Trump ’Engaged in Distractions’ amid ’Total Failure’ on Testing – Pelosi

By Staff, Agencies

US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Tuesday night renewed her criticism of US President Donald Trump's "total failure when it comes to testing," saying that it has impeded the federal government's ability to respond to the coronavirus outbreak.

Speaking on "PBS News Hour," Pelosi asserted that Trump has engaged in a series of "distractions" and "misrepresentations" in order to deflect responsibility for the handling of the virus's spread in the US.

"What is impeding the federal government from addressing the COVID-19 crisis is the president’s denial, delay in all of this, and that has been deadly," Pelosi said. 

"We are insisting on the truth and the president is engaged in a series of misrepresentations to the American people and that is the impediment."

Pelosi went on to argue that Trump has refused to recognize science and the role of government in the nation's response to the pandemic, noting that his recent decision to impose limits on US immigration was another distraction to avoid blame.

"[Trump is] always engaged in distractions like immigration, distractions like supporting people in the street," she said. "They're all distractions away from the fact, the known fact, that he's a total failure when it comes to testing", The Hill reported.

Trump announced this week that he would suspend immigration into the US amid the coronavirus pandemic. On Tuesday, he outlined more details about the executive order, saying it would initially last for 60 days and apply to those seeking permanent residence.

The move comes as the US has reported more than 823,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, and roughly 44,800 deaths stemming from it as of Tuesday evening, according to a Johns Hopkins University database.