President Donald Trump knew in early February that coronavirus posed a unique and deadly threat to the United States, and was “more deadly than even your strenuous flus.”
At the time, Trump repeatedly publicly downplayed the virus as no more dangerous than the flu.
The revelation is one of many in journalist Bob Woodward’s forthcoming book, “Rage,” for which Trump granted Woodward a series of interviews.
“You just breathe the air and that’s how it’s passed,” Trump said in a Feb. 7 call with Woodward. “And so that’s a very tricky one. That’s a very delicate one. It’s also more deadly than even your strenuous flu.”
“This is deadly stuff,” he repeated.
“I wanted to always play it down,” Trump told Woodward on March 19, according to a copy of the book obtained by CNN. “I still like playing it down, because I don’t want to create a panic.”
According to the Washington Post, the book is based in part on 18 on-the-record interviews with Trump from December through July. Woodward also interviewed former Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and former Director of National Intelligence Daniel Coats.
In addition to documenting the Trump administration’s failed and fragmented coronavirus response, the book also chronicles Trump’s response to anti-racism demonstrations, North Korean diplomacy and other topics.
This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates.
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