promoted unproven treatments for COVID-19?

Trump also falsely claimed that chloroquine had been approved by the FDA for treating COVID-19.

Hydroxychloroquine, a less toxic derivative of chloroquine, is an anti-malaria and arthritis medication. Azithromycin is an anti-bacterial drug intended to defend against secondary infections. They both have risk of various side effects. The more severe for hydroxychloroquine include allergic reactions, hypoglycemia, permanent eye problems, nerve damage, psychosis, seizures, and heart failure.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, flatly denied that there was any conclusive evidence to support the claim, noting that no clinical trials have been completed. Fauci explained during a subsequent press conference, “You really can’t make any definitive statement about it.” Still, Trump continued to express optimism about its efficacy. “May work, may not work, but I feel good about it,” Trump said.

The World Health Organization has not approved use of the drug for COVID-19. Its Director General noted, “small, observational and non-randomized studies will not give us the answers we need. Using untested medicines without the right evidence could raise false hope, and even do more harm than good and cause a shortage of essential medicines that are needed to treat other diseases.”

Nevertheless, there has been a run on hydroxychloroquine, with reports of hoarding and border crossing into Mexico for purchases. A man died from ingesting cleaner that contained a chemical he confused with what Trump promoted.

During the same press conference, Trump attacked a reporter for asking what he would say to frightened Americans.

In a later press conference, Trump said he may take the medication, even though he hadn’t yet asked his own doctors about it: “If it were me – in fact, I might do it anyway. I may take it, okay? I may take it. And I’ll have to ask my doctors about that, but I may take it.”

Trump had a financial interest in Sanofi, a French company that produces the brand-name version of hydroxychloroquine. While some trials showed promise, others didn’t; a Brazilian trial for chloroquine was halted when 11 patients died after 6 days.

In August, Trump’s testing chief Brett Giroir said it was time to “move on” from hydroxychloroquine.

NBC News – Trump, promoting unproven drug treatments, insults NBC reporter at coronavirus briefing
World Health Organization – WHO Director-General’s opening remarks at the media briefing on COVID-19 – 23 March 2020
WebMD – Hydroxychloroquine SULFATE
Vox – Trump’s reckless promotion of hydroxychloroquine to fight coronavirus, explained
AP News – AP FACT CHECK: Trump falsely claims drug approval for virus
The Dallas Morning News – Border towns see run on drug touted by Trump but unproven as coronavirus cure
Salon – Man dies from ingesting cleaner containing chloroquine after Trump hypes treatment for coronavirus
Business Insider – Trump says he ‘may take’ hydroxychloroquine, even though there’s no evidence it’s effective or safe to prevent or treat coronavirus
The New York Times – Trump’s Aggressive Advocacy of Malaria Drug for Treating Coronavirus Divides Medical Community
USA Today – Study of Trump-touted chloroquine for coronavirus stopped due to heart problems, deaths
Forbes – Trump Testing Chief Brett Giroir Says To ‘Move On’ From Hydroxychloroquine

attacked a reporter for asking what he’d say to scared Americans amid the COVID-19 pandemic?

During a COVID-19 press conference on March 20, 2020, NBC reporter Peter Alexander asked, “What do you say to Americans who are scared though? I guess, nearly 200 dead, 14,000 who are sick, millions, as you witnessed, who are scared right now. What do you say to Americans who are watching you right now who are scared?”

Trump replied, “I say that you’re a terrible reporter. That’s what I say. I think that’s a very nasty question.” He went on to say that the reporter should be ashamed.

The exchange came after Trump promoted an unproven drug treatment, which Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, corrected.

NBC News – Trump, promoting unproven drug treatments, insults NBC reporter at coronavirus briefing
The Hill – Trump campaign attacks NBC reporter as White House briefing begins

said about governors during the COVID-19 pandemic, “if they don’t treat you right, I don’t call”?

When asked about what he expects of state governors after Trump previously said they should treat him well if they want assistance, Trump replied, “I want them to be appreciative.” He went on to say how the Washington governor Jay Inslee was a failed candidate that continually “chirps” to the administration. He also continued to reference Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer as “the woman in Michigan.”

Referencing Pence, head of the COVID-19 task force, Trump continued, “I say Mike, don’t call the governor of Washington, you’re wasting your time with him. Don’t call the woman in Michigan. It doesn’t make any difference what happens. You know what I say? If they don’t treat you right, I don’t call.”

“The federal government’s done a hell of a job,” he’d remarked during the conference.

BBC News – Trump: ‘If they don’t treat you right, I don’t call’
Forbes – Trump Encourages Pence To Ignore Democratic Governors: ‘If They Don’t Treat You Right, I Don’t Call’
Axios – Trump says he advises coronavirus task force not to contact unappreciative governors

mocked Mitt Romney’s self-quarantine after COVID-19 exposure?

During a March 22, 2020 COVID-19 press conference Trump was told that four US Senators were in isolation, including Utah US Senator Mitt Romney. He replied, “Romney’s in isolation? Gee, that’s too bad.”

Romney was the sole Republican Senator to vote to impeach Trump earlier in the year.

Trump dismissed concerns about COVID-19 for months as it spread across the United States.

The Hill – Trump after hearing Romney is in self-quarantine: ‘Gee, that’s too bad’
The Washington Post – ‘Gee, that’s too bad’ is an encapsulation of Trump’s approach to the pandemic — and politics

said governors should treat him well if they want assistance with COVID-19?

