Ahead of Pence Visit, VA Democrats Slam Trump’s “Failed, Chaotic” Pandemic Response

Just last night Trump said “we want to terminate health care” 

Ahead of Mike Pence’s photo op in Virginia today, Democratic Party of Virginia Executive Director Andrew Whitley released the following statement:

“Every day, Donald Trump’s failed, chaotic pandemic response is putting Virginians’ lives in danger. Instead of acting like a leader, he wasted time, downplayed the crisis, and left us to fend for ourselves. As a result of his failures, some health care workers are using bandanas in place of masks, while most of us still don’t have access to testing — and just last night, he threatened to ‘terminate’ health care for millions of Virginians, even in the midst of a pandemic.

“Mike Pence can’t paper over this administration’s record of failures. Virginians don’t need another photo op — we need millions of tests, masks, gloves, and gowns in every corner of the Commonwealth, and we need them now.” 

Read more from DPVA Executive Director Andrew Whitley in The Culpeper Star-Exponent: Trump’s COVID-19 Failures Putting Virginians At Risk. “Doctors and health-care workers are feeling abandoned by federal leaders. ‘At the national level, there is no clear guidance, no testing policy, nor is there policy on tracing contact,’ said Dr. Wendy Klein, a Richmond-area doctor on a recent press call hosted by the Democratic Party of Virginia. Her experience and frustration with national leaders is typical of health-care workers in the commonwealth.”

BACKGROUND ON TRUMP’S FAILED PANDEMIC RESPONSE

Promise: In January, Trump claimed the coronavirus was “totally under control” and later suggested that the outbreak would be limited to 15 U.S. cases.

• Reality: Trump spent weeks ignoring his own advisors and downplaying the crisis. The United States now leads the world with more than one million cases and tens of thousands of deaths.

​Promise: On March 6, Trump told reporters, “Anybody that wants a test can get a test.” The White House later committed to delivering 27 million tests by the end of March.

• Reality: Trump blew past his own March deadline, delivering less than 4% of the tests he promised.Reality: Trump’s testing “strategy” would provide tests for just 2% of Virginians.

​Promise: Trump promised to marshal “the full power of the federal government and the private sector to protect the American people.”

• Reality: The Trump administration delivered less than 10% of the N95 masks and gloves Virginia requested from the Strategic National Stockpile.
• Reality: While experts warned of a coming pandemic, the Trump administration shipped nearly 18 tons of personal protective equipment (PPE) to China.