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© Thomson Reuters 2020.Trump stirs controversy over COVID-19 death toll, halting aid package talks until after election
By Alexandra Alper and Susan Heavey WASHINGTON©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.
82 Comments
Graham DeShazo
Not just incompetent, he’s willfully spreading misinformation about the pandemic.
He is directly responsible for more infections at his rallies and his mask-free gatherings than any other single individual. indirectly he has caused people to disregard CDC guidance and become infected. Some have died.
Peter Neil
The markets went off a cliff after his crazy tweets.
Other sources say this:
It's a wild man on a 'Roid Rage.
His Facebook and Twitter accounts were tagged for spreading misinformation in his comments saying the flu is worse than Covid-19.
But some of his followers say they're "willing to die" for Trump.
It's a crazy world now and I'm sick and tired of this Trump nonsense 24 hours per day, every single day! He's tedious.
Desert Tortoise
This choice completely mystifies me. What is the purpose? Who benefits from such a move? Does it even benefit him? I cannot imagine how this benefits anyone including the Republicans. And more concerning is what happens if he loses the election?
kurisupisu
There were predictions that POTUS would be at risk due to his body weight, underlining conditions, diet etc.
Well, no!
He has beaten the virus in mere days, to the chagrin of many....
aomorisamurai
@kurisupisu
"He has beaten the virus in mere days, to the chagrin of many...."
Possibly...with the help of our tax dollars affording the best possible healthcare in the world for him (you know, that thing that's too expensive to extend to all Americans).
I'd like to see how bad he's gasping for air and needing help the second he's out of the public eye...
PTownsend
So nothing about his tax returns, his refusal to criticize white nationalists, his economy where dozens of millions of working and middle class Americans are struggling to keep their houses and cars while Trump's fellow 'elite' are getting richer.
Instead he's showing his absolute disregard for the 210,000 Americans dead because of his blundering, the 7,000,000+ sickened by his ongoing mistakes as he returns to the WH where anyone near him could be infected by the super-spreader of Covid45, Vector1.
Politik Kills
He’s a boring, predictable moron. This clown idiot’s destructive antics are no longer news, he’s a sideshow.
Tokyo-Engr
Extremely illogical move. I honestly cannot understand this as this would harm his election chances. From what I hear from friends and relatives, people in the U.S. are hurting financially and any delay in further assistance would likely hurt more people. It seems this would turn people against him (the unwillingness to negotiate at all).
I am not nearly as "anti Trump" as most here (I just think he is not fit to be the President). This now leaves me wondering if he now realizes he is done as a President and I am a bit concerned he may do something irrational (such as take the ship down with him).
yamada1043
The irrational current occupant of the White House is the Commander in Chief of dissemination of fake news, disinformation and misinformation.
He continues his misguided denial and the nation continues to suffer from the lack of humanity, leadership and vision.
u_s__reamer
Is it any surprise that Trump has apparently learned little from his illness, from his, as he put it, "the real school, not the let's read the book school", and continues to act recklessly endangering the health of others in his relentless Ahab-like monomaniacal pursuit of power, showing no sign of ceasing or desisting from spreading misinformation on the pandemic and gaslighting the nation with his nonsense? So between now and November we've got a covid "Trump on steroids", as if the country did not have enough stress and suffering to contend with. The "October surprise" of the boastful, gasping Wussolini on the balcony we were recently regaled with is just a foretaste of a down and dirty campaign, the likes of which nobody has ever seen before.
Graham DeShazo
It could be that his “thinking” is impaired by the steroids.
It could be that he just wants to see the country burn to the ground if he can’t have his way.
Could be both. I’m going with both.
David Gergen again said “grips of a madman.”
Politik Kills
and furthermore, I repeat, people who support this con man obviously hate their country. That you (you know who you are) can settle for such a low-bar, destructive, third rate con on your whole country, says so much about your low standards.
If you choose to be a partisan over being a patriot, you’ve been had, you’ve been tricked, and you’ve contributed to your country’s downfall.
The Avenger
Roid rage
What ISN'T wrong with him?!
Ah_so
A couple of days ago he was saying how much he had learned about Covid-19.
Now he is out, spreading misinformation about COVID and making up nonsense statistics. Even JT has a policy of not allowing posters to equivocate flu to COVID and now the president is doing exactly that.
What an idiot.
Tokyo-Engr
@kurisupisu
I am not a supporter of Trump but I do hope he and those around him recover. I believe we will know if he has truly defeated the virus in another 2-3 days. However there are some very nasty side effects of the treatment regimens he has used and there are also potential long term impacts due to the virus.
