In separate events, Donald Trump and Sec. of State Mike Pompeo spread COVID-19 disinformation with all the authority of the United States government.
Appearing on ABC News, Pompeo says that the virus was most likely made by the Chinese. He quickly backtracks.
POMPEO: While the intelligence community continues to do its work, they should continue to do that and verify so that we are certain. I can tell you that there is a significant amount of evidence that this came from that laboratory in Wuhan.
RADDATZ: Do you believe it was manmade or genetically modified?
POMPEO: Look, the best experts so far seem to think it was manmade. I have no reason to disbelieve that at this point.
RADDATZ: Your — your Office of the [Director of National Intelligence] says the consensus, the scientific consensus was not manmade or genetically modified.
POMPEO: That’s right. I — I — I agree with that. Yes. I’ve — I’ve seen their analysis. I’ve seen the summary that you saw that was released publicly. I have no reason to doubt that that is accurate at this point.
RADDATZ: OK, so just to be clear, you do not think it was manmade or genetically modified?
POMPEO: I’ve seen what the intelligence community has said. I have no reason to believe that they’ve got it wrong.
In an interview with Fox News, Trump tells Americans that it’s time to reopen parks, beaches, and businesses because no more than 100,000 people are going to die from coronavirus.
The U.S. surpasses his estimate by the end of the month.
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