In audio recordings obtained by The Washington Post and CNN, President Trump stated to journalist Bob Woodward that he played down the risk of COVID-19 to avoid creating panic.
The audio is described in Woodward’s new book “Rage,” where President Trump said he deliberately played down the threat of pandemic and feels no responsibility to better understand the anger and pain of Black Americans.
On Wednesday, Trump called Woodward’s book, titled Rage, a “political hit job” and said that he wanted to “keep the country calm.”
“I wanted to always play it down. I still like playing it down, because I don’t want to create a panic.”
President Trump on March 19, according to reports.