thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-13--Trump Has Golf Resorts In Countries Exempt From His Coronavirus Travel Ban

Foreign nationals from all 26 countries of the Schengen Area , which make up most of Europe , will be barred from entering the U.S. for at least 30 days as protection against the spread of coronavirus , Trump announced Wednesday .
The United Kingdom and Ireland are not part of that group , but they do have cases of coronavirus — and Trump golf resorts .
Trump said Thursday that he exempted the U.K. from the travel ban because he believes conservative Prime Minister Boris Johnson is doing a “ good job ” battling coronavirus .
But several health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Trump ’ s decision is “ clearly not based on science , ” Jeremy Konyndyk , a Center for Global Development fellow who helped the U.S. deal with the Ebola crisis , told Foreign Policy magazine .
Johnson has been attacked for being slow to take action to stop the spread of the illness , such as shutting down large gatherings to head off widespread contagion .
Johnson declared on Britain ’ s “ This Morning ” TV program on Tuesday that one coronavirus “ theory ” is that people should “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allow the disease to “ move through the population.
” But , he added , “ I think we need to strike a balance.
” Richard Horton , the editor in chief of the medical journal The Lancet , accused Johnson of “ playing roulette with the public ” by taking his time instituting changes .
The UK government—Matt Hancock and Boris Johnson—claim they are following the science .
But that is not true .
The evidence is clear .
We need urgent implementation of social distancing and closure policies .
The government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This is a major error .
— richard horton ( @ richardhorton1 ) March 10 , 2020 In a marked change of tone , however , similar to that exhibited by Trump , Johnson said Thursday that the virus threatens the “ worst health crisis in a generation ” and that “ many more ” people will die .
But he wasn ’ t quite prepared to stop major sporting events .
Though Italy and France have far more cases of coronavirus , 590 cases were reported Thursday in Britain — a 30 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The chief health officer of the U.K. believes as many as 10,000 people could already be infected .
Ten people have died of the illness there .
Ireland reported its first death Wednesday and is canceling St. Patrick ’ s Day celebrations this year .
Trump ’ s former Homeland Security adviser Tom Bossert said that a ban on European travelers makes little sense now that the illness is already being passed within U.S. communities .
There ’ s little value to European travel restrictions .
Poor use of time & energy .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ restrictions/screening are less useful .
We have nearly as much disease here in the US as the countries in Europe .
We MUST focus on layered community mitigation measures-Now !
— Thomas P. Bossert ( @ TomBossert ) March 12 , 2020 Trump blamed the European Union for exporting cases to the U.S. , a strategy some critics said was intended to deflect criticism from his administration .
As president , Trump has frequently showcased his golf resorts in Scotland and Ireland , which have struggled financially .
He took an entourage to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Elizabeth II last year .
Vice President Mike Pence went three hours out of his way to stay at Trump ’ s resort in Doonbeg last year , even though he had traveled to Ireland to meet with the nation ’ s prime minister in Dublin .
The U.S. Air Force spent nearly $ 200,000 at Trump ’ s Turnberry resort for lodging during refueling stops at a small airport near the resort .

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President Donald Trump owns three golf resorts in the European countries he has spared from his travel ban.
Foreign nationals from all 26 countries of the Schengen Area, which make up most of Europe, will be barred from entering the U.S. for at least 30 days as protection against the spread of coronavirus, Trump announced Wednesday. The United Kingdom and Ireland are not part of that group, but they do have cases of coronavirus — and Trump golf resorts.
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The president’s Trump Organization owns a golf course in Doonbeg, Ireland, and two in Scotland: Trump Turnberry and Trump International Golf Links.
Trump said Thursday that he exempted the U.K. from the travel ban because he believes conservative Prime Minister Boris Johnson is doing a “good job” battling coronavirus. But several health experts disagree with Trump’s assessment.
Trump’s decision is “clearly not based on science,” Jeremy Konyndyk, a Center for Global Development fellow who helped the U.S. deal with the Ebola crisis, told Foreign Policy magazine.
Johnson has been attacked for being slow to take action to stop the spread of the illness, such as shutting down large gatherings to head off widespread contagion.
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Johnson declared on Britain’s “This Morning” TV program on Tuesday that one coronavirus “theory” is that people should “take it on the chin” and allow the disease to “move through the population.” But, he added, “I think we need to strike a balance.”
Richard Horton, the editor in chief of the medical journal The Lancet, accused Johnson of “playing roulette with the public” by taking his time instituting changes.
The UK government—Matt Hancock and Boris Johnson—claim they are following the science. But that is not true. The evidence is clear. We need urgent implementation of social distancing and closure policies. The government is playing roulette with the public. This is a major error. — richard horton (@richardhorton1) March 10, 2020
In a marked change of tone, however, similar to that exhibited by Trump, Johnson said Thursday that the virus threatens the “worst health crisis in a generation” and that “many more” people will die. But he wasn’t quite prepared to stop major sporting events.
Though Italy and France have far more cases of coronavirus, 590 cases were reported Thursday in Britain — a 30% jump from the previous day. The chief health officer of the U.K. believes as many as 10,000 people could already be infected.
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Ten people have died of the illness there. Ireland reported its first death Wednesday and is canceling St. Patrick’s Day celebrations this year.
Trump’s former Homeland Security adviser Tom Bossert said that a ban on European travelers makes little sense now that the illness is already being passed within U.S. communities.
There’s little value to European travel restrictions. Poor use of time & energy. Earlier, yes. Now, travel restrictions/screening are less useful. We have nearly as much disease here in the US as the countries in Europe. We MUST focus on layered community mitigation measures-Now! — Thomas P. Bossert (@TomBossert) March 12, 2020
The irony is that if we don’t implement aggressive community interventions and mitigate the spread of the virus already in the United States, we will end up infecting or reinfecting Europe. #coronavirus — Thomas P. Bossert (@TomBossert) March 12, 2020
Trump blamed the European Union for exporting cases to the U.S., a strategy some critics said was intended to deflect criticism from his administration.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-12--Trump Runs To Travel Ban Comfort Zone But Ignores The Bigger Coronavirus Problems

WASHINGTON – A day after President Donald Trump retreated again to his comfort zone of banning foreigners from the country , his administration still can not explain the ongoing inability to test large numbers of Americans for coronavirus or share whether there is a plan to address a potential shortage of acute-care hospital beds .
“ We ’ re in great shape .
Compared to other places , we are in really good shape , and we want to keep it that way .
That ’ s why I did the ban with respect to Europe , ” Trump said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the visiting prime minister of Ireland , the day after imposing a 30-day ban on most Europeans entering the United States .
But neither Trump nor his top administration officials addressed the continuing difficulty Americans around the country face in getting a test for the coronavirus .
Nor was there discussion about what happens if the number of serious cases spikes — as happened in China , Iran and Italy — and outstrips the number of intensive-care beds available .
“ This is a failing .
It is a failing .
Let ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told members of the House Oversight Committee .
“ The idea of anybody getting it easily the way people in other countries are doing it , we ’ re not set up for that .
Do I think we should be ?
Yes .
But we ’ re not.
” “ By next week the number of tests should be in the millions , not the thousands , ” former Vice President Joe Biden said in a prepared speech from Wilmington , Delaware .
“ We can do that , but we are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is ticking.
” Biden also criticized Trump for dismantling the pandemic response team created by former President Barack Obama , for whom Biden served .
“ It was designed for exactly this scenario .
But for some reason I still don ’ t understand , President Trump eliminated ... that office two years ago , ” Biden said .
Trump has made it one of his top priorities to undo as many of Obama ’ s accomplishments as possible , but he claimed during a news conference last month that he took the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people on staff when they weren ’ t immediately needed .
“ We know all the people .
We know all the good people , ” Trump said .
“ Some of the people we cut , they haven ’ t been used for many , many years .
And if ― if we have a need , we can get them very quickly.
” That assertion is but one of a number of misleading claims and outright falsehoods Trump has made during the crisis , as he continues his lifelong habit of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even on a matter that affects the lives of hundreds of millions of people .
For weeks , Trump downplayed the danger the virus posed , suggesting that the seasonal flu was worse and claiming it would go away by itself come April .
He even called news coverage about it another “ hoax ” designed to tank the stock markets and damage his reelection chances .
On March 6 , he claimed — falsely — that the delay in getting coronavirus testing kits available was the fault of rules passed under Obama @ @ @ @ @ @ @ visit to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta ( during which he wore a campaign hat ) , he ran through a string of falsehoods about the disease , including the claim , “ Anybody that wants a test can get a test.
” Trump during his 2016 campaign called for a complete ban on Muslims from entering the United States .
As president , that became a travel ban from a number of mainly Muslim countries .
When the coronavirus appeared as a new epidemic in China , Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who had been there — even though many health experts said the effort could not effectively block a virus as contagious and with as long an incubation period as this one .
The logic of this was not entirely clear .
The United Kingdom has more cases of COVID-19 — including its own health minister — than a number of countries in the Schengen zone .
However , the United Kingdom and Ireland both have Trump golf resorts .
During the Oval Office photo opportunity , Trump claimed the U.K. exemption had do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the virus .
“ It ’ s got the border .
It ’ s got very strong borders .
And they ’ re doing a very good job .
They don ’ t have very much infection at this point .
And hopefully they ’ ll keep it that way , ” he said .

