Trump: "US Authorities Have Managed COVID-19 Well... Closing the Border Was the Right Decision"

[Image source=Trump Twitter/https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] U.S. President Donald Trump posted a self-praising tweet claiming that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. government are excellently controlling the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and that the border closure was also the right decision. This stands in stark contrast to the previous day when the CDC emphasized the need to prepare for community spread, and the New York Stock Exchange continued its sharp decline amid growing fears.

On the 25th (local time), President Trump tweeted that the CDC and the administration are "controlling COVID-19 very well," praising their efforts. He highlighted the early-stage decision to close U.S. borders to certain parts of the world and stressed that it was the right decision, saying, "At the time, the U.S. Democrats opposed it, saying it was 'too early,' but it has proven to be the right decision."

In another tweet targeting the Democrats, President Trump said, "Even if the virus disappears tomorrow, they will say we are terrible and incompetent," adding, "So far, there have been no deaths, and let's keep it that way." This revealed his very optimistic outlook on the COVID-19 situation.

However, contrary to the content of these tweets, it is analyzed that the situation is being taken seriously within the United States. Earlier, the Trump administration requested a $2.5 billion budget related to COVID-19 from the U.S. Congress. The CDC emphasized the need for preparedness due to concerns about community spread in the U.S. the day before, and the major indices of the New York Stock Exchange fell by around 3%, continuing the sharp decline over two days.