(CNN) You likely have seen this now-famous image by Washington Post photographer Jabin Botsford in which he captures President Donald Trump's notes during Thursday's daily coronavirus task force briefing.

Close up of President @realDonaldTrump notes is seen where he crossed out "Corona" and replaced it with "Chinese" Virus as he speaks with his coronavirus task force today at the White House. #trump #trumpnotes pic.twitter.com/kVw9yrPPeJ — Jabin Botsford (@jabinbotsford) March 19, 2020

Trump has, quite clearly, crossed out "corona" before "virus" and replaced it with the word "Chinese." That edit is part of a concerted effort by the President and some in his administration to change the public understanding of this as a global pandemic that's every nation's responsibility to: China did this.

That attempted narrative shift is beyond question. What appears to be up for some debate is whether or not Trump's rhetorical change reflects him simply using proper geographic labeling -- the coronavirus did emerge from the Wuhan province -- or whether it is part of a broader attempt to drive xenophobic sentiment toward China and, by so doing, avoid taking the blame for his own administration's struggles to deal with the virus.

Given Trump's past history of a) weaponizing bigotry and stereotypes to benefit him politically and b) attempting to shirk any blame or responsibility for mistakes made by him or his administration, it's very hard to conclude that the President is simply trying to be geographically accurate in his recent shift to labeling the coronavirus the "China virus." Side note: as the virus spreads in communities around the world this shift is also inaccurate and stigmatizing according to experts contacted by CNN.

Pressed on Wednesday about the shift and how it was perceived as potentially playing on xenophobic and racist tropes, Trump responded this way:

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