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WASHINGTON – A day after President Donald Trump retreated again to his comfort zone of banning foreigners from the country, his administration still cannot explain the ongoing inability to test large numbers of Americans for coronavirus or share whether there is a plan to address a potential shortage of acute-care hospital beds.
“We’re in great shape. Compared to other places, we are in really good shape, and we want to keep it that way. That’s why I did the ban with respect to Europe,” Trump said during a White House photo opportunity with the visiting prime minister of Ireland, the day after imposing a 30-day ban on most Europeans entering the United States.
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But neither Trump nor his top administration officials addressed the continuing difficulty Americans around the country face in getting a test for the coronavirus. Nor was there discussion about what happens if the number of serious cases spikes — as happened in China, Iran and Italy — and outstrips the number of intensive-care beds available.
Indeed, on Capitol Hill, the widely respected head of the infectious diseases program at the National Institutes of Health conceded that coronavirus testing has been a failure.
“This is a failing. It is a failing. Let’s admit it,” Anthony Fauci told members of the House Oversight Committee. “The idea of anybody getting it easily the way people in other countries are doing it, we’re not set up for that. Do I think we should be? Yes. But we’re not.”
Neither Trump nor his top administration officials addressed the continuing difficulty Americans around the country face in getting a test for the coronavirus. ASSOCIATED PRESS
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Trump’s likely Democratic opponent this November took the opportunity to call for increased immediate testing, as well as the deployment of temporary hospitals for patients with COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus.
“By next week the number of tests should be in the millions, not the thousands,” former Vice President Joe Biden said in a prepared speech from Wilmington, Delaware. “We can do that, but we are not ready yet, and the clock is ticking.”
Biden also criticized Trump for dismantling the pandemic response team created by former President Barack Obama, for whom Biden served. “It was designed for exactly this scenario. But for some reason I still don’t understand, President Trump eliminated ... that office two years ago,” Biden said.
Trump has made it one of his top priorities to undo as many of Obama’s accomplishments as possible, but he claimed during a news conference last month that he took the action because he did not like having people on staff when they weren’t immediately needed. “We know all the people. We know all the good people,” Trump said. “Some of the people we cut, they haven’t been used for many, many years. And if ― if we have a need, we can get them very quickly.”
That assertion is but one of a number of misleading claims and outright falsehoods Trump has made during the crisis, as he continues his lifelong habit of lying to make himself look good, even on a matter that affects the lives of hundreds of millions of people.
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For weeks, Trump downplayed the danger the virus posed, suggesting that the seasonal flu was worse and claiming it would go away by itself come April. He even called news coverage about it another “hoax” designed to tank the stock markets and damage his reelection chances.
On March 6, he claimed — falsely — that the delay in getting coronavirus testing kits available was the fault of rules passed under Obama. Two days later, on a visit to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta (during which he wore a campaign hat), he ran through a string of falsehoods about the disease, including the claim, “Anybody that wants a test can get a test.”
His 11-minute speech from the Oval Office on Wednesday night was similarly an exercise of claiming great success, rather than in laying out a detailed plan, apart from a new travel ban.
Trump during his 2016 campaign called for a complete ban on Muslims from entering the United States. As president, that became a travel ban from a number of mainly Muslim countries. When the coronavirus appeared as a new epidemic in China, Trump responded in late January by banning foreigners who had been there — even though many health experts said the effort could not effectively block a virus as contagious and with as long an incubation period as this one.
Trump nevertheless on Wednesday declared a new ban on foreign nationals from countries in the Schengen Area, which permit free travel across their borders without passport control — a distinction that excludes the United Kingdom, Ireland, Croatia, Bulgaria and Romania.
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The logic of this was not entirely clear. The United Kingdom has more cases of COVID-19 — including its own health minister — than a number of countries in the Schengen zone. However, the United Kingdom and Ireland both have Trump golf resorts.
During the Oval Office photo opportunity, Trump claimed the U.K. exemption had do with Britain’s performance keeping out the virus. “It’s got the border. It’s got very strong borders. And they’re doing a very good job. They don’t have very much infection at this point. And hopefully they’ll keep it that way,” he said.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-12--Biden, Sanders Campaigns Go Digital Due To Coronavirus

The two leading Democratic contenders for the presidency are both essentially moving their campaigns online for the foreseeable future , telling staffers to work from home and deciding not to hold in-person events as the number of coronavirus cases in the United States continues to climb rapidly .
The campaigns of former Vice President Joe Biden and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders made their announcements within hours of each other on Thursday afternoon .
The two men are the only major Democratic candidates left in the race to challenge President Donald Trump , with Biden leading Sanders in both public polling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ light of concerns about coronavirus and out of an abundance of caution for our staff , volunteers and supporters , the Sanders campaign has asked all staff to work from home and will no longer hold large events or door-to-door canvasses , instead moving to digital formats and outreach wherever possible , ” Sanders spokesperson Mike Casca said in a statement .
The Biden campaign announced that its Philadelphia headquarters and field offices around the country would be closed for at least the next two weeks .
The campaign will instead organize voters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , virtual events , and other distributed organizing models.
” Biden ’ s campaign is also turning all of its upcoming fundraisers into “ virtual fundraisers ” and promising to keep them accessible to the press .
It ’ s still leaving open the possibility of holding small in-person events .
“ At this time , guidance remains that small gatherings are safe to continue if those with known exposure to COVID-19 do not participate .
We will continue to hold smaller events like roundtables , house parties , and press statements , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Anita Dunn and Jennifer O ’ Malley Dillon , wrote in a memo to staffers obtained by HuffPost .
The Biden and Sanders campaign moves occurred on the same day as widespread announcements of closures and cancellations as Americans seek to limit the spread of the coronavirus and the accompanying strain on the country ’ s health care system .
There could be some significant political impact for the candidates : Biden is raising much larger sums now than he ’ d previously raised , and the lack of opportunity for a face-to-face @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some donors ’ interest .
And what little hope remains for a Sanders comeback would likely involve the campaign ’ s volunteer army extensively knocking on doors .
The two campaigns had already canceled a number of rallies , following warnings from government and public health officials to limit large gatherings .
The Biden campaign plans to hold a virtual town hall for Illinois residents on Friday afternoon .
Both candidates delivered speeches on Thursday afternoon lambasting the Trump administration ’ s response to the coronavirus crisis and laying out their plans to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ functions of this campaign ― disseminating the Vice President ’ s message , educating voters , and earning their votes ― will not change , ” Dunn and O ’ Malley Dillon wrote to Biden staffers .
“ We will continue to implement our mission : putting together a broad and diverse coalition to make Donald Trump a one-term president and restoring the soul of the nation .
Our challenge now is to do that in new and creative ways that mitigate public health risk .
”

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The two leading Democratic contenders for the presidency are both essentially moving their campaigns online for the foreseeable future, telling staffers to work from home and deciding not to hold in-person events as the number of coronavirus cases in the United States continues to climb rapidly.
The campaigns of former Vice President Joe Biden and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders made their announcements within hours of each other on Thursday afternoon. The two men are the only major Democratic candidates left in the race to challenge President Donald Trump, with Biden leading Sanders in both public polling and the delegate count.
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The moves come ahead of the next major wave of primaries ― in Arizona, Florida, Illinois and Ohio ― on Tuesday.
“In light of concerns about coronavirus and out of an abundance of caution for our staff, volunteers and supporters, the Sanders campaign has asked all staff to work from home and will no longer hold large events or door-to-door canvasses, instead moving to digital formats and outreach wherever possible,” Sanders spokesperson Mike Casca said in a statement.
Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden delivers remarks about the coronavirus pandemic at the Hotel Du Pont on March 12, 2020, in Wilmington, Delaware. Drew Angerer/Getty Images
The Biden campaign announced that its Philadelphia headquarters and field offices around the country would be closed for at least the next two weeks. The campaign will instead organize voters through “phone banking, text messaging, virtual events, and other distributed organizing models.”
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Biden’s campaign is also turning all of its upcoming fundraisers into “virtual fundraisers” and promising to keep them accessible to the press. It’s still leaving open the possibility of holding small in-person events.
“At this time, guidance remains that small gatherings are safe to continue if those with known exposure to COVID-19 do not participate. We will continue to hold smaller events like roundtables, house parties, and press statements,” two top Biden campaign officials, Anita Dunn and Jennifer O’Malley Dillon, wrote in a memo to staffers obtained by HuffPost.
The Biden and Sanders campaign moves occurred on the same day as widespread announcements of closures and cancellations as Americans seek to limit the spread of the coronavirus and the accompanying strain on the country’s health care system.
There could be some significant political impact for the candidates: Biden is raising much larger sums now than he’d previously raised, and the lack of opportunity for a face-to-face with the former vice president could damper some donors’ interest. And what little hope remains for a Sanders comeback would likely involve the campaign’s volunteer army extensively knocking on doors.
The two campaigns had already canceled a number of rallies, following warnings from government and public health officials to limit large gatherings. The Biden campaign plans to hold a virtual town hall for Illinois residents on Friday afternoon. Both candidates delivered speeches on Thursday afternoon lambasting the Trump administration’s response to the coronavirus crisis and laying out their plans to respond to the pandemic.
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“The functions of this campaign ― disseminating the Vice President’s message, educating voters, and earning their votes ― will not change,” Dunn and O’Malley Dillon wrote to Biden staffers. “We will continue to implement our mission: putting together a broad and diverse coalition to make Donald Trump a one-term president and restoring the soul of the nation. Our challenge now is to do that in new and creative ways that mitigate public health risk.”
The Trump campaign has yet to announce similar steps, though it has canceled some events due to coronavirus concerns.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-13--'I Don’t Take Responsibility At All': Trump Passes Buck On Coronavirus Testing Mess

