How “World-Renowned Moron” Donald Trump Has Actually Altered His Coronavirus Story

In recent weeks, President Donald Trump has repeatedly declared that from the start, he has actually been carefully keeping track of the worldwide health emergency situation induced by the coronavirus. “I felt it was a pandemic long prior to it was called a pandemic,” Trump stated on March 17, adding, “I’ve always seen it as very severe.”

Naturally, just eight days prior to that– on March 9– Trump tweeted an extremely inaccurate contrast in between the coronavirus and the flu. “So last year 37,000 Americans died from the typical Flu,” Trump composed “It averages between 27,000 and 70,000 each year. Nothing is closed down, life & the economy go on. At this moment there are 546 verified cases of CoronaVirus, with 22 deaths. Think about that!”

Reacted Seth Meyers on Wednesday’s edition of A Closer Look on Late Night: “Whenever a world-renowned idiot like Donald Trump tells you to consider that, that’s your queue to leave the discussion. He’s like the dumbest man at the mixer trying to make conversation by telling you something he kept reading a Snapple cap.”

On Tuesday, the Trump administration finally released official death toll estimates for the coronavirus break out in the United States, stating the number might reach 100,000 to 240,000 prior to it’s over. At an interview that day, Trump stated he previously downplayed the effect of the coronavirus to provide Americans some hope. (Trump infamously said he desired the nation to re-open economically by Easter; he has because extended the Centers for Disease Control social distancing standards through the end of April.) “I’ve had many buddies, businesspeople, people with fantastic really good sense– they said, ‘Why don’t we ride it out?'” Trump said on Tuesday. “A lot of individuals have said, a lot of people have actually thought of it, ride it out, don’t do anything, simply ride it out and consider it as the flu. However it’s not the flu. It’s vicious.”

“ You’re the one who said it was like the influenza! Those pals of yours were you,” an exasperated Meyers said in response to Trump’s recent remarks. The host also kept in mind how pervasive flu contrasts were at the early phase of the virus’ spread.

” The lie that the coronavirus is similar to the influenza did apparent damage. Do you know how many people heard that and after that duplicated it?” Meyers stated. “Even if you disliked Donald Trump and knew not to trust a word he said, everybody had that one good friend or relative on the text chain who said, ‘Y’ know, it’s not going to be so bad! It’s gon na resemble the flu.”

Trump’s shift over the last week has been attributed to a desire to win reelection, something Trump has not explicitly recommended himself during interview. This week, when a concern about the death toll was brought up, Trump wondered why Fox News reporter John Roberts hadn’t asked what would have taken place if the federal government didn’t do anything to reduce the spread. “This is the concern I have actually been asking Dr. [Anthony] Fauci and Dr. [Deborah] Brix for a long time, and they’ve been working on this for a very long time. The concern is: what would have occurred if we did nothing?” Trump stated.

To which Meyers responded: “That is what you did. You not did anything, and you do nothing. You work less than CBD oil.”

More Great Stories From Vanity Fair

— Cover Story: How Reese Witherspoon Turned Her Literary Obsession Into an Empire
— The Best Films and Shows on Netflix to View While Stuck at Home
— A First Take A Look At Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story
— An Exclusive Excerpt From Natalie Wood, Suzanne Finstad’s Biography– With New Particulars About Wood’s Strange Death
— Tiger King Is Your Next True-Crime TV Obsession
— The Finest Reveals to Stream If You remain in Quarantine
— From the Archive: A Friendship With Greta Garbo and Its Lots Of Satisfaction

Looking for more? Register for our daily Hollywood newsletter and never miss out on a story.