Donald Trump Gets COVID-19: Instances When The US President Underestimated Coronavirus

US President Donald Trump and first lady Melania both tested positive for the coronavirus, early on Friday, This is an extraordinary development coming months into a global pandemic and in the final stretch of his re-election campaign in which he has flouted experts' guidance on preventing the disease's spread.

Reuters

Ever since the United States begin to see the early signs of novel coronavirus in the country, Trump has been making disingenuous comments that the virus would simply dissipate, mocking world leaders for acknowledging the virus and in some case, even completely dismissing the existence of a health crisis.

As per a report by Washington Times, as of September 16, Trump has said the coronavirus would go away a total of 34 times and he downplayed the virus a total of 31 times in the first three months of 2020.

Here's a brief timeline of all the times, Trump had claimed that the virus would disappear.

AFP

Feb 10, during a meeting with governors

"You know, a lot of people think that goes away in April with the heat ¡ª as the heat comes in. Typically, that will go away in April."

Feb 25, during a roundtable in New Delhi

"[China is] getting it more and more under control. So I think that's a problem that's going to go away."

Feb 26, Trump's comment after a news briefing

"It's going to be down to close to zero, that's a pretty good job we've done."

Feb 27, during a photo op at White House

"We have done an incredible job. It's going to disappear. One day ¡ª it's like a miracle ¡ª it will disappear. And from our shores, we ¡ª you know, it could get worse before it gets better. It could maybe go away. We'll see what happens."

Reuters

March 10, during a meeting on Capitol hill

"We're prepared, and we're doing a great job with it. And it will go away. Just stay calm. It will go away."

March 12, during a bilateral meeting

"You know, we need a little a separation until such time as this goes away. It's going to go away. It's going to go way. I was watching [former FDA administrator] Scott [Gottlieb] ¡ª I was watching Scott this morning, and he was saying within two months. It's going away"

Predicted to go away within two months.

March 31, during a coronavirus new briefing

"It's going to go away, hopefully at the end of the month. And, if not, hopefully it will be soon after that."

Predicted to go away by end of April.

April 28, during a press conference

"I think what happens is it's going to go away. This is going to go away."

May 13, when he locked horns with Fauci

" Our country's got to get back and it's got to get back as soon as possible. And I don't consider our country coming back if the schools are closed."

Trump dismissed Fauci's coronavirus concerns, urges states to reopen schools

June 18, during interview to Wall Street Journal, upon being asked some of the risks from coronavirus in campaign rally

"Well, one of the reasons we chose the location, Oklahoma is they've done very well, with respect to the rally¡ªwith respect to the¡­they have a really good arena, but they've done very well, with respect to the, I call it the plague. The plague that was sent by China. And I think that, you know, the numbers are very small. It's like, very few people."

July 5, during a meeting with top officials

"Likewise, testing ¡ª there were no tests for a new virus, but now we have tested over 40 million people. But by so doing, we show cases, 99 percent of which are totally harmless. Results that no other country will show"

Trump dismissed the severity of the pandemic , downplaying the threat

August 5, during a White House press briefing

"It's going away. It'll go away. Things go away. No question in my mind that it will go away."

"World's biggest driver of COVID-19 misinformation"

Trump has been the world's biggest driver of COVID-19 misinformation during the pandemic, a study from Cornell University said on Thursday.

The authors of the Cornell study found that comments by President Trump drove major spikes in the "miracle cures" topic, led by his April 24 press briefing where he mused on the possibility of using disinfectants inside the body to cure the coronavirus.

Similar spikes were seen when he promoted unproven treatments like hydroxychloroquine.

"We conclude therefore that the president of the United States was likely the largest driver of the COVID-19 misinformation 'infodemic,'" the team wrote.

As per a report by CNN, they counted 200 false claims from President Trump between June 8 and July 5. Coronavirus was the most frequent subject of Trump's false statements, as it was in May and early June.