To Trump's credit he gave a great speech when he was seated at the desk at Walter Reed (maybe 4 minutes or so). There was actually a sense of humility and understanding and it truly was a very good address and I was actually hoping he would continue with that style of communication. However, he quickly took a dramatic turn and reverted back to his previous style of arrogance and hubris. He inheritied an already divided country and he accelerated the division exponentially; to the point of breaking. That is not leadership and his actions now are not the actions of a leader in a time of crisis.
Alfie Noakes
Despite the best attempts of the secretive Trump regime to downplay what's happening, it seems that dozens of people have been infected in the White House, making it one of the hottest virus zones in the whole US. Not only that but now many of the Joint Chiefs of Staff now either have the virus or are self-quarantining.
It's beyond words.
u_s__reamer
The best diagnosis in a nutshell of Trump and the dilemma facing America before it goes to the polls to deliver its verdict on his four years of mayhem:
"He hosted a super-spreader event to honor a justice who would have the government control your body but refuse the duty to care for it, and when the virus he helped go around came around, he availed of the healthcare he would deny others, financed by the taxes he refuses to pay."
And to add my "ten cents":
Trump got the best medical treatment bar none, all for $750.
spinningplates
Lol, psychiatric side effects of Dexymethazone can include:
Mood swings, Euphoria, irritability, emotional instability, insomnia and more.
How long has Trump been on this stuff?
Graham DeShazo
Aaaaaaaaand Steven Miller has tested positive.
The WH is now hotter than some countries.
IloveCoffee
Or, he never had the virus, and lied to win sympathy, and used his quick "recovery" as a way to advance his agenda of opening the economy faster in order for the stock market to rally so he can win the elections. Either that, or he must have really good genes to overcome pneumonia in 2 day at his age.
Haaa Nemui
Seriously... what is next with this guy? Considering he went to the real school, you know... not one with books or anything crazy like that, one might have thought he would have learned something.
America... do something about him.
Simon Foston
Or in other words, "vote for me or else."
dbsaiya
He's a cornered rabid rat, and if he loses he faces real jail time and financial ruin. The krazy show will only get worse. The U.S. is not only infected with the 'Rona but also with Trumpism; both lethal.
Bob Fosse
Vote Him Out them Lock Him Up.
jack o helen
Someone should tell Trump that there is a difference between COVID-19 and the flu. The flu has been around ages, whereas COVID-19 has not. We still haven't developed herd immunity, a proven and readily available vaccine hasn't been made yet, and scientists still don't fully understand it. Until then, we need to take every precaution possible or risk more avoidable deaths.
Also, seeing how Trump is and is acting, I think that cocktail of experimental drugs he took sounds really dangerous. Keep me far away from those. He seems more of a lunatic now than ever before (if that even is possible).
sunfunbun
Trump's desperation and sick anger is topping out. Dangerous when he's just unhinged, this is becoming an even higher level of problematic with his vindictive juvenile nature.
The sooner he gets beat by Biden and out of office, the better for America and the world. What a complete failure of a presidency, which is too bad, considering how American politics really did need to clean the swamp, but not with lying, ignorant, criminal, and mob protocol of Donald Trump, who made the problem worse.
A loser is Donald Trump.
1glenn
The experts should have used reverse psychology on him. If they had come out and said that fiscal aid to help citizens was a bad idea, he would have done the opposite.
CaptDingleheimer
"Trump stirs controversy..."
Trump stirs controversy by brushing his teeth in the morning.
bass4funk
I'm not so sure, how many relief packages congress signed already? Trump has done everything any other leader would have done, Biden criticized Trump for closing the country down, called it racist and now he supports it, when asked, Biden never gives a clear answer of what and how he would handle this virus in detail, he gives empty platitudes and nothing else.
2020hindsights
Well, if Trump was down in the polls before, this will certainly sink him. I'm now predicting a landslide for Biden.
SuperLib
Everyone loses. Except the rich.
rgcivilian1
pulling out of talks with Democrats on an economic aid package for the country.
If ever that was a bad move and definitely will cost him the election. '
re: He is directly responsible for more infections at his rallies and his mask-free gatherings than any other single individual.
Before jumping on the blame game, start at the root cause which wasn't POTUS but China. I would much rather see governments and single individuals refer to the root cause of where this started than any single individual.
Blacklabel
yes, the optics of this are bad.
but only to those who dont bother to even see what non coronavirus related things the the Dems want to spend all this money for.
Kumagaijin
Trump is finished. He is behind Biden by double digits in most election polls. His handling of the pandemic has been heedless (to say the least), not to mention his recent idiotic behavior around the White House. Can you imagine if Obama was POTUS and he was running around like this madman? GOP would be calling for impeachment. Trump is by far the most incompetent President, not only in the history of the United States, but of any modern democracy.
otherworldly
When Pelosi wants another 2.5 trillion to repair the cities her people (Democrats) have burnt down and it is totally unrelated to COVID, all decent Americans say no to another stimulus package unless it goes to families struggling, not extremists rioting.
