As President Trump visited two states seeing major spikes in Covid-19 cases, he did not talk about the rising rates there or what the administration may do to try to curb the increases being seen nationwide.
Trump went to Michigan — which on Thursday and Friday saw more than 2,000 cases each day, its highest daily case rates yet — and Wisconsin, which set records this week regarding its case numbers. Friday was the sixth highest case total since the start of the pandemic.
At both rallies, and in keeping with his previous events, thousands of attendees did not wear masks. However, those who were chosen by the campaign to sit right behind the President at both events to be captured as part of television images of the President speaking were seen wearing Trump masks. Neither event featured social distancing.
Trump’s speeches covered familiar ground, with the President claiming the nation needs to open up, China is to blame for the virus, and he has recovered quickly. He also touted what he claimed was his immunity towards the virus, although it is not known if that is medically accurate.
In Janesville, Wisconsin, Trump again emphasized erroneously that the nation was “rounding the corner,” even as it heads into what appears to be a third spike in cases. “You’ll see it. We’re rounding the corner,” he said. A vaccine for the virus is close, Trump claimed, “except for a little politics.” There is no evidence that progress towards a vaccine has been slowed due to political machinations.
Trump told his supporters how some states previously have seen spikes but are now going in the right direction: “My plan will crush the virus and will make Wisconsin greater than ever before, that’s what’s going to happen. It’s going to happen fast.”
He also erroneously blamed reports of increases – which actually come from non-partisan universities – on Democrats.
During the rally in Muskegon, Michigan, he blamed the pandemic for his current political standing, without citing evidence. “You know, we were leading by so much, this thing wasn’t even going to be an election, and then we had the plague come in. You know, this was, I had to go back to work on this stuff.”
Trump did talk about his recovery in both rallies. “Hey I’m here! Me I’m here. Right?” he told the Michigan crowd.
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