US President Donald Trump lashed out Monday at weeks of criticism over his handling of the novel coronavirus outbreak in the country.
DEMOCRATS CRITICIZED TRUMP FOR POOR HANDLING OF THE DISEASE
Speaking at a White House coronavirus task force briefing, Trump said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a travel notice on Jan. 6 for Wuhan, the Chinese city where the virus originated last December, due to its spread.
He recalled that the CDC also issued a Level I travel health notice on Jan. 11 and there was not a single confirmed case then. “People wanted me to act. I am supposed to close down the greatest economy?” he said.
Trump said that on Jan. 17, the CDC began implementing public health entry screenings at three major airports that received a great volume of passengers from Wuhan at his instruction.
“EVERYTHING WE DID WAS RIGHT”
“You remember what happened, when I did act. I was criticized by [House Speaker] Nancy Pelosi, Sleepy Joe. In fact, I was called xenophobic,” he said, referring to presidential candidate Joe Biden.
Trump has long been criticized by Democrats and several media outlets for his “poor” handling of the outbreak, with some citizens claiming the president has the blood of the people who died from the virus on his hands.
“Everything we did was right,” he added.
