Coronavirus: Trump administration claims it only found out alarming death toll figures at weekend despite experts issuing warning weeks ago
Vice President Mike Pence contended Wednesday that Donald Trump only learned last weekend of government projections showing at least 100,000 people will die in America from coronavirus, despite such warnings being pushed by some experts weeks ago. He also signaled life in the United States likely will remain dramatically altered through the spring.
"It was those numbers the president was presented with on Saturday," Mr Pence told CNN, saying Deborah Birx, a top infectious disease expert, only completed an analysis that produced the dire modeling on Friday.
Pressed on whether the Trump administration could have done more sooner to get in front of the coming disease, Mr Pence echoed the president by blaming China for opting against warning the world that Covid-19 had broken out in one of its provinces. Mr Pence again said the overall risk to most Americans remains "low," but warned the disease is potentially deadly for older people.
Mr Pence said the virus outbreak might not subside in America until "early June," saying government modeling shows cases and deaths seriously leveling off around Memorial Day in late May.
After the president for weeks said Covid-19 was merely "like the flu" and repeatedly dismissed the severity and scope of the outbreak, his No. 2 denied Mr Trump misled hthe country.
"I don't believe the president has ever belittled the threat of the coronavirus," he said during a tense back-and-forth with CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer
