On Tuesday, during the first daily coronavirus review briefing, President Donald Trump warned the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is likely to worsen before getting better.
In the White House briefing room, Trump said he believed the virus would disappear and his administration’s response to the pandemic was much better.
In the press conference, which lasted around 30 minutes, the president offered some realistic projections, which his advisers hope would make him a more sober-minded leader.
Trump said, “It will probably unfortunately get worse before it gets better,” citing his prediction that he made in April of a “rough” two weeks ahead.
He also encouraged people to wear masks, pulling out his navy blue facemask and claiming he had no problem strapping it on.
Trump said, “Whether you like the mask or not, they have an impact. I’m getting used to the mask.”
The president appeared in front of the media without any of the key members of the White House Coronavirus Task Force.
An hour before Trump stepped before media, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, told CNN that he had not been invited to the press conference.
Trump was seen contradicting his press secretary Kayleigh McEnany, who earlier told reporters that Trump has sometimes been tested for coronavirus several times a day.
To which, the president said, “I don’t know about more than one. I do probably on average a test every two days, three days, and I don’t know of any time I’ve taken two in one day, but I could see that happening.”
Trump went on to say, “If you watch American television, you think that the United States was the only country involved with and suffering from the China virus. Well, the world is suffering very badly.”
Last week, CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield said the pandemic could get control within a couple of months if Americans start wearing masks in public.
Responding to this statement, Trump said he does not agree with what Dr. Redfield said but he encouraged people to start wearing masks in order to curb the spread of the virus. The virus has affected more than 4 million Americans and killed over 144,000 so far. Globally, COVID-19 has sickened more than 15 million and killed over 619,000.
