Trump officials had no idea there were coronavirus test shortages until hearing about them in media reports: WSJ
A major new Wall Street Journal expose reveals that members of President Donald Trump’s administration were completely clueless about the massive shortage of coronavirus test kits that have hampered efforts to slow the spread of the disease.
According to WSJ, “some White House aides learned of complaints about the availability of testing from the media, not the public-health officials in their own government.”
In fact, the Journal’s sources say that the administration only really started to take the problem seriously in the first week of March, when the crisis had already erupted throughout the country.
Despite this, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar continued defending the Trump administration’s efforts on testing by claiming in media interviews that the tests weren’t needed at the time because the number of confirmed cases was so low.
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WATCH: Woman caught on video unleashing racist rant against Vietnamese restaurant owner
A woman unleashed a racist rant at a business owner in a Kroger parking lot in Houston, Texas, and the incident was captured on video.
The owner of a Vietnamese restaurant identified as "Sammi" told ABC13 that when she went outside her business to investigate a commotion, she encountered the woman.
In the video, the woman, who is pushing a shopping cart, yells, "Get out of our country!" in addition to other profanities.
"You!" the woman yells. "Get out of the United States, you ugly [expletive]."
2020 Election
Trump’s last-ditch 2020 strategy is based on a perverse fantasy — and it’s scary as hell
Thursday night, the access journalism team at the Washington Post published a piece declaring that Donald Trump intends to "reopen much of the U.S." in May.
This article was originally published at Salon
"The Trump administration is pushing to reopen much of the country next month," Matt Zapotosky, Josh Dawsey, Jose A. Del Real and William Wan report, noting that Trump, behind "closed doors," has "sought a strategy for resuming business activity by May 1."
2020 Election
Trump’s COVID-19 crisis has brought out his inner authoritarian — and his corruption is about to get much worse: columnist
In a column for the conservative Bulwark, popular novelist Richard North Patterson explained that, while Donald Trump has always exhibited authoritarian tendencies, his fading chances of being re-elected due to his bumbling response to the coronavirus pandemic have now brought out his ugliest side and that he no longer feels constrained from flouting his corruption.
According to the author, "COVID-19 debilitates democracy: confining candidates, shutting legislatures, stifling peaceful assembly, curbing voter registration, and limiting personal engagement. As the pandemic proliferates, anxiety permeates an involuntarily passive populace. Donald Trump seems resolved to exploit this paralysis by squelching dissent, politicizing relief efforts, and corrupting the November election."
While we fixate on coronavirus, Earth is hurtling towards a catastrophe worse than the dinosaur extinction
‘Shut up — you’re going to kill more people’: MSNBC’s Morning Joe shreds Rush Limbaugh for pushing to reopen economy
Judge orders unaired ‘Celebrity Apprentice’ footage turned over to plaintiffs suing Trump
Economic model that had Trump romping to victory now has him winning just 43 percent of the vote
Houston-area lawmakers urge DA to investigate possible ‘non-existent’ March primary candidate
Alex Jones gets warning from FDA for pushing phony coronavirus cures online
WATCH: Woman caught on video unleashing racist rant against Vietnamese restaurant owner
Trump’s last-ditch 2020 strategy is based on a perverse fantasy — and it’s scary as hell
Critics decry ‘massive step in wrong direction’ as big banks move to buy up fracking industry assets with coronavirus bailout funds
As small businesses in US face coronavirus doomsday, big insurers say: We can’t save you. We won’t save you.
‘Was he sober?’ MSNBC’s Mika ‘absolutely speechless’ after Larry Kudlow says it’s ‘cool’ to work during pandemic
Doctor busts Trump’s plan to reopen economy May 1: ‘All the hard work Americans are doing will have been wasted’
Trump’s press conferences reveal nothing more than his ‘relentless self-pity’: presidential historian
‘Who cares? Let ’em get wiped out’: Stunning CNBC anchor, venture capitalist says let hedge funds fail and save Main Street