During a Fox News virtual town hall meeting, Trump said, “I think we’re doing very well, but you know, it’s a two way street. They have to treat us well also. They can’t say, oh gee we should get this, we should get that. We’re doing a great job.”

He went on to repeat false claims that New York Governor Andrew Cuomo turned down an offer to buy 15,000 ventilators and that an economic shut down would kill more Americans than COVID-19.

Later that same week, Trump directed Pence not to respond to Democratic governors.

AP News – Flatter or fight? Governors seeking help must navigate Trump
The Week – Trump says governors ‘have to treat us well’ if they want assistance during coronavirus pandemic

claimed that NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo rejected a recommendation to purchase 15,000 ventilators?

During a Fox News virtual Town Hall in which he claimed that America would suffer more deaths from economic closures than COVID19, Trump also attacked Cuomo for failing to purchase 15,000 ventilators. The remarks came amid the governor’s remarks that the state would need 30,000 more, which Trump said he didn’t believe.

Trump explained, “We’re building them hospitals, we’re building them medical centers, and he was complaining about – we’re doing probably more, definitely more for him than anybody else, and, uh, he was talking about the ventilators, but he should’ve ordered the ventilators. And he had a choice, he had a chance because right here, I just got this out that he refused to order 15,000 ventilators. I’ll show this to Bill, take a look at that, Bill, what does that say?” The host he was passing it to, Bill Hemmer, declined to take the paper, remarking, “Is this social distancing, here?”

Trump was referencing far-right conspiracy blog Gateway Pundit. However, there was never any option or suggestion to purchase 15,000 ventilators. The New York Department of Health reported in 2015 that the state would have a shortage of about 15,000 ventilators if a pandemic like the 1918 Spanish flu arose, and also noted that this would be largely due to supply shortages across the country.

Cuomo explained, There is no state in the United States that bought ventilators for the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic. The federal government did not buy ventilators for the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic. Nobody in the world bought ventilators in preparation for a 1918 Spanish flu pandemic.”

During the same town hall Trump also claimed that shutting down the economy would be more deadly than COVID19 and said state governors should treat him well if they want help.

ABC News – Cuomo knocks Trump’s claim about NY and ventilators
Bloomberg – Cuomo Becomes Trump’s Target After Demanding Ventilators Now
Mediaite – WATCH: Trump Cites Conspiracy Blogger Gateway Pundit to Attack Andrew Cuomo Over Coronavirus and Ventilators
FactCheck.org – Trump’s Misleading Ventilator Counter-Punch at Cuomo

claimed that the economic damage from shutting down the country would be more deadly than COVID-19?

During a virtual town hall on Fox News, Trump said about business closures without evidence that “more people are going to die if we allow this to continue.”

He went on to say, “We have to open this country up. We can socially distance ourselves and go to work, and you’ll have to work a little bit harder and you can clean your hands five times more than you’re used to. You don’t have to shake hands anymore with people. We lose thousands and thousands of people a year to the flu – we never turn the country off. We lose much more than that to automobile accidents. We don’t call up automobile companies and say ‘stop making cars.”

He seemed to indicate that the only reason he allowed such measures in the first place was because of criticism if he hadn’t. “If I would have not done it, we would’ve been unbelievably criticized for not doing it. Somehow the word got out that this is the thing we’re supposed to be doing.”

Trump planned to reopen the economy nationwide by Easter. At the time, the United States had over 65,000 confirmed cases.

During the same town hall, he also wrongly claimed that New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo rejected a chance to purchase 15,000 ventilators and said that state governors should treat him well if they want help.

Fox News – EXCLUSIVE: Trump, Coronavirus task force participate in Fox News town hall
Business Insider – Trump just gave a disastrous coronavirus town hall full of misinformation that could kill thousands
The New York Times – AP FACT CHECK: Trump Claims Rising Suicides if US Stays Shut
Coronavirus COVID-19 Global Cases by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University (JHU) 

referred to the “Deep State Department”?

The remark was amid a press conference on the COVID19 pandemic. When asking reporters if there were any questions for Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Trump said, “I’d like him to go back to the State Department, or as they call it, the Deep State department – if you don’t mind – I’d lie to have him go back and do his job.”

The deep state is a conspiracy theory Trump has commonly employed, which references a secret cabal within the government.

It prompted an incredulous reaction from Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

The Washington Post – Trump makes ‘Deep State Department’ joke
Wikipedia – Deep state in the United States

didn’t believe New York needed 30,000 ventilators amid the state’s COVID-19 outbreak?

Trump called into Sean Hannity’s Fox News show to counter New York’s request for more ventilators amid the COVID19 outbreak. New York governor Andrew Cuomo had previously called for the equipment in preparation for an expected surge in cases, and that the only way they could procure more was from the federal government. At the time of Trump’s remarks, the state of New York had over 37,000 confirmed cases and 300 deaths.

He later wrongfully claimed that Cuomo had turned down the chance to purchase 15,000 ventilators in 2015.

The Hill – Trump questions need for 30,000 ventilators in New York
The Washington Post – ‘I don’t believe you need 40,000 or 30,000 ventilators’: Trump questions New York’s plea for critical equipment
USA Today – Trump questions NY request for 30,000 ventilators: ‘I don’t believe you need 40,000 or 30,000 ventilators.”
Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Infection Map

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