This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/06/us/politics/trump-coronavirus-cdc.html

The article has changed 36 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 3 Version 4
Trump Will Visit C.D.C. After All Trump Will Visit C.D.C. After All
(about 1 hour later)
WASHINGTON — President Trump signed an $8.3 billion emergency spending bill to confront the coronavirus outbreak on Friday morning and decided to visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, reversing his decision hours earlier to skip touring the nerve center of the government’s response to the health crisis.WASHINGTON — President Trump signed an $8.3 billion emergency spending bill to confront the coronavirus outbreak on Friday morning and decided to visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, reversing his decision hours earlier to skip touring the nerve center of the government’s response to the health crisis.
As late as nearly 9 p.m. on Thursday, Vice President Mike Pence publicly indicated that the trip was still on, telling reporters traveling with him to Washington State that the president would formally approve the spending measure while at the centers. “President Trump is expected to sign the legislation tomorrow as he visits the C.D.C. in Atlanta,” Mr. Pence said. As late as nearly 9 p.m. Thursday, Vice President Mike Pence publicly indicated that the trip was still on, telling reporters traveling with him to Washington State that the president would formally approve the spending measure while at the centers. “President Trump is expected to sign the legislation tomorrow as he visits the C.D.C. in Atlanta,” Mr. Pence said.
By 11:30 p.m., when the White House issued the president’s public schedule, however, the visit was no longer on the calendar. The administration gave conflicting explanations on Friday morning. A White House official initially said the president canceled the visit because he did not want to interfere with the work at the centers as its staff scrambled to get a grip on the virus. But then Mr. Trump told reporters it was called off because of a suspected case of coronavirus at the C.D.C. itself.By 11:30 p.m., when the White House issued the president’s public schedule, however, the visit was no longer on the calendar. The administration gave conflicting explanations on Friday morning. A White House official initially said the president canceled the visit because he did not want to interfere with the work at the centers as its staff scrambled to get a grip on the virus. But then Mr. Trump told reporters it was called off because of a suspected case of coronavirus at the C.D.C. itself.
As he signed the spending bill at the White House, the president said the report of an infection at C.D.C. turned out to be negative. “So I may be going,” he said. “We’re going to see if they can turn it around.”As he signed the spending bill at the White House, the president said the report of an infection at C.D.C. turned out to be negative. “So I may be going,” he said. “We’re going to see if they can turn it around.”
En route to Nashville on Friday to visit the site of a deadly tornado, the White House press secretary, Stephanie Grisham, told reporters that the C.D.C. visit was back on.En route to Nashville on Friday to visit the site of a deadly tornado, the White House press secretary, Stephanie Grisham, told reporters that the C.D.C. visit was back on.
Get an informed guide to the global outbreak with our daily coronavirusGet an informed guide to the global outbreak with our daily coronavirus
newsletter. newsletter.
“What the president said is true,” she said when asked about the last-minute reversal. Test results from the woman at the C.D.C. who was suspected to have the coronavirus came back negative.“What the president said is true,” she said when asked about the last-minute reversal. Test results from the woman at the C.D.C. who was suspected to have the coronavirus came back negative.
“Thankfully she’s negative, the person,” Ms. Grisham said.“Thankfully she’s negative, the person,” Ms. Grisham said.
Mr. Trump stopped in Tennessee to inspect the devastation from a couple of tornadoes earlier this week that killed 25, injured many more and left a swath of destruction for miles. Mr. Trump stopped in Tennessee to inspect the devastation from a couple of tornadoes this week that killed two dozen, injured many more and left a swath of destruction for miles.
The president, wearing a White House windbreaker, khaki slacks and a red Keep America Great baseball cap, was shown a neighborhood of homes flattened by the storm to the west of Cookeville, Tenn. Mr. Trump looked around to see demolished houses, uprooted trees, smashed cars and piles of debris. “It’s a war zone,” Ricky Shelton, the mayor of Cookeville, told him. The president, wearing a White House windbreaker, khaki slacks and a red “Keep America Great” baseball cap, was shown a neighborhood of homes flattened by the storm to the west of Cookeville, Tenn. Mr. Trump looked around to see demolished houses, uprooted trees, smashed cars and piles of debris. “It’s a war zone,” Ricky Shelton, the mayor of Cookeville, told him.
