In an effort to shift the blame for COVID-19 from China, where the coronavirus originated, to President Donald Trump, who’s conveniently up for re-election this November, House Armed Services Committee Adam Smith (D) said on the floor Wednesday that “it’s not actually [China’s] job” to warn the American people when they unleash a deadly pandemic on the world.
“One of the gentleman’s arguments is that China hid the true risk of the virus from the American people. And yes, it is terrible that China did that. [But] it’s not actually their job to warn the American people. It’s the president’s job to warn the American people,” Smith said.
Democrat Chairman Adam Smith defends China hiding the true nature of coronavirus:
— Mark Bednar (@MarkBednar) July 21, 2020
"It's not actually their job to warn the American people." pic.twitter.com/e8FevGR1G8
Now, that would be the same president, presumably, who implemented a travel ban from China back in January to try and keep the pandemic from reaching America’s shores – a ban that was heavily criticized by Democrats and even dubbed “xenophobic” by Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden. Meanwhile, a report from the Department of Homeland Security back in May detailed how the Chinese government sought to cover up the severity of the deadly virus, even as they hoarded medical equipment and personal protective gear needed to treat it.
Like Smith, Democrats have largely attempted to divert the blame for COVID from China to President Trump. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi took to calling the coronavirus the "Trump virus" this week, despite the virus having originated in China and having nothing at all to do with the U.S. or the Trump administration.