As the coronavirus continued to ravage large swaths of the country Thursday, President Donald Trump left Twitter critics aghast when he declared the country is in “very good shape” in terms of COVID-19 “other than if you look south and west.”
Trump made the comment during his White House press briefing on the same day that coronavirus cases surpassed 4 million in the U.S. He also announced the cancellation of Republican National Convention events in Jacksonville, Florida, due to coronavirus concerns.
Gesturing to a map of the nation peppered with large red patches indicating hotspots where coronavirus cases have surged, Trump said: “You see, from that, it’s in great shape, lots of it. The Northeast has become very clean.”
“The country is in very good shape other than if you look south or west. Some problems. That’ll all work out.”
According to a New York Times database, cases were decreasing in just two states and trending upward in 39 on Thursday. The COVID Tracking Project’s latest report of nationwide data ― which it noted may be deflated due to erratic reporting from hospitals in some states ― indicated that hospitalizations are nearing an all-time high.
Twitter critics had some notes on Trump’s observation:
- Stay up to date with our live blog as we cover the COVID-19 pandemic
- 7 essential pieces of relationship advice for couples in quarantine
- What you need to know about face masks right now
- How to tell if you need to start doing online therapy
- Lost your job due to coronavirus? Here’s what you need to know.
- Parenting during the coronavirus crisis?
- The HuffPost guide to working from home
- What coronavirus questions are on your mind right now? We want to help you find answers.
- Everyone deserves accurate information about COVID-19. Support journalism without a paywall — and keep it free for everyone — by becoming a HuffPost member today.
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Already contributed? Log in to hide these messages.