holds Nevada rally.
Feb. 24 – 53 cases. “CDC & World Health have been working hard and very smart,” Trump will halt funding to the World Health Organization within two months.
The Coronavirus is very much under control in the USA. We are in contact with everyone and all relevant countries. CDC & World Health have been working hard and very smart. Stock Market starting to look very good to me!
Cryin’ Chuck Schumer is complaining, for publicity purposes only, that I should be asking for more money than $2.5 Billion to prepare for Coronavirus. If I asked for more he would say it is too much. He didn’t like my early travel closings. I was right. He is incompetent!
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.
Low Ratings Fake News MSDNC (Comcast) & @CNN are doing everything possible to make the Caronavirus look as bad as possible, including panicking markets, if possible. Likewise their incompetent Do Nothing Democrat comrades are all talk, no action. USA in great shape! @CDCgov…..
“Anti-Trump Network @CNN doing whatever it can to stoke a national Coronavirus panic. The far left Network pretty much ignoring anyone who they interview who doesn’t blame President Trump.” @trish_regan@FoxNews Media refuses to discuss the great job our professionals are doing!
Feb. 28 – 63 cases. Trump holds South Carolina rally.
Now the Democrats are politicizing the coronavirus…they are politicizing it. We did one of the great jobs, you see…this is their new hoax.
35,000 people on average die each year from the flu. Did anyone know that? 35,000, that’s a lot of people. It could go to 100,000, it could be 27,000. They say usually a minimum of 27, goes up to 100,000 people a year die. And so far we have lost nobody to coronavirus in the United States. Nobody. And it doesn’t mean we won’t and we are totally prepared. It doesn’t mean we won’t, but think of it. You hear 35 and 40,000 people and we’ve lost nobody and you wonder the press is in hysteria mode.
It’s going to disappear. One day, it’s like a miracle, it will disappear.
Feb. 29 – 68 cases. First American death.
I’ve gotten to know these professionals. They’re incredible. And everything is under control. I mean, they’re very, very cool. They’ve done it, and they’ve done it well. Everything is really under control.
Mar. 2 – 100 cases, 6 deaths.
We had a great meeting today with a lot of the great companies and they’re going to have vaccines, I think relatively soon.
Mar. 5 – 221 cases, 12 deaths.
Gallup just gave us the highest rating ever for the way we are handling the CoronaVirus situation. The April 2009-10 Swine Flu, where nearly 13,000 people died in the U.S., was poorly handled. Ask MSDNC & lightweight Washington failure @RonaldKlain, who the President was then?
Mar. 6 – 319 cases, 15 deaths. Global cases surpass 100,000. Trump signs $8.3 billion funding bill for research.
Anybody that needs a test, gets a test. They’re there. They have the tests. And the tests are beautiful.
No, I’m not concerned at all. No, we’ve done a great job with it. … [Holding rallies] doesn’t bother me at all and it doesn’t bother them at all.
It’s an unforeseen problem, what a problem, came out of nowhere, but we’re taking care of it.
Mar. 7 – 435 cases, 19 deaths. Trump golfs.
Mar. 8 – 541 cases, 22 deaths. Trump golfs.
Mar. 9 – 704 cases, 26 deaths.
The Fake News Media and their partner, the Democrat Party, is doing everything within its semi-considerable power (it used to be greater!) to inflame the CoronaVirus situation, far beyond what the facts would warrant. Surgeon General, “The risk is low to the average American.”
So last year 37,000 Americans died from the common Flu. It averages between 27,000 and 70,000 per year. Nothing is shut down, life & the economy go on. At this moment there are 546 confirmed cases of CoronaVirus, with 22 deaths. Think about that!
We’re doing a great job with it. And it will go away. Just stay calm. It will go away.
Mar. 11 – 1,301 cases, 38 deaths. WHO declares COVID-19 a pandemic. Trump extends travel ban to most of Europe. The bans still do not apply to US citizens and legal residents.
Our team is the best anywhere in the world…and taking early intense action, we have seen dramatically fewer cases of the virus in the United States than are now present in Europe.
Mar. 13 – 2,284 cases, 48 deaths. Trump declares a national emergency.
I don’t take responsibility at all…
To this point, and because we have had a very strong border policy, we have had 40 deaths related to CoronaVirus. If we had weak or open borders, that number would be many times higher!
Mar. 14 – 2,931 cases, 58 deaths. First widespread screenings at airports leads to mass confusion and several-hour wait times in crowded terminals.
This is unacceptable. The reactionary, poorly planned travel ban has left thousands of travelers at ORD forced into even greater health risk. @realdonaldtrump and @CBP: no one has time for your incompetence. Fully staff our airport right now, and stop putting Americans in danger. https://t.co/gswIaHwelx
In the book A Very Stable Genius, the two Washington Post and Pulitzer prize winning authors recount a meeting between Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Trump remarked, “It’s not like you’ve got China on your border,” which prompted “shock and concern” from the PM, which turned to “resignation.” The border between India and China, called the Border of Actual Control, is over 2,500 miles long. The two countries have multiple border disputes and have engaged in three conflicts between 1962 and 1987.
Trump made the comments in an interview with Playboy Magazine.
When the students poured into Tiananmen Square, the Chinese government almost blew it. Then they were vicious, they were horrible, but they put it down with strength. That shows you the power of strength. Our country is right now perceived as weak…as being spit on by the rest of the world.
Phantom Fireworks donated $750,000 worth of sparklers and bottle rockets to the US government. On the same day, Trump abandoned plans to impose tariffs of 25% on practically all Chinese goods, including fireworks. Phantom Fireworks is America’s largest consumer-fireworks retailer. They had repeatedly lobbied the Trump administration to end the trade war with China.
Trump has made various similar remarks about climate change. After becoming President, he vacillated on the issue, going between claiming that cold snaps disprove global warming, while also alleging that his administration had done much to combat climate change.
The Department of Defense has listed climate change as a national security threat since before Trump’s presidency. It has not commented on the health risk of windmills.
The concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese in order to make U.S. manufacturing non-competitive.
