MSNBC host Nicolle Wallace noted that the White House is getting really good at deflecting blame for their role in the coronavirus crisis in the United States.
President Donald Trump, who downplayed the virus through February, has attacked China and the World Health Organization, saying that they didn't warn the U.S. soon enough. By the end of December 2019, both were sounding the alarm on the virus. It took Trump another month to shutdown flights into the U.S. from China and even after that 40,000 additional people came in from China.
After playing a series of clips of Trump blaming China after praising them, Wallace explained: "In communications, that's called a flip-flop."
"Today he's taking it one step further. NBC News is reporting that the White House is ordering U.S. intelligence agencies to investigate whether China or the World Health Organization originally withheld information about the virus," reported Wallace. "Critics say it's the latest move by Trump to shift the blame from his own slow response. U.S. Intelligence officials have said that China failed to disclose just how serious the outbreak in Wuhan was, a move that hindered early efforts to contain the virus."
The investigation could work against the president, however. If it becomes clear that China and the WHO warned the United States in December and January, it will draw attention to Trump's inaction.
NBC News reporter Carol Lee explained that Trump sees it as politically beneficial to blame China instead.
"Shifting the blame, seems to be a play that they're getting good at," quipped Wallace.
Watch the exchange below:
