Donald Trump, the former president, appeared to be unaware of the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic during a town hall on January 10, 2023. During the event, he made a joke about the virus and claimed that incompetence was probably to blame. Trump admitted that he got along with President Xi and that he didn’t care about the situation.
During his presidency, Trump failed to control the virus and never provided a clear answer on whether people should get vaccinated. In June 2023, Bret Baier asked Trump why he doesn’t talk about the virus more while giving speeches. Trump explained that he completed the vaccines in nine months, which was supposed to take anywhere from 5 to 12 years. He also mentioned that the FDA was bureaucratic and that he didn’t want to talk about it because it was not a great topic to discuss as a Republican.
Baier responded that people love the vaccines and hate them, but conservatives aren’t. Trump understood both sides of the issue and skipped another debate to attend the town hall. In September 2023, Trump dissed Dr. Anthony Fauci, who worked with him on attempting to contain the disease. He said that he was not a big fan of Fauci but overrode many of his actions.
Despite losing some respect due to COVID, Trump remains respected for his role in containing the virus. He is currently running for president again and has been criticized for his lack of attention to the situation.
