A group of Republicans who oppose President Donald Trump released an ad this week ripping him for his comments about the coronavirus and his administration's response to the outbreak.
The video, from Republicans for the Rule of Law, opens with a clip of Trump at the World Economic Forum in January denying that there were "words of a pandemic" after the coronavirus was first identified. It then cuts to Trump telling Fox News' Sean Hannity that "we pretty much shut it down," referring to the virus' spread throughout the United States. It also shows Trump's comments that the virus will "disappear" and that a vaccine will be available "relatively soon."
The ad then shows clips of various administration officials, including White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow, Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson, and Vice President Mike Pence talking about how the virus spread. Throughout the video, a counter shows the increasing number of confirmed coronavirus cases within the U.S. over time, from January until March.
"America needs a president who tells the truth. Our lives depend on it," the ad concludes.
"As we all navigate these extraordinary times, it's more important than ever for Americans to feel they can trust the president," reads a Thursday statement from Republicans for the Rule of Law. "We must continue to hold our elected leaders accountable, so we released a new video demonstrating how President Trump has not been truthful during this public health crisis. The video has gone viral on Twitter, with more than 2 million organic views within 24 hours, and it will also air as a commercial during Fox & Friends tomorrow in DC."
Theodore Bunker ✉
Theodore Bunker, a Newsmax writer, has more than a decade covering news, media, and politics.
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