Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Trump ‘did not want anyone tested for Covid unless they were in hospital and vomiting’

Overheard yelling at his son-in-law and senior advisor Jared Kushner, Mr Trump reportedly demanded to ‘do what Mexico does’ when it comes to testing for Covid-19

Rachel Brodsky
Los Angeles
Thursday 31 December 2020 21:53 GMT
Comments
Trump reportedly did not want anyone tested for Covid unless they were 'vomiting' 
Trump reportedly did not want anyone tested for Covid unless they were 'vomiting'  (Getty Images)

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

In a closer look at President Donald Trump's last few months in office, The New York Times has published a detailed new report around how the outgoing US leader wanted to approach the worsening coronavirus pandemic.

Overheard yelling at his son-in-law and senior advisor Jared Kushner on 19 August, Mr Trump reportedly demanded to "do what Mexico does" when it comes to testing for Covid-19.

"They don’t give you a test till you get to the emergency room and you’re vomiting," he said during a gathering of top aides in the Oval Office.

The statement mirrors Mr Trump's past thinking around how the US coronavirus cases should appear: specifically, the fewer tests conducted, the fewer positive cases on record.

The New York Times also reports that Trump was frustrated that Dr Francis S Collins, head of the National Institutes of Health, had said that it would still be a matter of days before the government could give approval for using convalescent plasma to treat Covid.

"They’re Democrats! They’re against me! They want to wait!" Trump said, arguing that the government's top medical professionals were conspiring against him.

Read More: ‘We must be remembered’: Trump uses New Year’s video to take credit for Covid vaccines amid criticism

According to interviews with more than two dozen current and former administration officials, Mr Trump's main concern around managing the public health crisis in the last quarter of his presidency essentially boiled down to how he could stand to benefit.

For example, as he made public promises around vaccine availability by Election Day, Mr Trump expressed worry that Joe Biden would receive credit if that deadline was hit. 

When asked for a statement around the administration's coronavirus response, White House spokesman Brian Morgenstern had only positive words. "President Trump has led the largest mobilization of the public and private sectors since WWII to defeat Covid-19 and save lives."

Even as experts like Alex M. Azar II, the health and human services secretary, continued to impress upon Mr Trump the need for mask wearing, the president reportedly continued to blame too much testing for the worsening pandemic.

"I’m going to lose,” Mr Trump reportedly told Mr Kushner during debate preparations. "And it’s going to be your fault, because of the testing." When questioned, Mr Morgenstern denied that the exchange ever took place. 

As of Thursday (30 December), 342,577 Americans had died from the pandemic. Vice President Mike Pence, Dr Anthony Fauci, Mr Azar, and more officials have received a Covid-19 vaccine. Mr Trump, who contracted the virus in October, has not.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in