Courtesy of Bastrop Advertiser
May 7, 2020
By Bill McCann
In mid-February, a relative texted me expressing concern about the coronavirus spreading to the United States from China. She asked my opinion. I offered her vague assurances that no catastrophe was imminent. After all, I thought, China had locked down part of its country and there were only a few cases in the United States. Surely, our federal leaders would move quickly, as they had in the past, to deal with the virus here. And they would be straight with us.
I should have known better. I had failed to consider one huge negative factor: Donald Trump, the president of the United States. As we know now, Trump misled us time and again – and continues to do so. He minimized the virus dozens of times in January and February, falsely promising it was “totally under control” and that one day it will disappear like a “miracle.” Some 70,000 American deaths later, it’s still here.
Administration officials were mostly careful not to contradict Trump publicly, though they warned him privately. While Trump and his administration dawdled, the virus spread. The result was a squandered early opportunity for the federal government to prepare and mobilize to contain the virus.
We didn’t know at the time how hard some government officials were trying and failing to convince Trump that the virus could become a serious problem in the United States. We know that information now, thanks to enterprising reporters at the New York Times, Washington Post and others.
For example, Joe Grogan, outgoing director of the White House Domestic Policy Council and a Trump assistant, told a private meeting on Jan. 27 the administration needed to take the virus seriously or it could cost Trump his job, the Washington Post reported. On Jan. 29, Trump economic adviser Peter Navarro warned in a memo the virus potentially could kill 500,000 people and do $5.7 trillion in damage to the economy, Axios reported.
The next day Trump, who was on his way to a campaign rally, got a call from health secretary Alex Azar who warned Trump about the virus. Trump dismissed it as alarmist, the New York Times reported. It was the second time Azar waved the warning flag at Trump but got nowhere. In mid-January, Azar briefed Trump about the virus threat at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort, but Trump wanted to talk about vaping, the Associated Press reported.
