BREAKING: A reporter asks Trump if Americans should be worried about the hantavirus outbreak and his response sent a chill down our spines.
This is starting to feel like deja vu...
"Mr. President I'm also from ABC News—" began a reporter.
"Fake news!" snapped Trump, who had just finished berating another journalist for asking about his focus on vanity projects while gas prices skyrocket.
"Can I ask you about the hantavirus? Have you been briefed on the virus?" pressed the second reporter, ignoring the insult.
"Yes, I have," said Trump.
"Can you tell us what you learned in these briefings?" asked the reporter.
"Well, I think you're going to be told everything, and you already have. Uh..." said Trump. "It's very much, we hope, under control. There was the ship, and I think we're going to make a full report about it tomorrow. We have a lot of people, a lot of great people studying it. It should be fine. We hope."
"Should Americans be concerned that it's going to spread?" she asked.
"I hope not. I mean, I hope not. We'll do the best we can, yeah," Trump said, making it clear through his bored, apathetic tone of voice that he couldn't care less about the issue.
Currently, officials in Arizona, California, Georgia, Texas, and Virginia are monitoring residents for possible infections after the individuals in question spent time on the MV Hondius, the cruise ship where this outbreak began. At least three passengers have already died in other countries. Approximately 150 passengers were potentially exposed.
The mortality rate is estimated to be between 30% and 40% once severe symptoms manifest.
The similarities to the initial stages of the COVID-19 pandemic are alarming, even if some health officials are stressing that the hantavirus spread will be contained. Just like last time, Trump is President and downplaying the risks. Unlike last time, we have RFK Jr. running Health and Human Services into the ground and we've withdrawn from the World Health Organization. We have never been less prepared for a possible pandemic.