Debunking Trump’s China Nonsense

Foreign Policy in Focus




Pandemic numbers are falling in much of Europe and Asia, and the countries in these regions are starting to emerge from their lockdowns. Businesses are opening. Students are preparing to return to school.

It's a delicate balance. No one wants to see a sudden resurgence of cases.

The numbers are not falling in the United States. The infection rate is still sky high and the number of deaths has been rising rapidly. And yet, the president wants to open up the economy. A number of governors, members of the Republican Party, and armed militia groups back him up on this. They are directly disregarding the warnings of doctors and epidemiologists.

The other countries that are considering reopening their economies are looking at mortality numbers that have dropped to single digits per day. The United States is looking at the prospect of tens of thousands of COVID-19 deaths over the next couple months.

The Trump administration has not put into place the kind of testing and tracing system necessary to ensure a safe economic reopening. But it has certainly been busy doing other things.

For instance, as my colleague John Cavanagh points out, the administration has upped its attacks on international institutions like the World Health Organization, precisely the kind of body that is indispensable in a pandemic.

And, in my World Beat column this week, I discuss all the efforts the Trump administration has put into pinning the blame for the coronavirus crisis on China. It's not the first time that Trump has resorted to conspiracy theories to divert attention from his own shortcomings and build political momentum before an election.

Finally, H. Peter Langille explores the viability of a UN Emergency Peace Service as a first responder to complex international emergencies.