The Oval Office address only seemed to confirm their worst fears about U.S. readiness to fight coronavirus.
President Donald Trump’s Wednesday night Oval Office address failed to offer any fresh vision for fighting a disease that’s spread undetected for weeks within the U.S., sparking a full-blown panic within the public health community and jolting health care industries confronting the worsening coronavirus pandemic.
The speech only seemed to confirm fears that that have festered among health experts for weeks, as the administration struggled to roll out coronavirus testing and coordinate with frontline providers — all as Trump and some of his top aides had repeatedly downplayed the risk to the American public.
“Fundamentally, he’s still missing the point, and he’s missing the point in several important ways,” said Jeremy Konyndyk, a senior policy fellow at the Center for Global Development and former Obama-era foreign aid official. “Every day we’re getting the strategy wrong will extend the severity and size of the outbreak in this country by multiple days.”
Health insurers following Trump’s speech worked to clear up confusion about what they could cover, and worried lawmakers on Thursday pressed administration officials on whether hospitals were ready for an expected wave of sick patients.
The White House sought to calm fears as it prepares to declare a national emergency that would free up additional resources to help combat the coronavirus — and perhaps reassure troubled financial markets that once again began the day in free fall.
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Trump’s speech last night seemed to confirm fears that that have festered among health experts for weeks, as the administration struggled to roll out coronavirus testing and coordinate with frontline providershttps://t.co/6m0b6yJyPP
— POLITICO (@politico) March 12, 2020
He got the details wrong. He didn't coordinate with industries and allies. He tanked the markets. His contingencies are riddled with holes. He didn't address community spread. He didn't have a buy-in from Congress. We're worse off today for Trump's speech. https://t.co/2hYSar5xbV
— Noah Rothman (@NoahCRothman) March 12, 2020
There is no legitimate reason to classify WH public health policy meetings. It's not intel or Pentagon planning. The only reason is CYA, ie hiding the truth from the public.https://t.co/GiU8abaspu
— John Schindler (@20committee) March 11, 2020
.@realDonaldTrump actually can’t help that he’s intellectually, psychologically, and morally unfit for any public office. But there are 52 people who could’ve done something about it 5 weeks ago. No one should forget their responsibility, not this fall, in 2022 and 2024—or ever. pic.twitter.com/gTQHZLqbiN
— George Conway (@gtconway3d) March 12, 2020
Vice President Biden addresses the nation on the coronavirus: "This is going to require a national response, not just from our elected leaders, or our public health officials, but from all of us." pic.twitter.com/Gm4upNbklf
— The American Independent (@AmerIndependent) March 12, 2020
NPR: “Trump did not push to do aggressive testing because more testing might have led to more cases being discovered of the Coronavirus outbreak, and Trump made it clear the lower the numbers on Coronavirus, the better for the president and his re-election this fall.” https://t.co/4N9PDRmotT
— Joe Scarborough (@JoeNBC) March 12, 2020
This is a lie. Friend’s son came back from Europe this morning. All they asked is if he had been in Italy. The president is spreading false information trying to calm Americans with soothing lies. https://t.co/fr58jikmFd
— Rod Dreher (@roddreher) March 12, 2020
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