President Donald Trump on Friday declared a national emergency in response to the COVID-19 pandemic , but spent much of the announcement refusing to take responsibility for testing delays and praising his own inadequate response that helped let the coronavirus spread rapidly throughout much of the country .
“ We want to make sure that those who need a test can get a test very safely , quickly and conveniently , but we don ’ t want people to take a test if we feel that they shouldn ’ t be doing it , ” he said .
The president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for delays in testing for the new coronavirus .
Many states and municipalities have reported a backlog in testing or an inability to test people who suspect they have contracted the virus .
Much of the testing capability is being provided by the private sector , such as the companies in attendance Friday , as well as large hospital systems and universities .
Trump repeatedly praised the companies : for instance , Walmart for providing parking lot space for tests .
“ There will be many more cases , but we ’ ll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as the president said , this will end , ” the NIH ’ s Dr. Anthony Fauci said Friday .
“ But what ’ s going on here today is going to help it to end sooner than it would have.
” Trump also announced measures like the creation of a website where people could type in their symptoms and determine whether they should be tested .
But details of how to access it will not be available until Sunday evening .
For college students , most of whom are being forced out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remote learning , Trump said student loan interest rates would be waived .
However , loan rates are currently very low , so it would have only a small impact on students facing financial burdens .
Trump himself has created confusion and disseminated false information .
During a primetime address on Wednesday , he issued a ban on European travel , but subsequently had to announce several clarifications .
He has also frequently contradicted guidance from Fauci and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and downplayed the pandemic ’ s effects .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ways Trump has treated the coronavirus as a foreign invader rather than a domestic health crisis .
He and his allies have used racist and nativist rhetoric to describe the pandemic , and much of his response has focused on closing borders and restricting travel rather than addressing problems within the U.S. health care system .
Trump opened his press conference Friday by praising his response to the pandemic , claiming it was better “ when compared to other places around the world , ” touting “ our closing of the borders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ban on travel from China “ saved a lot of lives .
”

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Keep up with the latest updates on the coronavirus at our live blog.
President Donald Trump on Friday declared a national emergency in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, but spent much of the announcement refusing to take responsibility for testing delays and praising his own inadequate response that helped let the coronavirus spread rapidly throughout much of the country.
Joined by representatives from companies like Walgreens, CVS and Quest Diagnostics, Trump unveiled a private-sector partnership to “vastly increase and accelerate our capacity to test for the coronavirus.”
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He said half a million tests would be available by “early next week.”
“We want to make sure that those who need a test can get a test very safely, quickly and conveniently, but we don’t want people to take a test if we feel that they shouldn’t be doing it,” he said.
The national emergency declaration will also allocate up to $50 billion in disaster relief funding to states, effective immediately, Trump said.
The president and his administration have faced intense criticism for delays in testing for the new coronavirus. Many states and municipalities have reported a backlog in testing or an inability to test people who suspect they have contracted the virus.
Coronavirus tests are alarmingly hard to come by, which the top infectious disease expert at the National Institutes of Health called “a failing” on Thursday.
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Asked about the delays Friday, Trump defiantly said: “I don’t take responsibility at all.”
When asked about his demolition of President Barack Obama’s pandemic response team, Trump called it “a nasty question.”
In announcing the increase in tests, Trump still appeared to downplay the public health crisis.
He said that five million tests would be available “within a month,” before adding: “I doubt we’ll need that.”
Much of the testing capability is being provided by the private sector, such as the companies in attendance Friday, as well as large hospital systems and universities. Trump repeatedly praised the companies: for instance, Walmart for providing parking lot space for tests.
“There will be many more cases, but we’ll take care of that, and ultimately as the president said, this will end,” the NIH’s Dr. Anthony Fauci said Friday. “But what’s going on here today is going to help it to end sooner than it would have.”
Trump also announced measures like the creation of a website where people could type in their symptoms and determine whether they should be tested. But details of how to access it will not be available until Sunday evening.
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For college students, most of whom are being forced out of campus housing as schools switch to remote learning, Trump said student loan interest rates would be waived. However, loan rates are currently very low, so it would have only a small impact on students facing financial burdens.
The White House has also reportedly pushed to classify top-level coronavirus meetings, a move that has hampered the government’s response to the outbreak.
Trump himself has created confusion and disseminated false information. During a primetime address on Wednesday, he issued a ban on European travel, but subsequently had to announce several clarifications. He has also frequently contradicted guidance from Fauci and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and downplayed the pandemic’s effects.
The travel ban was an illustration of the ways Trump has treated the coronavirus as a foreign invader rather than a domestic health crisis. He and his allies have used racist and nativist rhetoric to describe the pandemic, and much of his response has focused on closing borders and restricting travel rather than addressing problems within the U.S. health care system.
Trump opened his press conference Friday by praising his response to the pandemic, claiming it was better “when compared to other places around the world,” touting “our closing of the borders” and claiming experts told him his ban on travel from China “saved a lot of lives.”
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He also invited Vice President Mike Pence to speak, who praised Trump’s “decisive action.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-13--Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Refused To Campaign More For Bernie Sanders

After the Iowa caucuses , Sanders campaign manager Faiz Shakir asked Ocasio-Cortez to stump for Sanders in New Hampshire , according to the sources .
The campaign prepared a model schedule to highlight the kind of popular support she would expect if she attended , one of the people familiar with the talks said .
The absence of the popular progressive lawmaker on the trail in the weeks that followed was even more notable .
In nearly a month that passed from Feb. 11 until March 8 ― two days before the Michigan primary ― Ocasio-Cortez declined multiple invitations from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ behalf in Nevada , South Carolina and the 14 states that voted on Super Tuesday , the three people told HuffPost .
She agreed at the last minute to deliver a speech on Sunday at a get-out-the-vote rally on the University of Michigan campus in Ann Arbor .
Sanders ’ campaign issued a revised media advisory about the rally the night before , informing the press that Ocasio-Cortez would be present .
Instead , in a statement to HuffPost on Thursday , Shakir praised Ocasio-Cortez for her work on Sanders ’ behalf , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after his heart attack .
( Sanders ’ allies credit the endorsement for helping revive his campaign , while backers of Sen. Elizabeth Warren ( D-Mass . )
, who also courted Ocasio-Cortez ’ s blessing , lament the deflating effect it had on her fortunes . )
“ Senator Sanders and our campaign will never forget that in one of the most difficult moments for us , Rep. Ocasio-Cortez gave us a boost with her strong endorsement , ” Shakir said .
“ And she has remained a steady and consistent ally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the senator ever since.
” Ocasio-Cortez ’ s apparent decision to avoid stumping for Sanders stands out precisely because of her intense work on his behalf in the fall and early winter .
Ocasio-Cortez spoke for Sanders at 15 major rallies , beginning with a late-October appearance in Queens that drew an estimated 26,000 people .
She spoke at a number of smaller Sanders events as well .
Ocasio-Cortez ’ s help proved especially critical in January , when Sanders was stuck in Washington participating in the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Jan. 26 , Ocasio-Cortez headlined seven rallies for Sanders in Iowa and spoke at a canvass kickoff for his campaign .
At a rally in Ames on Jan. 25 , Ocasio-Cortez delivered a speech in which she failed to mention Sanders ’ name ― an omission that Fox News noticed and highlighted .
She also encouraged those in attendance to tip off people about the presence of immigration enforcement authorities in their communities to help undocumented immigrants evade detention .
As Vanity Fair first reported in February , Shakir apparently communicated to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alerting the presence of immigration authorities .
While Sanders has sought to scrap and restructure the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency in its current form , his campaign has been trying to avoid the impression that it was encouraging noncooperation with federal law as it exists , according to one source .
( The Sanders campaign denied on Friday that Shakir ever spoke to Ocasio-Cortez about her immigration remarks . )
After that , Ocasio-Cortez ― already annoyed with the campaign ’ s Jan. 23 decision to publicize the endorsement of controversial podcast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in helping Sanders ’ campaign , according to the source .
After her last event in Iowa on Jan. 26 , she did not return to the trail for Sanders until 16 days later , at the New Hampshire rally featuring The Strokes .
Ocasio-Cortez ’ s presence was likely more missed in Texas ’ 28th Congressional District , where progressive attorney Jessica Cisneros fell just 3.6 percentage points shy of unseating conservative Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar .
Ocasio-Cortez endorsed Cisneros in late October but made no trips to South Texas on her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( Sanders , who endorsed Cisneros in late January , did not make the journey , either . )

