The uncertainty surrounding the whole ordeal played into the criticism Trump’s team has been facing all week — that its response to the coronavirus outbreak has been uncoordinated and its messaging muddled. The administration has come under fire for shifting statements about when and where coronavirus test kits will be available, while Trump himself has been reprimanded for garbled or hyperbolic answers about the disease’s deadliness and the potential of a quick vaccine.
Still, Trump ended the day Friday how he wanted — offering a full-throated endorsement of his administration’s handling of the virus, flanked by his top health officials.
„They’ve done an incredible job,“ Trump said. „They heard there was a problem in China and they started working. That’s why we’re in good shape.“
The CDC has been blasted in recent days for delays in testing stemming from early troubles with diagnostic tests and for setting criteria that initially limited who should be tested. The agency says it has since fixed the problem with its test and broadened who can be tested, though experts worry the delays have already hindered the ability to detect the virus’s spread.
Trump officials have assured states that the CDC is sending enough kits to test 75,000 people. Private companies are also expected to dramatically boost the amount of kits on the market, though there are still questions about whether there are enough laboratories and staff to test a large surge of samples. Experts say the U.S. won’t likely be able to meet testing demands for several weeks.
When asked if he has confidence in CDC, Trump responded: „It is performing very well.“
At one point during his visit, Trump seemingly randomly began to discuss a Fox News town hall he participated in Thursday night.“How was the show last night? Did it get good ratings by the way?“ he asked.
Trump was joined on the tour by Health Secretary Alex Azar and CDC Director Robert Redfield, who thanked him „for coming here today, for encouraging and bringing energy to the men and women you see here trying to keep America safe. I think that’s the most important thing I want to say.“
The visit punctuated a back-and-forth day for the president.
The situation began late Thursday, when Trump’s Friday schedule was released without the previously listed trip to Atlanta. Instead, it showed the president flying to the Nashville area following a series of deadly tornadoes there, and then onto Florida, where he is scheduled to spend three nights at his south Florida retreat, Mar-a-Lago.
Trump explained the omission Friday morning.
„They thought there was a problem at CDC with somebody that had the virus,“ Trump told reporters. „It turned out negative so we are seeing if we can do it. They’ve tested the person fully and it was a negative test. So I may be going. We’re going to see if they can turn it around with Secret Service. We may be going.“
The reveal surprised CDC staffers, including those preparing for Trump’s visit. They had not been previously informed about the suspected case of coronavirus at the agency.
Asked about the potential coronavirus case and whether staff was briefed, the health department declined to comment.
“CDC has many employees who have deployed in support of the nation’s response to COVID-19, some of whom are returning from areas where COVID-19 may present,” a spokesperson said, using the formal name for the coronavirus, adding that CDC staff are undergoing appropriate self-quarantine and testing measures. “No CDC employees have tested positive.”
Earlier on Friday, a White House official confirmed the president’s visit had been scrapped but gave a vague reason. “The CDC has been proactive and prepared since the very beginning and the president does not want to interfere with the CDC’s mission to protect the health and welfare of their people and the agency,” the official said.
As of Thursday evening, the White House was communicating that the president’s trip to Atlanta was still on. At around 9 p.m. Eastern time, on a trip to Washington state, where coronavirus deaths reached double digits this week, Pence announced that Trump would sign an $8 billion coronavirus funding bill during his CDC trip.
Pence did not mention a potential case at CDC headquarters, even though Trump later said the administration had learned about it on Thursday afternoon.
“We are making progress,” Pence said at his news conference in Tacoma, Washington. “As I mentioned, federal assistance was approved by the United States Senate. President Trump is expected to sign the legislation tomorrow as he visits the CDC in Atlanta.”
Source: politico.com
See more here: news365.stream
