New Delhi (Tisha Bhatia): President Donald Trump called the coronavirus “Kung flu” during a rally in Oklahoma, employing a racist slur while claiming increased diagnostic testing has driven up U.S. case totals. The outbreak, which has killed at least 119,000 Americans, was a significant talking point at Trump’s first rally in three months in Tulsa’s BOK Center, where attendance badly failed to meet Trump’s promises of a capacity crowd.
The coronavirus outbreak, which has killed at least 119,000 Americans, was a significant talking point at Trump’s first rally in three months in Tulsa’s BOK Center, where attendance badly failed to meet Trump’s promises of a capacity crowd.
The Trump campaign distributed masks to people entering the arena but few in the audience wore them. Trump complained that he was criticized for risking the health of his supporters by holding his indoor rally, saying that nationwide protests against police brutality this month should have endured similar scrutiny “You never hear them saying, ‘they’re not wearing their mask,’” during coverage of the protests, he said. The coronavirus is believed to be much more easily spread indoors at close quarters than outdoors.
There’s no indication that has actually happened, as the number of tests performed nationally have been well over half a million on each of the past two days, according to the Covid Tracking Project, which relies on state data. Total tests administered now exceed 26.5 million.
A White House aide, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said after Trump’s remarks that the president was speaking in jest when he talked about testing.