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Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) turned down repeated requests from Bernie Sanders’ presidential campaign to appear at events promoting the Vermont senator’s candidacy in recent weeks, according to three people familiar with the discussions.
After the Iowa caucuses, Sanders campaign manager Faiz Shakir asked Ocasio-Cortez to stump for Sanders in New Hampshire, according to the sources. The campaign prepared a model schedule to highlight the kind of popular support she would expect if she attended, one of the people familiar with the talks said.
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Ocasio-Cortez resisted the entreaties until a few days before the primary on Feb. 12. She ultimately spoke the day before the election at a Sanders rally in Durham, New Hampshire, where the rock band The Strokes performed.
“It was like pulling teeth to get her to New Hampshire,” said a second person who knew about the discussions.
The absence of the popular progressive lawmaker on the trail in the weeks that followed was even more notable. In nearly a month that passed from Feb. 11 until March 8 ― two days before the Michigan primary ― Ocasio-Cortez declined multiple invitations from Sanders’ campaign to speak on his behalf in Nevada, South Carolina and the 14 states that voted on Super Tuesday, the three people told HuffPost.
During that period, Sanders rose and fell quickly, going from the uncontested front-runner after Nevada’s Feb. 22 contest to a heavy underdog after a blowout in South Carolina on Feb. 29 and Super Tuesday routs on March 3.
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As an embattled Sanders prepared to mount an unsuccessful stand against former Vice President Joe Biden in Michigan on Tuesday, the campaign again turned to Ocasio-Cortez for help.
She agreed at the last minute to deliver a speech on Sunday at a get-out-the-vote rally on the University of Michigan campus in Ann Arbor. Sanders’ campaign issued a revised media advisory about the rally the night before, informing the press that Ocasio-Cortez would be present.
Neither the Sanders campaign nor the campaign office of Ocasio-Cortez denied that she had turned down requests for additional appearances.
“Senator Sanders and our campaign will never forget that in one of the most difficult moments for us, Rep. Ocasio-Cortez gave us a boost with her strong endorsement.” - Faiz Shakir, Sanders campaign manager
Instead, in a statement to HuffPost on Thursday, Shakir praised Ocasio-Cortez for her work on Sanders’ behalf, singling out her mid-October endorsement of Sanders after his heart attack. (Sanders’ allies credit the endorsement for helping revive his campaign, while backers of Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), who also courted Ocasio-Cortez’s blessing, lament the deflating effect it had on her fortunes.)
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“Senator Sanders and our campaign will never forget that in one of the most difficult moments for us, Rep. Ocasio-Cortez gave us a boost with her strong endorsement,” Shakir said. “And she has remained a steady and consistent ally, supporter, surrogate and adviser to the senator ever since.”
In a follow-up exchange on Friday, the Sanders campaign affirmed that Ocasio-Cortez has been one of the most frequent campaign-trail surrogates for Sanders.
Ocasio-Cortez’s apparent decision to avoid stumping for Sanders stands out precisely because of her intense work on his behalf in the fall and early winter. Ocasio-Cortez spoke for Sanders at 15 major rallies, beginning with a late-October appearance in Queens that drew an estimated 26,000 people. She spoke at a number of smaller Sanders events as well.
Ocasio-Cortez’s help proved especially critical in January, when Sanders was stuck in Washington participating in the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump. Over the weekend of Jan. 24 to Jan. 26, Ocasio-Cortez headlined seven rallies for Sanders in Iowa and spoke at a canvass kickoff for his campaign.
Although the Sanders team would not say whether Ocasio-Cortez’s decision to avoid the trail reflected any dispute, Lauren Hitt, a spokeswoman for Ocasio-Cortez, denied that the congresswoman’s itinerary reflected tensions with the campaign.
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“The plan was always that she would slow down her surrogate work in February, after Iowa, to focus on her re-elect and congressional duties,” Hitt said.
But the first source said a disagreement over Ocasio-Cortez’s remarks in Iowa seemed to cool her on helping with the campaign.
At a rally in Ames on Jan. 25, Ocasio-Cortez delivered a speech in which she failed to mention Sanders’ name ― an omission that Fox News noticed and highlighted. She also encouraged those in attendance to tip off people about the presence of immigration enforcement authorities in their communities to help undocumented immigrants evade detention.
As Vanity Fair first reported in February, Shakir apparently communicated to Ocasio-Cortez his dissatisfaction over her remarks about alerting the presence of immigration authorities. While Sanders has sought to scrap and restructure the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency in its current form, his campaign has been trying to avoid the impression that it was encouraging noncooperation with federal law as it exists, according to one source. (The Sanders campaign denied on Friday that Shakir ever spoke to Ocasio-Cortez about her immigration remarks.)
After that, Ocasio-Cortez ― already annoyed with the campaign’s Jan. 23 decision to publicize the endorsement of controversial podcast host Joe Rogan ― grew less interested in helping Sanders’ campaign, according to the source. After her last event in Iowa on Jan. 26, she did not return to the trail for Sanders until 16 days later, at the New Hampshire rally featuring The Strokes.
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It’s unclear whether Ocasio-Cortez’s low profile affected Sanders’ performance in the primaries. Sanders continues to struggle with older voters, among whom Ocasio-Cortez has less of a following. Her campaign trail appearance in Michigan did not prevent Sanders’ double-digit loss to Biden there.
Ocasio-Cortez’s presence was likely more missed in Texas’ 28th Congressional District, where progressive attorney Jessica Cisneros fell just 3.6 percentage points shy of unseating conservative Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar. Ocasio-Cortez endorsed Cisneros in late October but made no trips to South Texas on her behalf ahead of the close race. (Sanders, who endorsed Cisneros in late January, did not make the journey, either.)
The relatively infrequent appearance of an important Sanders surrogate shows the contrasting levels of discipline between the progressive and moderate wings of the Democratic Party.
While Ocasio-Cortez was staying off the campaign trail in the aftermath of Biden’s victory in South Carolina, three moderate ex-presidential contenders ― Amy Klobuchar, Pete Buttigieg and Beto O’Rourke ― endorsed Biden, ensuring him wall-to-wall national media coverage that provided momentum going into Super Tuesday.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) introduces Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) in Ann Arbor, Michigan, on Sunday. It was her first campaign-trail appearance for Sanders in nearly a month. Salwan Georges/The Washington Post/Getty Images


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-13--GOP Group Targets Trump's Children With 'Grifters' Attack Ads On Fox News

The Lincoln Project , a group of anti-Trump Republicans whose principal objective is to defeat the president in the 2020 election , is targeting his adult children with its new campaign .
A voiceover pretending to be Ivanka Trump explains why “ daddy being president is the best thing ever ” in the first episode of the group ’ s “ Grifters ” series , released Friday .
Fake Ivanka explains how the Trump family has financially benefited from being in office while news stories appear in the theme .
“ Oh , Daddy , you ’ re so good @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clip , which the group said will air on CNN , MSNBC and Trump ’ s favorite , Fox News , from Friday .
In a press email , The Lincoln Project co-founder Jennifer Horn said Donald Trump ’ s children have “ established a record of the worst kind of grifting.
” “ While their father has held the office of President , Ivanka , Donald Jr. , and Eric Trump and Jared Kushner have run the family business like a mob enterprise , and it ’ s time someone held them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Lincoln Project will continue to do so as long as they continue to abuse the office of the Presidency for their personal financial gain.
” Last week , The New York Times reported that Trump ’ s 2020 reelection campaign manager Brad Parscale is funneling money to the significant others of two of the president ’ s adult children .

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The Lincoln Project, a group of anti-Trump Republicans whose principal objective is to defeat the president in the 2020 election, is targeting his adult children with its new campaign.
A voiceover pretending to be Ivanka Trump explains why “daddy being president is the best thing ever” in the first episode of the group’s “Grifters” series, released Friday.
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Fake Ivanka explains how the Trump family has financially benefited from being in office while news stories appear in the theme.
“Oh, Daddy, you’re so good to us,” she concludes the clip, which the group said will air on CNN, MSNBC and Trump’s favorite, Fox News, from Friday.
Check out the ad here:
In a press email, The Lincoln Project co-founder Jennifer Horn said Donald Trump’s children have “established a record of the worst kind of grifting.”
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“While their father has held the office of President, Ivanka, Donald Jr., and Eric Trump and Jared Kushner have run the family business like a mob enterprise, and it’s time someone held them accountable,” Horn continued. “The Lincoln Project will continue to do so as long as they continue to abuse the office of the Presidency for their personal financial gain.”
“Stay tuned for Episode 2,” Horn added.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-13--Louisiana Is First State To Postpone 2020 Primary Over Coronavirus

The state ’ s April 4 primary will be moved to June 20 , and its May 9 general election will be held on July 25 , Ardoin said at a press conference .
“ Today I have certified that a state of emergency exists , and requested that the governor issue an executive order postponing the elections this spring , ” he said .
The decision , he continued , “ has been made out of an absolute abundance of caution for Louisiana ’ s voters , voting officials and the general public as a whole.
” Over half @ @ @ @ @ @ @ commissioners are age 65 and over , he noted , adding that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have found that people in that age group are more vulnerable to COVID-19 , the disease caused by the coronavirus .
As of Friday , there are 33 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Louisiana , up from 19 the day before .
Moving the entire state onto absentee ballots was not a viable option this close to the election , Ardoin said , even with the state ’ s past experience moving elections because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
John Bel Edwards ( D ) told The Advocate that state officials think early April “ could potentially be the height ” of the outbreak in Louisiana .
Moving the election is an “ extraordinary measure but one we feel is prudent , ” she said .
Officials in Arizona , Florida , Illinois and Ohio ― all of which are holding primaries on March 17 , this coming Tuesday ― said later on Friday that they do not plan to delay their elections .
“ Americans have participated in elections during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the secretaries of state said in a joint statement , “ and based on the best information we have from public health officials , we are confident that voters in our states can safely and securely cast their ballots in this election.
” Following the Louisiana news , Wyoming Democrats announced on Friday that they are suspending the in-person portion of their April 4 caucuses and only accepting votes by mail or via ballot drop-off on March 28 and April 4 .
Keep up with the latest updates on the coronavirus at our @ @ @