Visible in the wreckage of the community were the remains of a quiet rural life — a blue flower dress, a stuffed animal with the white stuffing coming out of its torn exterior, a child’s red wagon, a mangled bicycle, the crushed photograph of a smiling couple left in the mud. Nearby someone had mounted an American flag on a makeshift pole fashioned out of two pieces of wood strapped together.Visible in the wreckage of the community were the remains of a quiet rural life — a blue flower dress, a stuffed animal with the white stuffing coming out of its torn exterior, a child’s red wagon, a mangled bicycle, the crushed photograph of a smiling couple left in the mud. Nearby someone had mounted an American flag on a makeshift pole fashioned out of two pieces of wood strapped together.
On a frigid, windy day, the president met with survivors, some of them wrapped in blankets. “They’re wiped out, they have nothing and many people died,” Mr. Trump said. His message, he added, was that he would do what he could to help. “I love them very much that’s why I’m here,” he said. “We’re going to be with them all the way.”On a frigid, windy day, the president met with survivors, some of them wrapped in blankets. “They’re wiped out, they have nothing and many people died,” Mr. Trump said. His message, he added, was that he would do what he could to help. “I love them very much that’s why I’m here,” he said. “We’re going to be with them all the way.”
After his stop in Atlanta, Mr. Trump will head to Florida to headline campaign fund-raising events and spend the weekend at his Mar-a-Lago estate.After his stop in Atlanta, Mr. Trump will head to Florida to headline campaign fund-raising events and spend the weekend at his Mar-a-Lago estate.
The C.D.C. is at the center of an extraordinary crisis as the number of coronavirus cases worldwide surpassed 100,000 and has incited enough fear that investors are dumping stocks, businesses and nonprofit organizations are canceling conventions, travelers are scotching spring break vacations and schools are suspending study abroad programs.The C.D.C. is at the center of an extraordinary crisis as the number of coronavirus cases worldwide surpassed 100,000 and has incited enough fear that investors are dumping stocks, businesses and nonprofit organizations are canceling conventions, travelers are scotching spring break vacations and schools are suspending study abroad programs.
As of Thursday evening, at least 250 people with the illness from the virus, Covid-19, have been treated in the United States and 14 have died, all but one in the Seattle area. The first cases near Washington were reported in a Maryland suburb.As of Thursday evening, at least 250 people with the illness from the virus, Covid-19, have been treated in the United States and 14 have died, all but one in the Seattle area. The first cases near Washington were reported in a Maryland suburb.
The C.D.C. response has generated concern and criticism among many health experts, who have complained that the agency was slow to respond to the spread of the infection and imposed overly restrictive guidelines early on about who could be tested.The C.D.C. response has generated concern and criticism among many health experts, who have complained that the agency was slow to respond to the spread of the infection and imposed overly restrictive guidelines early on about who could be tested.
Even now, testing remains a major challenge. While Mr. Pence had said earlier in the week that “any American could be tested,” he acknowledged on Thursday that “we don’t have enough tests today to meet what we anticipate will be the demand going forward.”Even now, testing remains a major challenge. While Mr. Pence had said earlier in the week that “any American could be tested,” he acknowledged on Thursday that “we don’t have enough tests today to meet what we anticipate will be the demand going forward.”
Mr. Pence said that the C.D.C.’s test supplier would distribute kits across the country “in just a matter of a few days” that would enable 1.2 million Americans to be tested and that by the end of next week, an additional four million tests would be available. “But it’s still just a beginning,” he said. “As our nation continues to hear of new cases every day, we want to make sure that testing is available broadly.”Mr. Pence said that the C.D.C.’s test supplier would distribute kits across the country “in just a matter of a few days” that would enable 1.2 million Americans to be tested and that by the end of next week, an additional four million tests would be available. “But it’s still just a beginning,” he said. “As our nation continues to hear of new cases every day, we want to make sure that testing is available broadly.”
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo blamed China on Friday morning for not being more forthcoming early on about the outbreak there. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo blamed China on Friday morning for not being more forthcoming early on about the outbreak there.
“The information that we got at the front end of this thing wasn’t perfect and has led us now to a place where much of the challenge we face today has put us behind the curve,” he said on CNBC. “That’s not the way infectious disease doctors tell me it should work. It’s not the way America works with transparency and openness and the sharing of the information that needs to take place.”“The information that we got at the front end of this thing wasn’t perfect and has led us now to a place where much of the challenge we face today has put us behind the curve,” he said on CNBC. “That’s not the way infectious disease doctors tell me it should work. It’s not the way America works with transparency and openness and the sharing of the information that needs to take place.”