Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer ripped the Trump administration’s latest response to the coronavirus outbreak, saying Americans “need to hear the unfiltered truth.”
The New York Democrat's comments were posted on Twitter after acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney said the virus is likely to cause disruptions to everyday life in the U.S., such as school closures and changes to public transportation.
Mulvaney had also sought to reassure Americans worried out a possible health crisis and stock market losses tied to the outbreak.
“Really what I’d like to do today to calm the markets is tell people to turn their televisions off for 24 hours,” he said.
But Schumer said: “It appears President (Donald) Trump and his administration have learned nothing from the Chinese government’s failure to quickly and transparently combat the coronavirus. Hiding the truth about the coronavirus and the government’s response only increases the likelihood of the virus spreading.
“For Mick Mulvaney to suggest that Americans turn off their TVs and bury their heads in the sand when they’re worried about a global health pandemic is Orwellian, counterproductive, dangerous, and would be repeating China’s mistake. “
Schumer maintained the situation demands more transparency from the administration.
“The American people need to hear the unfiltered truth directly from the scientists and health experts,” he said. “President Trump and his team have to stop blaming everyone but themselves, focus less on political rallies and more on solutions to combat the spread of coronavirus.”
Jeffrey Rodack ✉
Jeffrey Rodack, who has nearly a half century in news as a senior editor and city editor for national and local publications, has covered politics for Newsmax for nearly seven years.
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