Trump turns to Pence to calm fears over coronavirus but leaves many questions unanswered
WASHINGTON — President Trump addressed the nation from the White House briefing room on Wednesday evening in an effort to calm anxieties about the rapid proliferation of coronavirus. In a seeming acknowledgement that the White House response has lacked clarity and cohesion, Trump announced he was putting Vice President Mike Pence in charge of the effort to stem the spread of the virus in the U.S.
At one point, the president held up a printed sheet of paper from the Global Health Security Index, a Johns Hopkins University database that ranks the United States first in the world in terms of preparedness for outbreaks like the current one, which has hampered the Chinese economy and could lead to a worldwide slump. More importantly, it could continue to kill people, especially in nations with poor public health infrastructure.The president noted that there were 59 U.S.
Conflicting statements have been a hallmark of the administration’s response. The Trump administration spent much of the day denying rumors that Trump was unhappy with Health and Human Services secretary Azar, a former pharmaceutical executive who is leading a presidential task force on the coronavirus.
Trump did not outline Pence’s responsibilities but praised the health care system Pence oversaw in Indiana. That health system was ranked 39th of 50 states by the United Health Foundation in its 2016 annual report. During Pence’s governorship, Indiana suffered an HIV outbreak that, some believe, could have been prevented with better public health policy.
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Trump Puts Vice President Mike Pence In Charge Of Coronavirus ResponseI’m a San Francisco-based reporter covering breaking news at Forbes. Previously, I’ve reported for USA Today, Business Insider, The San Francisco Business Times and San Jose Inside. I studied journalism at Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and was an editor at The Daily Orange, the university’s independent student newspaper. Follow me on Twitter rachsandl or shoot me an email rsandlerforbes.com.
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