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Louisiana is the first state to postpone its 2020 primary over the coronavirus outbreak, Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin said Friday.
The state’s April 4 primary will be moved to June 20, and its May 9 general election will be held on July 25, Ardoin said at a press conference.
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“Today I have certified that a state of emergency exists, and requested that the governor issue an executive order postponing the elections this spring,” he said.
The decision, he continued, “has been made out of an absolute abundance of caution for Louisiana’s voters, voting officials and the general public as a whole.”
Over half of the state’s Election Day commissioners are age 65 and over, he noted, adding that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have found that people in that age group are more vulnerable to COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. As of Friday, there are 33 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Louisiana, up from 19 the day before.
Moving the entire state onto absentee ballots was not a viable option this close to the election, Ardoin said, even with the state’s past experience moving elections because of hurricanes.
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A spokesperson for Gov. John Bel Edwards (D) told The Advocate that state officials think early April “could potentially be the height” of the outbreak in Louisiana. Moving the election is an “extraordinary measure but one we feel is prudent,” she said.
Officials in Arizona, Florida, Illinois and Ohio ― all of which are holding primaries on March 17, this coming Tuesday ― said later on Friday that they do not plan to delay their elections.
“Americans have participated in elections during challenging times in the past,” the secretaries of state said in a joint statement, “and based on the best information we have from public health officials, we are confident that voters in our states can safely and securely cast their ballots in this election.”
Following the Louisiana news, Wyoming Democrats announced on Friday that they are suspending the in-person portion of their April 4 caucuses and only accepting votes by mail or via ballot drop-off on March 28 and April 4.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-13--How Trump Blew The Coronavirus Response

How Trump Blew The Coronavirus Response

By the morning after Trump ’ s speech , administration officials were grumbling anonymously to reporters about having to clean up the president ’ s mess .
It was emblematic of his administration ’ s entire bumbling , self-serving approach to the pandemic .
Trump has shown that his ultimate priority is to evade blame .
The president has shown he has no qualms about peddling false information to make himself look good , even when downplaying the threat discourages Americans from taking steps to contain the virus .
And when the threat could no longer be ignored , Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exploit the country ’ s legitimate fears to justify a racist , nativist response .
Meanwhile , his administration ’ s failures to effectively test for the coronavirus and contain its spread was costing lives .
“ And by the way , the virus , they ’ re working hard , ” Trump said of China at a New Hampshire campaign rally on Feb. 10 .
“ Looks like by April , you know , in theory , when it gets a little warmer , it miraculously goes away , ” Trump said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by experts and that Trump would repeat multiple times over the following days .
“ But we ’ re doing great in our country .
… We only have 11 cases , and they ’ re all getting better , ” he continued , the same day the 13th American tested positive for the disease .
Then came Trump ’ s bizarre Oval Office speech , by which point there were approximately 1,200 confirmed cases in the U.S .
Facing a nation desperate for a plan , the president ’ s response centered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most of Europe .
He criticized the European Union for failing to contain the outbreak and offered little information about how his administration would stop the same thing from happening in the U.S .
He claimed he had convinced insurance companies to waive copayments for coronavirus treatment — only to be quickly corrected by an insurance lobby spokesman .
He promised to provide financial relief to Americans who stay home sick — even though his own party had blocked an effort in the Senate earlier that day to guarantee workers paid sick leave @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ the vast majority of Americans , the risk is very , very low ” and boasted that the virus “ will not have a chance against us .
”

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Seated at his desk in the Oval Office for a prime-time address on Wednesday, President Donald Trump faced a pivotal moment. The global coronavirus pandemic had claimed thousands of lives and reached U.S. shores as global markets took historic plunges. In a normal world, Trump would look presidential, stick to the teleprompter, and assure Americans that his administration understood the threat facing the country and would take dramatic action to curb the spread of the deadly virus.
That didn’t happen. Trump bungled key facts about the administration’s response — three assertions had to be immediately walked back by White House staff — congratulated himself on his supposedly excellent work so far, and blamed other countries for letting the disease spread.
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As Trump spoke, global stocks and U.S. futures tumbled further. At almost the same moment, police were shutting down a basketball arena in Oklahoma City after a player on the Utah Jazz tested positive for the coronavirus — which immediately sparked a suspension of the entire NBA season. Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson announced they had contracted the virus. By Thursday morning, major sports leagues had suspended operations, New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art and Broadway theaters shut down, and the Democratic presidential debate was relocated from Arizona to a studio in Washington, D.C.
By the morning after Trump’s speech, administration officials were grumbling anonymously to reporters about having to clean up the president’s mess. It was emblematic of his administration’s entire bumbling, self-serving approach to the pandemic. Trump has shown that his ultimate priority is to evade blame. The president has shown he has no qualms about peddling false information to make himself look good, even when downplaying the threat discourages Americans from taking steps to contain the virus. And when the threat could no longer be ignored, Trump fell back on a familiar strategy: exploit the country’s legitimate fears to justify a racist, nativist response. Meanwhile, his administration’s failures to effectively test for the coronavirus and contain its spread was costing lives.
That moment C-SPAN didn’t realize they were broadcasting still.... pic.twitter.com/eoO2pgzCQt — Burt Macklin (@knoweyedentity) March 12, 2020
Don’t worry, everything is fine
The U.S. confirmed its first case of coronavirus on Jan. 21. Trump, who was in Davos, Switzerland, said there was nothing to worry about. “We have it totally under control,” he told CNBC the next day. “It’s one person coming in from China, and we have it under control.”
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Messaging from the White House over the next week was wildly inconsistent. “We’re in great shape … and I think China’s in good shape too, by the way,” he said Jan. 22, only to reverse himself eight days later as the death toll rose. “China is not in great shape right now,” he told Fox News on Jan. 30.
Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar declared a public health emergency and the White House announced travel restrictions to and from China in late January — but the administration provided little information about how to halt the spread of the virus in the U.S.
Several of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s initial test kits, disbursed in early February, provided false positives. The lack of a reliable test made it impossible for people experiencing symptoms to know whether they needed to self-quarantine or just wait out a regular cold or flu. Throughout February, Trump continued to describe the outbreak as a foreign problem — primarily China’s — and one that would simply disappear one day.
“And by the way, the virus, they’re working hard,” Trump said of China at a New Hampshire campaign rally on Feb. 10. “Looks like by April, you know, in theory, when it gets a little warmer, it miraculously goes away,” Trump said, a claim that is not supported by experts and that Trump would repeat multiple times over the following days. “But we’re doing great in our country. … We only have 11 cases, and they’re all getting better,” he continued, the same day the 13th American tested positive for the disease.
After weeks of requests from lawmakers, the Trump administration asked Congress on Feb. 24 to allocate $1.25 billion in emergency funding for the country’s coronavirus response. By the time the request came in, it was “too little, too late,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said.
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At the time, only 12 out of more than 100 state or local labs in the U.S. could perform their own coronavirus testing. Still, Trump insisted everything was fine. The virus is “very much under control in the USA,” Trump tweeted the same day the CDC confirmed 19 new cases.
Soon, the president started complaining that he wasn’t receiving enough praise for his management of the crisis. “The press won’t give us credit for it,” he said during rambling remarks at a Feb. 27 photo op with Black leaders at the White House, including popular Fox News personalities Diamond and Silk. Trump continued on a lengthy tirade against mostly imagined criticisms from Democrats about his travel restrictions on China.
“But, anyway ― but we’ve done an incredible job because we closed early. And actually, the Democrats said I was a racist. Not from Black-people standpoint, but from Asian-people standpoint, from Chinese-people standpoint,” Trump said. “They said I was a racist because I closed our country to people coming in from certain areas. They called me a racist.”
President Donald Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and other administration officials hold a press briefing March 9 with members of the White House Coronavirus Task Force team. Drew Angerer via Getty Images
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Testing failures lead to mounting deaths
On the same day as Trump’s rant alongside Black leaders at the White House, New York City Department of Health spokeswoman Stephanie Buhle told ProPublica that the city was still unable to test for the coronavirus. “The kits that were sent to us have demonstrated performance issues and cannot be relied upon to provide an accurate result.”
Widespread testing is perhaps the most critical element of containing the spread of coronavirus. Without tests, sick people won’t get treatment and asymptomatic patients won’t know to self-quarantine to avoid spreading the infection. South Korea is now testing 20,000 people a day and the country’s infection rates are not rapidly increasing. On Monday, The Atlantic reported that the U.S. — a much larger country — had only tested 4,384 people.
Instead of providing information about testing, treatment and best practices, the White House has become a key source of misinformation about the coronavirus. “So a number that nobody heard of that I heard of recently, and I was shocked to hear, 35,000 people on average die each year from the flu,” Trump told his supporters at a campaign rally in South Carolina. “Did anyone know that?”
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s leading infectious disease expert, has since refuted the idea that COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, is on par with influenza. “People always say, ‘Well, the flu does this, the flu does that,’” he said during a congressional hearing this week. “The flu has a mortality of 0.1%. This has a mortality of 10 times that.”
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After meeting with pharmaceutical companies, Trump falsely claimed that a vaccine breakthrough was imminent. According to Fauci, testing could begin later this month, but a vaccine won’t be publicly available for at least a year.
Meanwhile, Trump continued to treat the coronavirus as a foreign invader rather than a domestic health crisis. On Feb. 29, he expanded travel restrictions to and from Iran and boasted about his efforts to “control our borders and protect Americans from the coronavirus” during a speech at CPAC. At the very same convention center, several of the president’s closest allies in Congress were exposed to an individual who tested positive for the virus.
By the time the CDC expanded the group of people who could be tested for the coronavirus in early March, there were more than 90,000 cases globally and 3,000 deaths. But testing continued to lag and the virus seemed to pop up in new states every day. During the first week of March, Rhode Island, Florida, New York, North Carolina, Colorado, Maryland and Hawaii all reported their first coronavirus cases.
The New York Times revealed earlier this week how federal agencies ordered Dr. Helen Y. Chu, an infectious disease expert in Seattle, to stop repurposing flu tests to screen for the coronavirus after she’d discovered an outbreak of COVID-19 in Washington state. It was what the Times described as “just one in a series of missed chances by the federal government to ensure more widespread testing during the early days of the outbreak.”
By last Friday, the Trump administration was practically declaring victory. “We stopped it,” Trump boasted. Kudlow declared the disease was contained (again) and urged Americans to “stay at work.” At the time, the CDC was urging people to work remotely if possible and to stay home with even mild symptoms of illness. More than 2,770 people were under quarantine for possible coronavirus infection in New York City alone.
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Frustrated Americans who were turned away from hospitals after reporting symptoms or exposure to the virus started tweeting about their inability to get tested. But the Trump administration refused to acknowledge the lack of available test kits. Anyone who “wants a test can get a test,” Trump claimed. There “is no testing kit shortage, nor has there ever been,” Azar, the HHS secretary insisted.
On Saturday, Trump held a press conference with Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro. A reporter asked him if he was worried “that the virus is getting closer to the White House and D.C.?” Trump brushed the reporter off. “No, I’m not concerned at all. No, I’m not. No, we’ve done a great job. Thank you very much.” Four days later, Bolsonaro’s press aide, who posed for a photo next to Trump, tested positive for the coronavirus.
Trump addresses the nation from the Oval Office about the widening coronavirus crisis on March 11. Pool via Getty Images
The crisis explodes
As the number of U.S. cases spiked and people from coast to coast panic purchased toilet paper, food and disinfectants, Trump again called for calm. “It will go away,” Trump said after a Tuesday meeting with Republican lawmakers. “It’s really working out.”
The following day, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic, a designation reserved for epidemics that have spread across several continents. And Fauci warned that “many, many millions” of Americans could ultimately be infected if the nation fails to respond appropriately.
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Then came Trump’s bizarre Oval Office speech, by which point there were approximately 1,200 confirmed cases in the U.S. Facing a nation desperate for a plan, the president’s response centered on closing the U.S. to visitors from most of Europe. He criticized the European Union for failing to contain the outbreak and offered little information about how his administration would stop the same thing from happening in the U.S. He claimed he had convinced insurance companies to waive copayments for coronavirus treatment — only to be quickly corrected by an insurance lobby spokesman. He promised to provide financial relief to Americans who stay home sick — even though his own party had blocked an effort in the Senate earlier that day to guarantee workers paid sick leave. And he again emphasized that for “the vast majority of Americans, the risk is very, very low” and boasted that the virus “will not have a chance against us.”
He only briefly mentioned the need for social distancing and increased access to testing, two things that the nation’s top experts say will be key to combating the virus’s spread.
“Testing and testing capabilities are expanding rapidly,” Trump said. “Day by day, we’re moving very quickly.”
This is perhaps Trump’s most dangerous falsehood. The lack of available tests is an ongoing failure, Fauci testified during a congressional hearing on Thursday.
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“It is a failing. I mean, let’s admit it,” he said at a congressional hearing. “The idea of anybody getting it easily the way people in other countries are doing it? We’re not set up for that. Do I think we should be? Yes. But we’re not.”
As Fauci testified on Capitol Hill, Trump continued to tell a different story, one divorced from reality. Fielding questions during an Oval Office briefing with Ireland’s prime minister, Leo Varadkar, the president said testing is going “smoothly” and claimed that anyone entering the U.S. from overseas gets screened for the virus.
“If an American is coming back or anybody coming back, we are testing,” Trump said. “We have a tremendous testing setup where people coming in have to be tested.”
That assertion was immediately upended by travelers entering the U.S. Mike McIntire, a reporter for The New York Times, reported “zero screening, testing or even questions related to coronavirus” upon arriving in New York City from Paris on Thursday. And stories continue to mount of people being denied coronavirus tests after showing signs of possible infection.
“We have no local testing available,” Dr. Walter Mills, president of the California Academy of Family Physicians, which represents 11,000 doctors, told the Vallejo Times-Herald this week. “No one has been trained to do the test, as it is not available in the community.”
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The consensus among public health experts is that the U.S. response has been sorely inadequate. In an interview with NPR, Ashish Jha, who leads the Harvard Global Health Institute, called it “stunning” and a “fiasco.”
“Our response is much, much worse than almost any other country that’s been affected,” he said.
George Zornick contributed reporting.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-13--Right-Wing Media’s Coronavirus Response: Sycophancy, Racism And Misinformation

