U.S. Intelligence Warned President Trump Of Possible Pandemic In January and February As He Dismissed Coronavirus Threat

Written By: @dawnnnyy_

The public has speculated whether or not Donald Trump handled the coronavirus outbreak properly. On Friday, The Washington Post responded to these speculations. It was reported that Trump “ignored reports from U.S. intelligence agencies starting in January that warned of the scale and intensity of the coronavirus outbreak in China.”

Early on, U.S. officials familiar with the agencies’ reports and warnings told The Post that Intelligence agencies were “issuing ominous, classified warning about the global danger posed by the coronavirus. The constant flow of reports depicted the virus having characteristics of a “globe-encircling pandemic that could require governments to take swift actions to contain it.”

Yet, Trump publicly and privately, along with lawmakers continued to minimize the threat and failed to take action. This irresponsible behavior is likely responsible for the rapid spread of the pathogen.  

Trump also publicly praised China’s handling of the coronavirus in late January despite Intelligence agencies reports telling him that China may be downplaying the outbreak.

“Donald Trump may not have been expecting this, but a lot of other people in the government were — they just couldn’t get him to do anything about it. The system was blinking red,” an official noted to The Post.

According to The Post, spokespeople for the CIA and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence declined to comment. A White House spokesman, Hogan Gidley, rebutted criticism of Trump’s blaming the media and Democrats on choosing to “only focus on the stupid political of a sham illegitimate impeachment.”