President Donald Trump on Tuesday insisted that he had never underestimated or underappreciated the seriousness of coronavirus. But for two months, he and some members of his administration downplayed the global threat even as world events and government and outside experts made clear that the health and economic impacts of this disease would be dire.

Here are some of those comments.


Jan 22

“We have it totally under control. ... It’s going to be just fine.”

— Donald Trump



China had reported that there had been 440 cases and 17 deaths, a noticeable increase from the day before when there were only 300 cases and six deaths. Chinese officials are warning people to stay away from Wuhan, the province where the outbreak began.

Jan 30

“We think we have it very well under control. We have very little problem in this country at this moment — five. And those people are all recuperating successfully. But we’re working very closely with China and other countries, and we think it’s going to have a very good ending for it. So that I can assure you.”

— Donald Trump



The CDC confirmed the first person-to-person transmission in the United States. CDC Director Robert Redfield says “the immediate risk to the American public is low.”


Feb 24

“The Coronavirus is very much under control in the USA. … Stock market starting to look very good to me”

— Donald Trump



While Rush Limbaugh tells his listeners that the “coronavirus is the common cold, folks” the World Health Organization reports nearly 80,000 cases and 2,600 deaths. Meanwhile the Trump administration prepares an emergency funding request from Congress and public health labs pressure the FDA to allow homegrown tests after problems with a diagnostic developed by CDC prevented its widespread rollout. The S&P, meanwhile, closed at 3,225. It would drop nearly 10 percent that week.

Feb 25

“You may ask about the coronavirus, which is very well under control in our country. We have very few people with it, and the people that have it are … getting better. They’re all getting better. … As far as what we’re doing with the new virus, I think that we’re doing a great job.”

— Donald Trump



FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn says coronavirus will likely affect the nation’s medical supply chain. Nancy Messonnier, director of the CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, says an outbreak is inevitable. “Disruption to everyday life might be severe,” she warns.


Feb 25

“We have contained this. I won’t say airtight, but pretty close to airtight. We have done a good job in the United States.”

— Larry Kudlow



The S&P ended the day at 3,128. There were 57 cases of coronavirus in the U.S. Three weeks later, the S&P opened at 2,425 and U.S. cases topped 4,000.

Feb 26

“And again, when you have 15 people, and the 15 within a couple of days is going to be down to close to zero, that's a pretty good job we've done."

— Donald Trump



That same day, CDC Director Robert Redfield said it would be “prudent to assume this pathogen will be with us for some time to come.”

Feb 28

“It’s going to disappear. One day, it’s like a miracle, it will disappear.”

— Donald Trump



Three days later, Tony Fauci, NIAID director, told CNN he was concerned that “as the next week or two or three go by, we're going to see a lot more community-related cases.”

March 2

"We had a great meeting today with a lot of the great companies and they're going to have vaccines, I think relatively soon.”

— Donald Trump



Fauci repeats that vaccines will take a year to 18 months.


March 6

“Anybody that needs a test, gets a test. They’re there. They have the tests. And the tests are beautiful.”

— Donald Trump



Vice President Mike Pence, the day before, said “we don’t have enough tests today to meet what we anticipate will be the demand going forward."

March 6

[Holding rallies] “doesn't bother me at all.”

— Donald Trump



Within the week, Trump canceled events in Colorado, Nevada and Wisconsin. Fauci recommended against large crowds.

March 9

“So last year 37,000 Americans died from the common Flu. It averages between 27,000 and 70,000 per year. Nothing is shut down, life & the economy go on.”

— Donald Trump



Hours after the president sent that tweet, Santa Clara County banned large public gatherings. Two days later, the NBA suspended its season. The NHL, MLB and NCAA would soon follow.

March 10

“And we’re prepared, and we’re doing a great job with it. And it will go away. Just stay calm. It will go away.”

— Donald Trump



Surgeon General Jerome Adams, that same day, warned that “this is likely going to get worse before it gets better.”


March 12

“It’s going to go away. ... The United States, because of what I did and what the administration did with China, we have 32 deaths at this point … when you look at the kind of numbers that you’re seeing coming out of other countries, it’s pretty amazing when you think of it.”

— Donald Trump



That same day, Pence said “we’ll have thousands of more cases,” Since Trump tweeted, the number of deaths have more than doubled.

March 17

“Federal Government is working very well with the Governors and State officials. Good things will happen!”

— Donald Trump



The president’s prior tweet said, “Failing Michigan Governor must work harder and be much more proactive. We are pushing her to get the job done.” The day before, he tweeted New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo “has to do more.”

March 17

"I've always known this is a real — this is a pandemic. I felt it was a pandemic long before it was called a pandemic."

— Donald Trump



The president said he has “always viewed it as very serious” and denied that his tone in recent days had changed. "I feel the tone is similar, but some people said it wasn't," he concluded.

