President Donald Trump's response to the virus that's killed over 200 thousand Americans is largely defined by a pattern of minimization or outright dismissal of the threat it poses.
The President and his allies have repeatedly decried guidelines recommended by Trump's own officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). They've pushed back against the use of masks to slow the spread and peddled misinformation about treatment for the virus.
The pattern of dismissal is continuing, most recently with Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani at a campaign event for the President.
Watch below.
Rudy Giuliani in Philly yesterday: "People don't die of this disease anymore."
Fact check: 215,000+ people are dead. More are dying every single day. pic.twitter.com/elpimiZIPi
— The Recount (@therecount) October 13, 2020
Giuliani said:
"People don't die of this disease any more. Young people don't die at all. Middle aged people die very little. And even elderly people only have one percent chance of dying."
Giuliani's false claims echo those of Donald Trump, who insisted last month that the virus "affects virtually nobody." While young people are less vulnerable to the disease than the elderly, they're by no means immune to the virus, as Giuliani would have the President's supporters believe.
People were quick to fact check Giuliani's lie.
Almost 1,000 people died of covid-19 in one day last week. https://t.co/XPmDj0CLNT https://t.co/bdxwxnwDXa
— Liz Szabo (@LizSzabo) October 13, 2020
Even more desperate to stop bleeding voters, Giuliani said yesterday about covid-19, "people don't die of this disease anymore."
Fact: 215,000+ Americans have died of covid-19. https://t.co/8tE2XRnfpr
— Gamora (@exoticgamora) October 13, 2020
💯Deaths per day in Florida alone https://t.co/Thi6qwh9Ig pic.twitter.com/cCYAAG7EyO
— Doc Blues (@HarpWizard) October 13, 2020
More than 900 people die every day in the US and this is the worst in developed countries.
Ignoring this fact so openly is not just an international embarrassment, also an insult for all families who lost loved ones.
Stop this stupidity. #VoteBidenHarrisToSaveAmerica https://t.co/AUalHRO6Or
— よっちゃん🌈🗽@NYスローライフ (@nyslowlife) October 13, 2020
WTF??????????????
Rudy Giuliani in Philly yesterday: "People don't die of this disease anymore."
Fact check: 215,000+ people are dead. More are dying every single day. pic.twitter.com/76Snbn4dAu
— Biden Army (@Biden_Army) October 13, 2020
About 1000 people die every day from COVID-19. About 50,000 a day contract the disease.
I'm glad Rudy thinks that's nothing 🙄 https://t.co/NsF4B19XSG
— Ｌｙｎｄａ @ 🏡 🌴😷😷 Ⓥ #BidenHarris2020 (@privatelynda) October 13, 2020
The internet didn't hesitate to roast the former New York City mayor for the absurd claim.
Rudy also said that the truth isn't the truth. Let's keep that in mind whenever he flaps his gums. https://t.co/a27BMwPSvX
— Hil.i.am (@hilaryluros) October 13, 2020
irresponsible. criminal. unforgivable. https://t.co/q0JsSUcv6T
— Joe Henry (@JoeHenryMusic) October 13, 2020
Of course @RudyGiuliani meant rich people with access to experimental treatments not available to the poors. https://t.co/2uwowljtqA
— Sinead O'Rebellion (@DWhitINger) October 13, 2020
The approval rating for Trump's handling of the virus is at 35 percent.
@Rob Schneider/X
@Rob Schneider/X
@pancho_runs/Instagram
@risheeee/Instagram
@nickwetzel10/Instagram
@bailey_marie1212/Instagram
@atrain29730/Instagram
Soldier for Life/Facebook