Covid-19: Trump claims to have "not lied" to the Americans

Questioned for his communication in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic, the American president is defending himself.

In the book "Rage" by journalist Bob Woodward, famous for contributing to the downfall of President Nixon in 1974, Donald Trump says of the disease: "I always wanted to minimize it.

I always want to minimize it because I don't want to create panic ”.

The head of state, however, assured Thursday that he "did not lie" to the Americans.

“Why did you lie to the Americans?

The first question to the US president on why he has, by his own admission, played down the threat of Covid-19, set the tone for a hastily organized press conference.

" I did not lie!

The way you asked this question is a shame, ”replied the leader of the first world power, less than 60 days of an election where he is running for a second four-year term against Democrat Joe Biden.

"I show strength as a leader," he continued, very reassured.

“There is no lie […] I don't want to jump around and start shouting: death!

Dead!

The coronavirus epidemic has killed more than 190,000 people in the United States to date.

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Donald Trump also attacked Bob Woodward.

"He had my statements for several months," he said in a tweet, echoing the criticisms aimed at the famous journalist, figure of Washington, the American capital.

"If he thought they were serious or dangerous, why didn't he publish them immediately in an attempt to save lives?"

"

Bob Woodward had my quotes for many months.

If he thought they were so bad or dangerous, why didn't he immediately report them in an effort to save lives?

Didn't he have an obligation to do so?

No, because he knew they were good and proper answers.

Calm, no panic!

- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 10, 2020

"I've always wanted to minimize

" the president said in an exchange with Bob Woodward on March 19.

However several weeks earlier, on February 7, he explained to the same journalist how Covid-19 is "a deadly thing".

Contradictory and confused signals

From December 2019 to last July, Trump gave 18 interviews to the famous journalist, by phone or face-to-face in the Oval Office, the office of the presidency, or at his club in Mar-a-Lago, Florida.

The Republican billionaire could not hope for a positive light on his mandate from the author of "Fear, Trump in the White House", a book published two years ago portraying an uneducated, angry and paranoid president .

"His decision to try to coax Bob Woodward through 9 hours of exchanges divided into 18 interviews […] could be the most costly politically of his presidency," said David Axelrod, Barack Obama's advisor for his successful presidential campaigns. 2008 and 2012.

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The management of the epidemic has earned Donald Trump very strong criticism, from his opponents, but also from scientists and certain elected officials from his own camp.

He is accused of having sent contradictory and confused signals, but also of having lacked compassion in the face of the devastation caused by this virus.

Poll after poll, a very large majority of Americans severely judge its action on this front.