But now that the reality of the virus as a public health crisis and economic disaster is becoming unavoidable , some partisan media outlets have refocused on a different message : Trump is doing a great job of handling a serious outbreak .
He ’ s always been doing a great job .
The pivot began after Trump gave his first national address about the coronavirus on Wednesday night and declared a travel ban on a number of European countries .
Although Trump ’ s confusing statements did not address key issues like the dearth of tests for the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the most direct remarks he has made so far acknowledging the severity of the outbreak .
But the damage may have already been done .
Right-wing outlets and personalities diminishing the coronavirus could lead to more illness and more deaths if the public ignores warnings from health officials or credible news reports .
Given that Fox ’ s viewers tend to be older , they are also especially vulnerable for coming down with COVID-19 , the disease caused by the virus .
These attempts by the partisan media to downplay the crisis could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Now these outlets and media figures are facing a challenge : how to maintain an information bubble that calls any criticism of Trump a liberal hoax , while there are clear and tangible effects of the coronavirus on everyday lives .
It was one thing to argue Trump did nothing wrong when he solicited foreign aid in an election , but as markets plummet , major events are canceled , schools are closed , and workers are sent home , it ’ s nearly impossible to ignore that something very bad is happening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ After Trump ’ s remarks on Wednesday , some of his key supporters in partisan media gave sycophantic praise of the president .
Fox News host Sean Hannity claimed that Trump had been on top of the virus “ from day one ” and “ no president has ever done more , acted more quickly to stop the spread of a disease.
” Hannity also altered some of his usual dismissive rhetoric about the virus ― he ’ d previously called coverage of it a “ hoax ” ― to acknowledge it carries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all what Hannity and other Fox News pundits have been telling audiences since the start of the outbreak .
The overwhelming message from the outlet has been that professional journalists are “ weaponizing ” the coronavirus to attack Trump .
Hannity claimed on Monday that “ the coverage we are seeing from the media and the mob is beyond despicable and political.
” He spread the claim on his radio show as well , even promoting a conspiracy about the “ deep state ” using the outbreak fears to manipulate markets .
( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hannity ’ s claims . )
Elsewhere in the right-wing media ecosystem , radio host Rush Limbaugh falsely stated that “ the coronavirus is the common cold.
” ( Health officials believe it is actually around 10 times deadlier than the flu . )
At the extreme edge of right-wing media , hosts on conspiracy site InfoWars are peddling fake coronavirus cures to profit off disaster .
This misinformation has the potential for real harm .
There is evidence that Trump ’ s rhetoric and right-wing media messaging has divided public perceptions of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ early March found that Democrats are about twice as likely to believe coronavirus posed an imminent threat to the United States than Republicans were .
Trump-aligned media have struggled to find a coherent narrative to explain away the visible havoc caused by the virus .
Although many pundits , including Hannity , haven ’ t entirely given up the dangerous message that the virus is overblown , some have also shifted the narrative toward common right-wing targets .
Fox and Friends gave airtime to Trump ally Jerry Falwell Jr. , who floated a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a North Korean and Chinese bioweapon .
Fox News host Tucker Carlson has meanwhile fallen back on xenophobia and criticism of “ wokeness , ” blaming China for the disease and repeating the common white nationalist slogan “ diversity is not our strength.
” National Review editor Rich Lowry also blamed China and called coronavirus “ the first pandemic of the woke era.
” Trump has recently hinted at blaming China for the outbreak after initially praising its efforts , and on Wednesday referred to coronavirus as a “ foreign virus ” while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Other far-right leaders around the world and their supporters in the media have similarly attempted to refocus the coronavirus outbreak on familiar enemies and downplay government responsibility in preventing COVID-19 cases from spreading .
In Hungary , Prime Minister Viktor Orbán warned the public in February that the greater threat to worry about was migration .
After Orbán ’ s government declared a state of emergency this week , he claimed there was a clear link between illegal immigration and the outbreak .
The leader of Italy ’ s far-right Lega party , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the virus on migrants from Africa .
As Brazil ’ s coronavirus outbreak worsened in recent days , far-right President Jair Bolsonaro claimed the disease was “ not all the mainstream media makes it out to be ” and echoed Trump ’ s talking point that the flu is also deadly .
One of Bolsonaro ’ s top officials tested positive on Thursday for COVID-19 following a trip to Trump ’ s Mar-A-Lago resort , and the Brazilian president also had to be tested .
( Bolsanaro said on Friday that his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; he and his son have lashed out about a media report claiming he tested positive . )

