President Trump in an early morning tweet on Sunday accused the “Fake News Media” of attempting to “make us look bad” on the administration’s coronavirus response.
His administration has faced criticism over its response to the spreading virus, with health experts saying it has struggled to balance keeping the public calm and informed. Those experts said the public was left unprepared for the virus, The New York Times reported.
Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar announced in front of the Senate on Feb. 13 that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) had begun working with five cities that were ready to begin testing for the coronavirus.
But the CDC pushed back when Azar sent the agency his prepared comments because the cities were not prepared, and the tests were not working, according to The Washington Post.
The president himself has made statements that conflict with experts, such as saying the virus being “very much under control in the USA” in late February. Trump claimed on Friday that “anybody that needs a test, gets a test,” contradicting other administration officials.