In his latest effort to politicize the COVID-19 pandemic as the country approaches nearly 200,000 fatalities from the infectious disease, President Trump on Wednesday singled out “blue states” for the country’s jarring COVID-19 death rate.
During a briefing at the White House on Wednesday, Trump attempted to paint a rosy picture of COVID-19 cases in the country by suggesting that if “you take the blue states out” of the equation, the U.S. wouldn’t be experiencing an alarming death toll rate from the novel coronavirus compared to other countries.
“If you take the blue states out, we’re at at a level that I don’t think anybody in the world would be at,” Trump said. “We’re really at a very low level, but some of the states —they were blue states, and blue-state management.”
After Trump singled out Democratic-led states for the country’s increasing COVID-19 fatality rate, without providing specific evidence to support his assertion, he went on to further rail against blue states for not easing up on coronavirus-related restrictions sooner.
“By the way we’d recommend they open up their states,” Trump said. “It’s hurting people far more than the disease itself.”
Although states such as New York, California and New Jersey – which are all considered Democratic strongholds in the November election – have experienced high fatality rates from COVID-19, the President failed to acknowledge the surging COVID-19 death toll in red states such as Texas and swing states like Florida.
According to Johns Hopkins University, red and swing states such as Louisiana, Mississippi, Arizona and Michigan are ranked in the top 10 states with the highest death rates per 100,000 people from COVID-19.
Shortly after the President blamed blue states for the rising number of COVID-19 death rates in the country, the Democratic National Committee ripped Trump for continuing to “politicize the coronavirus.”
Trump continues to politicize the coronavirus.
COVID isn't a red state or blue state issue. 9 of the 10 states with the most infections per capita have Republican governors. This virus has impacted all Americans. pic.twitter.com/jhJ9hjK05F
— DNC War Room (@DNCWarRoom) September 16, 2020
Watch Trump’s remarks below:
