Letter to the editor: Trump puts his campaign above the safety of Americans amid COVID-19

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Even though it's hard for us to focus on any one issue, with so many disturbing things happening in our country right now, one situation that we absolutely must examine is President Trump's response to COVID-19. A recording of an interview journalist Bob Woodward did with Trump on Feb. 7 has been released. In the recording Trump tells Woodward, "This is deadly stuff, it's spread through the air, and it's deadly. It's five times worse than the most ‘strenuous’ flu, it's a killer." 

The date is important, because at the same time he was telling the public that it was under control and would magically disappear. He lied to us. In a later tape he said, "I'm downplaying it." He worried that if the public knew how bad it was, the economy would go down and his chances for reelection would be hurt.

As the virus spread, scientists all over the world raced to understand it. Gradually the recommendation to wear masks, socially distance and avoid large groups came from the researchers. Trump didn't like that information, so he decided to politicize it. His FOX news lackeys Hannity and Carlson started calling it a Democratic hoax. Trump knew better, but the terrible reality is that he put his reelection before America's safety.

Dr. Fauci, world renowned immunologist, has been the head of the National Institute of Infectious Diseases since 1984, serving under six presidents. He was heading the COVID-19 task force under Vice President Pence. 



Trump has now essentially replaced him with Dr. Scott Atlas, a FOX contributor whose speciality is radiology, with no background in infectious diseases or public health. The only reason he is in that position is because he will back up Trump. It's a travesty.

Trump could have been a hero. He could have laid out the facts in February to the American people, told us to follow the doctors’ recommendations, and maybe 200,000 people wouldn't have died. The public would have listened to him. Now, because of his lying, we are in a mess. People don't know what to believe, and more people will die.