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Right-wing media outlets and pundits spent weeks dangerously minimizing the severity of the coronavirus and claiming that accurate reports on the outbreak were part of a liberal conspiracy to defame President Donald Trump.
But now that the reality of the virus as a public health crisis and economic disaster is becoming unavoidable, some partisan media outlets have refocused on a different message: Trump is doing a great job of handling a serious outbreak. He’s always been doing a great job.
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The pivot began after Trump gave his first national address about the coronavirus on Wednesday night and declared a travel ban on a number of European countries. Although Trump’s confusing statements did not address key issues like the dearth of tests for the virus in the U.S., the speech contained the most direct remarks he has made so far acknowledging the severity of the outbreak.
But the damage may have already been done. Right-wing outlets and personalities diminishing the coronavirus could lead to more illness and more deaths if the public ignores warnings from health officials or credible news reports. Given that Fox’s viewers tend to be older, they are also especially vulnerable for coming down with COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus. These attempts by the partisan media to downplay the crisis could quite seriously put lives at risk.
Now these outlets and media figures are facing a challenge: how to maintain an information bubble that calls any criticism of Trump a liberal hoax, while there are clear and tangible effects of the coronavirus on everyday lives. It was one thing to argue Trump did nothing wrong when he solicited foreign aid in an election, but as markets plummet, major events are canceled, schools are closed, and workers are sent home, it’s nearly impossible to ignore that something very bad is happening on the president’s watch.
After Trump’s remarks on Wednesday, some of his key supporters in partisan media gave sycophantic praise of the president. Fox News host Sean Hannity claimed that Trump had been on top of the virus “from day one” and “no president has ever done more, acted more quickly to stop the spread of a disease.” Hannity also altered some of his usual dismissive rhetoric about the virus ― he’d previously called coverage of it a “hoax” ― to acknowledge it carries actual dangers.
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“Do we need to take it all seriously? I’ve been saying we have to,” Hannity told viewers.
That is not at all what Hannity and other Fox News pundits have been telling audiences since the start of the outbreak. The overwhelming message from the outlet has been that professional journalists are “weaponizing” the coronavirus to attack Trump. Hannity claimed on Monday that “the coverage we are seeing from the media and the mob is beyond despicable and political.” He spread the claim on his radio show as well, even promoting a conspiracy about the “deep state” using the outbreak fears to manipulate markets. (There is no proof for any of Hannity’s claims.)
Other Fox hosts were similarly disdainful of the numerous, accurate reports that highlighted the Trump administration’s failures to respond to coronavirus and the global implications of the pandemic.
“The hate is boiling over. Many in the liberal media using ― and I mean using! ― coronavirus in an attempt to destroy the president,” Fox Business host Trish Regan said in a conspiracy-laden diatribe earlier this week.
On Saturday, Fox Business told HuffPost in a statement that Regan’s show and one other program will be “on hiatus until further notice” and that resources for those shows will shift to covering the spread of coronavirus “during critical market hours.”
Elsewhere in the right-wing media ecosystem, radio host Rush Limbaugh falsely stated that “the coronavirus is the common cold.” (Health officials believe it is actually around 10 times deadlier than the flu.) At the extreme edge of right-wing media, hosts on conspiracy site InfoWars are peddling fake coronavirus cures to profit off disaster.
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This misinformation has the potential for real harm. There is evidence that Trump’s rhetoric and right-wing media messaging has divided public perceptions of the virus ― a poll conducted in early March found that Democrats are about twice as likely to believe coronavirus posed an imminent threat to the United States than Republicans were.
Fox News hosts have fervently defended Trump as reports of the administration's mishandling of the coronavirus outbreak mount. Drew Angerer via Getty Images
Trump-aligned media have struggled to find a coherent narrative to explain away the visible havoc caused by the virus. Although many pundits, including Hannity, haven’t entirely given up the dangerous message that the virus is overblown, some have also shifted the narrative toward common right-wing targets.
Fox and Friends gave airtime to Trump ally Jerry Falwell Jr., who floated a groundless conspiracy that the virus could be a North Korean and Chinese bioweapon. Fox News host Tucker Carlson has meanwhile fallen back on xenophobia and criticism of “wokeness,” blaming China for the disease and repeating the common white nationalist slogan “diversity is not our strength.” National Review editor Rich Lowry also blamed China and called coronavirus “the first pandemic of the woke era.” Trump has recently hinted at blaming China for the outbreak after initially praising its efforts, and on Wednesday referred to coronavirus as a “foreign virus” while touting his travel ban against China.
Other far-right leaders around the world and their supporters in the media have similarly attempted to refocus the coronavirus outbreak on familiar enemies and downplay government responsibility in preventing COVID-19 cases from spreading. In Hungary, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán warned the public in February that the greater threat to worry about was migration. After Orbán’s government declared a state of emergency this week, he claimed there was a clear link between illegal immigration and the outbreak. The leader of Italy’s far-right Lega party, Matteo Salvini, groundlessly blamed the spread of the virus on migrants from Africa.
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As Brazil’s coronavirus outbreak worsened in recent days, far-right President Jair Bolsonaro claimed the disease was “not all the mainstream media makes it out to be” and echoed Trump’s talking point that the flu is also deadly. One of Bolsonaro’s top officials tested positive on Thursday for COVID-19 following a trip to Trump’s Mar-A-Lago resort, and the Brazilian president also had to be tested. (Bolsanaro said on Friday that his test for the coronavirus came back negative; he and his son have lashed out about a media report claiming he tested positive.)
On Friday morning, Trump tweeted another talking point that’s been rampant on Fox News recently and criticizes one of the president’s favorite targets: The real reason that coronavirus testing was delayed, he claimed, was Barack Obama.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-13--New Trump Rule Would Deny Disability Benefits To People Who Can't Work Full Time

Jonathan Ernst / Reuters The Trump administration thinks too many people are getting help under the Social Security Disability Insurance program .
The tighter eligibility standard , which has not been previously reported , is part of a draft rule that , if finalized , would bring sweeping changes to the Social Security Disability Insurance program .
It would follow multiple other efforts by the Trump administration to cut social programs that help people afford food , health care and housing .
The full draft rule , which has not been formally released yet , is the culmination of years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to update its data on the U.S. labor market ― and years of grumbling by Republicans and right-wing think tanks about how disability benefits coddle people who supposedly could get jobs .
If an applicant says they can ’ t engage in what Social Security considers “ substantial gainful activity ” ― earning at least $ 1,260 per month in 2020 ― the government first checks to see if their medical impairments are on a list of conditions that automatically qualify the person for benefits .
If the impairments are severe but not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ looks at the applicant ’ s age , work history and “ residual functional capacity ” ― their ability to work at a sedentary job where their disability would be less of an obstacle .
This latter stage of the process , when vocational factors are considered , is what the Trump administration wants to change .
As part of its reform , the standard for what counts as “ regular and continuing ” work would no longer be eight hours a day , five days a week .
According to an outline @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the administration reckons that the standard 40-hour threshold makes it too easy for disability applicants to show a diminished capacity just because they need to miss more than one hour per day or one day per week .
Some applicants may still be able to earn more than the substantial gainful activity level in less time .
Romig said it ’ s unclear how the Social Security Administration could prove there are ample job opportunities for people with disabilities who need nonstandard schedules .
“ I ’ m afraid promulgating a rule like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ denying benefits to people who in fact don ’ t have opportunities for self-supporting work , ” she said .
It ’ s just one part of the proposed regulation , which is still under internal review .
Another component , previously reported by The Wall Street Journal , would limit the extent to which disability examiners consider a person ’ s age , and another would reduce the number of years that examiners look at when weighing a person ’ s work history .
Actuaries in the Social Security Administration are currently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many beneficiaries would be affected and how much money the government might save by denying benefits , according to a source .
I ’ m afraid promulgating a rule like this one would have the effect of denying benefits to people who in fact don ’ t have opportunities for self-supporting work .
Kathleen Romig , a disability policy expert with the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities The Social Security Administration did not respond to requests for comment , but has said in the past that it doesn ’ t talk about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ notice that it would be drafting the rule , which it said would be ready in June , the agency said the changes “ would modernize our disability program consistent with current evidence and occupational information.
” The agency has been using an outdated directory of jobs in the labor market to evaluate claimants ’ ability to shift to new lines of work .
It ’ s in the midst of a long-running project to replace the directory with more current information from the Bureau of Labor Statistics .

