SEPTEMBER 9, 2020 BY MICHAEL STONE
Trump Lied People Died: Trump knew that COVID-19 was highly contagious, airborne, and deadly as early as the beginning of February, but did nothing about the virus except downplay the danger, lulling many Americans into a false sense of security, and ultimately costing tens of thousands of lives and a ruined economy.
President Donald Trump admitted he knew weeks before the first confirmed US coronavirus death that the virus was dangerous, airborne, highly contagious and “more deadly than even your strenuous flus,” and that he repeatedly played it down publicly, according to legendary journalist Bob Woodward in his new book “Rage.”
“This is deadly stuff,” Trump told Woodward on February 7.
The following are transcripts from Woodward’s taped interviews with Trump:
Woodward: And so, what was President Xi saying yesterday?
Trump: Oh, we were talking mostly about the uh, the virus. And I think he’s going to have it in good shape, but you know, it’s a very tricky situation. It’s –
Woodward: Indeed it is.
Trump: It goes through air, Bob. That’s always tougher than the touch. You know, 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 your – you know, your, even your strenuous flus. You know, people don’t realize, we lose 25,000, 30,000 people a year here. Who would ever think that, right?
Woodward: I know. It’s much forgotten.
Trump: Pretty amazing. And then I say, well, is that the same thing-
Woodward: What are you able to do for –
Trump: This is more deadly. This is five per- you know, this is five percent versus one percent and less than one percent. You know? So, this is deadly stuff.
Trump: Now it’s turning out it’s not just old people, Bob. Just today and yesterday, some startling facts came out. It’s not just old- older.
Woodward: Yeah, exactly.
Trump: Young people too, plenty of young people.
Woodward: So, give me-
Trump: So what’s going on-
Woodward: -a moment of talking to somebody, going through this with Fauci or somebody who kind of, it caused a pivot in your mind. Because it’s clear, just from what’s on the public record that you went through a pivot on this to, ‘oh my god, the gravity is almost inexplicable and unexplainable.’
Trump: Well I think, Bob, really, to be honest with you-
Woodward: Sure, I want you to be.
Trump: I wanted to- I wanted to always play it down. I still like playing it down, because I don’t want to create a panic.
Commenting on the story, former vice president and Democratic nominee Joe Biden attacked Trump for his dishonesty, calling Trump’s actions a “life and death betrayal of the American people.” Campaigning in Michigan Biden declared:
The president of the United States admitted, in February, that he knew. He knew how deadly it was…He knew, and purposely played it down. Worse, he lied about it. He lied to the American people.
Bottom line: Trump knew that COVID-19 was highly contagious, airborne, and deadly as early as the beginning of February, but lied to the American people about the virus for months. In short: Trump lied; people died.
