Trump Rejects Visible Damage From Fighting ‘Invisible’ Virus

(Bloomberg) -- Donald Trump has labeled the coronavirus the “invisible enemy,” but the president is increasingly rejecting the visible ways the outbreak is upending American life.

Trump lashed out during a news conference on Friday when asked about his message to Americans scared about a disease that has infected more than 265,000 people worldwide and killed more than 11,000.

“I’d say you’re a terrible reporter,” Trump told NBC News correspondent Peter Alexander. “I think that’s a very nasty question, and I think that’s a very bad signal that you’re putting out to the American people.”

The public, the president continued, is “looking for hope.”

The episode was only the latest instance of Trump showing frustration or outright anger when confronted by the health and economic ramifications of the coronavirus pandemic, the greatest crisis of his presidency. Trump’s rejection of any portrayal of his response to the outbreak that isn’t positive risks sending a message that his administration isn’t planning for a long-term medical and financial disaster.

The president and his defenders say there’s reason for the unwavering optimism. Trump doesn’t want to further spook financial markets already in free-fall, and he says he’s genuinely determined to do whatever the country needs to claw back economically after the White House asked Americans to end public events and avoid group activities. Trump argues that early steps taken by his administration – especially a Jan. 31 order restricting travel from China – has prevented devastation at the levels seen in some other countries.

Yet, the number of Americans diagnosed with Covid-19 is rising rapidly. The U.S. had more than 16,600 cases of the disease by Friday, according to Johns Hopkins University. More than 200 Americans have been killed.

Testing Questions

Vice President Mike Pence, asked the same question about the administration’s message to the public later in the press conference, chose a less confrontational approach.

“I would say do not be afraid, be vigilant. All the experts tell us that the risk of serious illness to the average American for the coronavirus is low,” Pence said. “But we need every American to put into practice the president’s coronavirus guidelines, 15 days to slow the spread.”

Trump has proven particularly prickly when confronted over the nation’s shortage of coronavirus tests, a problem that persists despite repeated promises from top U.S. officials -- particularly Pence -- that it would be quickly alleviated.

On Friday, he said that his government -- now three years old -- had “inherited an obsolete, broken, old system” that was unfit for the pandemic now confronting it.

Trump has previously asserted that an Obama-era regulation prevented the government from more quickly developing and distributing tests for coronavirus. Experts on lab-developed tests have said there was no such rule.

He flatly rejected suggestions that many Americans with symptoms of coronavirus are unable to get tested.

“I’m not hearing it,” Trump said, despite widespread reports that symptomatic Americans in many states are unable to access tests more than two months after the first coronavirus case in the U.S. was confirmed. He added that he’s been “hearing very positive things about testing.”

“No one is talking about this except you,” he told reporters.

Trump had a similar reaction in a teleconference with governors on Thursday, pursing his lips and swiveling in his chair as South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem, a Republican, complained that important testing supplies had been unavailable or shipped to incorrect facilities in her state.

“All right,” Trump eventually interrupted. “We hear it, we got you.”

Moments after Trump dismissed concerns about testing at Friday’s news conference, Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases -- and likely the most important spokesperson in the government on coronavirus -- conceded that “we are not there yet” on meeting demand for tests.

Fauci had found himself at odds with the president earlier in the news conference, after Trump unabashedly championed a malaria treatment as a possible “game-changer” treatment for coronavirus. The FDA has not approved the drug, hydrochloroquine, as a treatment for the new virus.

But Trump said he had “seen things that are impressive” about the drug and had a “good feeling” about its prospects to fight the outbreak.

“I think people may be surprised,” Trump said.

Fauci, however, said there was only “anecdotal evidence” that the drug could be effective against coronavirus.

DPA, Economy

Trump has also shown that he’s wrestling over policy moves that might signal the U.S. outbreak is more severe than he publicly acknowledges. Democrats including former Vice President Joe Biden, his likely re-election opponent, have urged him to invoke the Defense Production Act, which gives the federal government broad powers to direct private companies to help meet national defense needs, to increase the manufacture of medical equipment including respirators and ventilators.

Trump signed an executive order enabling him to invoke the authority on Wednesday, but tweeted he would only use it in a “worst case scenario.” On Friday, he said he had kicked production into “high gear” under the DPA, only to later suggest that the government was simply coordinating with companies that voluntarily had offered to manufacture medical equipment.

Trump has also shown impatience with questions about the economy, even as investors continue to signal concern about the country’s ability to bounce back from the impact of what amounts to a national shutdown of most commerce. Stocks slid again on Friday as Goldman Sachs Group Inc. warned the U.S. economy may shrink 24% on an annualized basis in the second quarter.

Trump was asked Thursday about an economy that had ground to a halt, with store closures and travel slowed.

“What’s the rest of your question?” Trump interrupted. “We know that. Everybody in the room knows that.”

Pressed on how long Americans should accept that state of affairs, the president said he could see a reversal in the “near future.”

On Friday, Trump’s outlook grew even rosier. He said the coronavirus episode would improve the country “in every way.”

“I think we’re going to be a better country than we were before,” he said.

©2020 Bloomberg L.P.