The Trump administration thinks too many people are getting help under the Social Security Disability Insurance program. Jonathan Ernst / Reuters
Since 1956, the U.S. government has paid disability benefits to people with a serious illness or injury that leaves them unable to work full time.
Now the Trump administration is planning a regulation that would essentially redefine full-time work as 30 hours per week, instead of the usual 40, for purposes of determining whether someone is disabled. Fewer people would likely win benefits as a result.
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The tighter eligibility standard, which has not been previously reported, is part of a draft rule that, if finalized, would bring sweeping changes to the Social Security Disability Insurance program. It would follow multiple other efforts by the Trump administration to cut social programs that help people afford food, health care and housing.
“Shifting the standard from 40 hours to 30 hours would definitely lead to fewer disability benefit awards,” said Kathleen Romig, a disability policy expert with the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, which opposes disability cuts.
The full draft rule, which has not been formally released yet, is the culmination of years of work by the Social Security Administration to update its data on the U.S. labor market ― and years of grumbling by Republicans and right-wing think tanks about how disability benefits coddle people who supposedly could get jobs.
Roughly 13 million Americans receive SSDI and Supplemental Security Income benefits, with the latter program offering lower payments that are based solely on need rather than someone’s work history.
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If an applicant says they can’t engage in what Social Security considers “substantial gainful activity” ― earning at least $1,260 per month in 2020 ― the government first checks to see if their medical impairments are on a list of conditions that automatically qualify the person for benefits. If the impairments are severe but not on the list, then the government looks at the applicant’s age, work history and “residual functional capacity” ― their ability to work at a sedentary job where their disability would be less of an obstacle.
This latter stage of the process, when vocational factors are considered, is what the Trump administration wants to change. As part of its reform, the standard for what counts as “regular and continuing” work would no longer be eight hours a day, five days a week.
According to an outline of the proposal obtained by HuffPost, the administration reckons that the standard 40-hour threshold makes it too easy for disability applicants to show a diminished capacity just because they need to miss more than one hour per day or one day per week. Some applicants may still be able to earn more than the substantial gainful activity level in less time.
Romig said it’s unclear how the Social Security Administration could prove there are ample job opportunities for people with disabilities who need nonstandard schedules. “I’m afraid promulgating a rule like this one would have the effect of denying benefits to people who in fact don’t have opportunities for self-supporting work,” she said.
It’s just one part of the proposed regulation, which is still under internal review. Another component, previously reported by The Wall Street Journal, would limit the extent to which disability examiners consider a person’s age, and another would reduce the number of years that examiners look at when weighing a person’s work history.
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The changes could affect a lot of people. Of the 557,000 favorable benefit decisions in 2017, the most recent year for which data is available, 43.9% considered vocational factors.
Actuaries in the Social Security Administration are currently reviewing the draft rule to see how many beneficiaries would be affected and how much money the government might save by denying benefits, according to a source.
These vocational reforms follow a proposed increase in reviews of already awarded disability claims and a finalized regulation deeming the inability to speak English a non-factor for older claimants.
“I’m afraid promulgating a rule like this one would have the effect of denying benefits to people who in fact don’t have opportunities for self-supporting work.” - Kathleen Romig, a disability policy expert with the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
The Social Security Administration did not respond to requests for comment, but has said in the past that it doesn’t talk about unfinished draft regulations. In its official notice that it would be drafting the rule, which it said would be ready in June, the agency said the changes “would modernize our disability program consistent with current evidence and occupational information.”
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The agency has been using an outdated directory of jobs in the labor market to evaluate claimants’ ability to shift to new lines of work. It’s in the midst of a long-running project to replace the directory with more current information from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Mark Warshawsky, a deputy Social Security commissioner appointed by President Donald Trump in 2017, has argued that outdated medical listings and vocational standards have resulted in rising disability enrollment despite improved work opportunities for people with disabilities and better health and longevity for Americans in general.
Program enrollment increased sharply as a result of the Great Recession of 2007-2009, but has been declining since around 2014. Nevertheless, the reforms the administration is pursuing track closely with what Warshawsky proposed in a 2015 paper he co-wrote as a research fellow with the conservative Mercatus Center think tank.
The disability program “has been allowed to grow without sufficient limit, damaging the work ethic of this country and its government’s finances,” Warshawsky wrote back then. “The program needs the substantial reforms that we have proposed to make it fair, modern, and sustainable into the future for those workers who need it most.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-13--Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Breaks Self-Imposed Fox News Ban To Make Coronavirus Plea

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez ( D-N.Y. ) on Thursday appeared on Fox News — whose hosts frequently berate her — to discuss the coronavirus pandemic and make the case for federal paid sick leave .
“ I usually don ’ t go on FOX on principle , but misinformation about coronavirus has made me concerned about risk , ” the lawmaker tweeted ahead of her appearance on “ Special Report with Bret Baier.
” Hey all , wanted to drop a📝 for accountability .
I usually don ’ t go on FOX on principle , but misinformation about coronavirus has made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ result I decided to go on @ BretBaier to discuss coronavirus response + make the case for paid leave , Medicaid , etc — Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez ( @ AOC ) March 12 , 2020 During the interview , Ocasio-Cortez called on the government to “ act swiftly ” and provide relief for working Americans who are getting laid off and having shifts canceled in the face of the public health crisis .
She also stressed the importance of quickly passing legislation that includes paid sick leave .
Ocasio-Cortez said it was “ debatable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ best health care system in the world .
She argued that “ it almost seems like the more wealthy and powerful you are , the more able you are to access a test ” for COVID-19 , the disease caused by the virus that has now infected more than 130,000 people worldwide .
“ We need to dramatically expand # COVID-19 testing and *processing* capacity , ” she tweeted afterward .
“ It ’ s imperative to our public health that everyone who needs a test can get it easily and for free @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whether you ’ re a sports star or a single parent .
”

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Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) on Thursday appeared on Fox News — whose hosts frequently berate her — to discuss the coronavirus pandemic and make the case for federal paid sick leave.
“I usually don’t go on FOX on principle, but misinformation about coronavirus has made me concerned about risk,” the lawmaker tweeted ahead of her appearance on “Special Report with Bret Baier.”
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Hey all, wanted to drop a📝 for accountability.
I usually don’t go on FOX on principle, but misinformation about coronavirus has made me concerned about risk.
As a result I decided to go on @BretBaier to discuss coronavirus response + make the case for paid leave, Medicaid, etc — Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) March 12, 2020
During the interview, Ocasio-Cortez called on the government to “act swiftly” and provide relief for working Americans who are getting laid off and having shifts canceled in the face of the public health crisis. She also stressed the importance of quickly passing legislation that includes paid sick leave.
Ocasio-Cortez said it was “debatable” whether the United States had the best health care system in the world. She argued that “it almost seems like the more wealthy and powerful you are, the more able you are to access a test” for COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus that has now infected more than 130,000 people worldwide.
“We need to dramatically expand #COVID-19 testing and *processing* capacity,” she tweeted afterward. “It’s imperative to our public health that everyone who needs a test can get it easily and for free as quickly as possible ― no matter whether you’re a sports star or a single parent.”
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-03-13--Australian Pol Tests Positive For Coronavirus, Days After Meeting Ivanka, Barr

An Australian politician has tested positive for coronavirus , just days after meeting with Ivanka Trump and Attorney General William Barr in Washington .
Peter Dutton , Australia ’ s minister for home affairs , was last week photographed standing next to Trump , the president ’ s eldest daughter and adviser , and Barr at a FiveEyes intelligence alliance meeting about addressing online child exploitation : Yesterday 🇦🇺 Home Affairs @ PeterDutton_MP joins @ IvankaTrump , Attorney General Barr & our five eyes partners 🇺🇸🇬🇧🇨🇦🇳🇿 to fight online child exploitation .
We heard from 9 brave survivors & announced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protect children online pic.twitter.com/3ifeJnGJPI — Australia in the US 🇦🇺🇺🇸 ( @ AusintheUS ) March 6 , 2020 Child sexual exploitation is a global crime that demands a global response .
I 'm in Washington DC with our Five Eyes partners from the US , UK , Canada and New Zealand where we 've announced principles that leading technology companies should implement to protect kids online .
pic.twitter.com/Z4P7upCacY — Peter Dutton ( @ PeterDutton_MP ) March 6 , 2020 Dutton , since returned to Australia , shared details of his diagnosis on Twitter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up with a temperature and sore throat , ” he wrote , noting how he was now in quarantine at a hospital , per state policy .
“ I feel fine and will provide an update in due course , ” Dutton added .
It ’ s unclear how Dutton contracted the virus , which has now infected more than 130,000 people around the world , killing more than 4,000 .
Australia has reported at least 128 people sickened .
President Donald Trump himself has come into contact with multiple people who either @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it .
He has reportedly refused to be tested .

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An Australian politician has tested positive for coronavirus, just days after meeting with Ivanka Trump and Attorney General William Barr in Washington.
Peter Dutton, Australia’s minister for home affairs, was last week photographed standing next to Trump, the president’s eldest daughter and adviser, and Barr at a FiveEyes intelligence alliance meeting about addressing online child exploitation:
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Yesterday 🇦🇺 Home Affairs @PeterDutton_MP joins @IvankaTrump, Attorney General Barr & our five eyes partners 🇺🇸🇬🇧🇨🇦🇳🇿 to fight online child exploitation. We heard from 9 brave survivors & announced principles that technology companies should implement to protect children online pic.twitter.com/3ifeJnGJPI — Australia in the US 🇦🇺🇺🇸 (@AusintheUS) March 6, 2020
Child sexual exploitation is a global crime that demands a global response. I'm in Washington DC with our Five Eyes partners from the US, UK, Canada and New Zealand where we've announced principles that leading technology companies should implement to protect kids online. pic.twitter.com/Z4P7upCacY — Peter Dutton (@PeterDutton_MP) March 6, 2020
Dutton, since returned to Australia, shared details of his diagnosis on Twitter Friday.
“This morning I woke up with a temperature and sore throat,” he wrote, noting how he was now in quarantine at a hospital, per state policy.
“I feel fine and will provide an update in due course,” Dutton added.
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It’s unclear how Dutton contracted the virus, which has now infected more than 130,000 people around the world, killing more than 4,000. Australia has reported at least 128 people sickened.