Blacklabel
The story gets fuzzy. According to liberals, Trump only cares about the stock market and reelection. and himself, of course.
Yet he does this, which has an obvious negative impact on the market and can be used against him as a (false) attack in his reelection, if people can be tricked into believing this is withholding money from the people and not just denying Dem priorities unrelated to coronavirus.
So why did he do it?
Vanessa Carlisle
Trump Trump Trump. Does every last thing have to be about Trump? Is there some important news about Biden? Literally anybody else?
2020hindsights
Blacklabel
High on Dexamethasone, most likely...
Pukey2
He looks half-dead in that photo.
Did anybody else see him wheezing during the photo-ops at the WH? Well, it is what it is. I send my tots and pears.
stormcrow
Capt. Quasar . . . you're almost done being president. Only your base is going to miss you. Everybody else will be happy to see you go.
Make America Well Again!
Goodlucktoyou
He is right about seasonal influenza but wrong about give Covid Aid to only rich people.
bass4funk
Well, the man has the virus and thanks to the expertise and care of the best medical physicians, he's doing a lot, will be coming back soon.
Simon Foston
rgcivilian1Today 09:36 am JST
Doesn't matter where a disease came from if the relevant authorities don't deal with it effectively. I don't really see how it's China's fault if people in the White House and at Trump's rallies get infected, for instance.
PTownsend
Perhaps if one looks at issues as being 100% or 0, looks at them from one extreme pole or its opposite with nothing in-between.
But then those who reduce existence to overly simplistic terms are typically political extremists and those paid to flame plus those lacking the ability to think critically.
Blacklabel
Ah ok, Trump put the Dems right back on the spot.
Busby
What a brilliant reelection strategy! As voting has now started, pull out of talks to get aid to small businesses, blue collar workers, and other low income folks that are really hurting...
That'll get those folks in line at the polls....
Biden's landslide just got even bigger...
The Biden campaign thanks you President Trump...
Blacklabel
Well, Trump just tweeted out his own plan, so its actually not "doing nothing".
2020hindsights
bass4funk
Actually, not at all - but I am saving this comment for 4 week's time... ;-)
Blacklabel
Trump; If I am sent a Stand Alone Bill for Stimulus Checks ($1,200), they will go out to our great people IMMEDIATELY. I am ready to sign right now. Are you listening Nancy?
Controlling the narrative.
Graham DeShazo
In their book on negotiation “Getting to yes” Fisher and Ury argue that any negotiation style must meet 3 criteria to be deemed successful.
1) It must enable agreement where possible while avoiding bad agreements.
2) It must be efficient in terms of resources including time.
3) It must not harm the relationship between the parties.
So let’s look at Trump “the world’s greatest deal maker”:
He makes bad deals that are doomed to fail. Trump express, Trump casinos and the Plaza hotel are but a few examples. And he is avoiding a possible deal that would benefit the economy.
He stalls. Pelosi has her version of the 2nd stimulus done in May. Trump waited till mid September to engage. now says he’s waiting till after the election. So mid-November.... all the while the recovery stalls.
Finally the list of lenders, partners, vendors, contractors that Trump has stiffed is too long to even begin. He’s been sued over 3,500 times. The list of people who won’t work with or lend to him is so comprehensive, it’s easier to list those who will: Russians, Mobsters and dictators.
In addition to being an incompetent president, a tax cheat and a business failure, Trump is easily the WORST negotiator ever.
venze
How did he get out of the hospital within 3 days after detected positive?
If his doctors insist he is 'still in the woods', why let him do what he wants?
Perhaps, just perhaps, it is all fake, like putting his signature on a 'blank paper' to show he is busy working even while in hospital and purposely made public immediately.. Outright flabbergasting..
2020hindsights
Blacklabel
Unfortunately, sending out tweets won't cut it. He needs to drive consensus and get a deal done. Unfortunately, he doesn't have the skills.
Blacklabel
The follow through is on the Dems now. he said what he would sign.
If they dont bring it to him, thats their failure. Good luck Nancy.
Bob Fosse
Narrative, optics, fuzzy, whattabout, blah blah blah. A look at reality would be nice.
Blacklabel
reality is Nancy Pelosi is now holding up your stimulus check ($1200) so she can get funding for ballot harvesting, payments for illegal aliens and cashless bail for your "peaceful" protesters to get back in the streets. as well as bailouts for non corona virus expenses in Dem run cities that BLM/Antifa burned down.
