President Donald Trump said on March 23 that Asian Americans were not responsible for spreading the CCP virus and that they need protection, after he was accused of racism in labeling the growing pandemic the “Chinese virus” last week.
“Its very important that we totally protect our Asian American community in the United States, and all around the world,” Trump said at a White House press briefing Monday with his virus task force.
“They are amazing people and the spreading of the virus is not their fault in any way, shape, or form,” he said. “Theyre working closely with us to get rid of it, and we will prevail together,” he added.
Trump emphasized his comments in a Twitter thread on Monday.
It is very important that we totally protect our Asian American community in the United States, and all around the world. They are amazing people, and the spreading of the Virus….
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 23, 2020
When asked at the news conference what prompted his remarks, Trump said that it seems that “there could be a little bit of nasty language toward the Asian Americans in our country.”
“I dont like that at all,” he explained. “So I just wanted to make that point, because theyre blaming China, and they are making statements to great American citizens that happen to be of Asian heritage, and Im not gonna let that happen.”
It came after the president called the CCP virus the “Chinese virus” in a Twitter post last week.
The United States will be powerfully supporting those industries, like Airlines and others, that are particularly affected by the Chinese Virus. We will be stronger than ever before!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 16, 2020
“The United States will be powerfully supporting those industries, like Airlines and others, that are particularly affected by the Chinese Virus. We will be stronger than ever before!” Trump posted on March 17.
Trump explained the following day at a press conference that his choice of words was based on Beijing “putting out information that was false, [saying] that our military gave this [virus] to them.”
“Rather than having an argument, I had to call it where it came from. Its a very accurate term,” he said.
The Epoch Times refers to the novel coronavirus, which causes the disease COVID-19, as the