Reality.
Busby
Hmmmm.....a two line plan...
We'll he's consistent - that sounds like his healthcare plan, COVID response plan, infrastructure plan, jobs plan, etc., etc...
>
bass4funk
Which have nothing to do with the other accomplishments he has, all 289, but liberals won't focus on that
No, it would not and one of the main and most important reasons is, you need to lift the lockdowns and allow people to work, but that would indeed help Trump and so, the Democrats won't allow it.
How much more money needs to be printed? What gets me about Democrats and liberals is that they want more money, they want as much entitlements and subsidies as possible, but they won't allow people to work to generate wealth and then when the government prints more money and gets deeper into debt, it's of course Trump's fault. LOL
Oh, Stop! Dems didn't want to negotiate and it's always either give us everything or nothing and why should States that mismanaged funds get Federal relief when they run their own states into the ground and still continue to punish the people by keeping them locked down? No, Trump is absolutely right on this one.
Blacklabel
So a reality recap:
Our president has clearly indicated he will sign;
Money for airlines and Money for small businesses (money still left over from CARES Act)
Money for the American people in form of a 2nd $1200 cash payment.
Isnt this a good thing? whats the complaint narrative or reason why Dems can deny this and still blame Trump?
Pukey2
Stephen Miller is now infected. In these tough times when we see suffering, we should show some compassion. Nobody or nothing deserves to be vilified when they're down, no matter what they've down. The virus just doesn't deserve to be trapped inside Miller's head.
Wakarimasen
Makes sense. Waste of time "negotiating" with the Pelosi crew when no compromises are being made. Destroying the country by locking down millions of healthy relatively low risk people. Illogical restrictions just increasing cynicism about government and rules. And not all "scientific".
Although I guess it is just possible that a few days on drugs could have driven him insane.......... Or maybe he is doing all this at Putin's behest?
Ego Sum Lux Mundi
Thank you America for foisting this clown show on the rest of the world. A dangerous clown show at that.
bass4funk
Good thing, that Miller seems to be ok and he'll pull through soon. Take you doctors. Wishing for a speedy recovery.
Graham DeShazo
Next step: Cave and go with the deal that Pelosi and Steve are working out.
So.
Much.
Winning.
wtfjapan
I am not nearly as "anti Trump" as most here
you dont need to be anti Trump just pro common sense,
this guy is clearly unhinged, nothing hes does is logical, reminds me of train fire heading for a cliff and the driver thinks the accelerator is the brake
Simon Foston
bass4funkToday 11:50 am JST
So you're not denying they were bad deals.
If any of them were all that impressive no one would seriously be talking about a Biden landslide. Maybe the Republicans wouldn't be rushing to get the Lord's Anointed Judge on the Supreme Court and Trump wouldn't be carping on about voter fraud either.
The past week has showed us all what happens when lockdowns get lifted or ignored.
That would be wealth for all those rich people you love so much?
It's not like those "wealth creators" you admire will be sharing any of the wealth their employees generate for them, e.g. by not avoiding paying taxes so the government can get out of debt, is it?
wtfjapan
Controlling the narrative.
now its, Ill give you your money once you reelected me, makes it sound like Biden wont give them their money once hes elected. Trump thinks blackmail is now thing in getting reelected, clearly unhinged
bass4funk
The majority were not.
Absolutely not true, but since 99% of the media leans left their vested interest has always been to have a liberal President that aligns themselves with their socialist radical worldviews, you could say, why does the media gloss over Biden's gaffes, racial comments, past and most recently the other day, his lies, his overall health, none of these bozos will even attempt to approach Biden on these issues because he won't give ANY interviews and if he does, they're always soft ball questions and they treat him with kid gloves on every single issue.
Florida and Texas seem to be fine as well as their economies, no wonder people are moving there.
Yes, very much so because poor people don't create jobs or economic opportunities.
How do people get raises? Show me poor people that can take time off or get bonuses and purchase a home. You work hard, pay your dues and you will be rewarded, better than as in the words of Thatcher: The problem with Socialism is that eventually you run out of other people's money. Definitely a very wise woman of her generation.
Numan
The sorry excuse for a US president in the WH has already folded like lawn chairs.
In late-night tweets, Trump changes course on coronavirus relief talks
https://www.yahoo.com/gma/trump-says-hes-calling-off-195300588.html
I heard all those steroids that he is taking also affects a person's mental capacity as a side effect.
bass4funk
So how much more money do Democrats want? This is what scares me about these idiots, they just think money grows on trees and we can just continue to spend, spend and spend. The last thing these people need is the key to the safe.
Maybe if they open the country back up and people are allowed to work we pay for some of this.