The president compared the coronavirus pandemic to the two worst attacks to take place on American soil.
By David Isaac, World Israel News
President Donald Trump, speaking at an event at the White House on Wednesday, said that the coronavirus pandemic has taken a harder toll on the U.S. than either the attack on Pearl Harbor or 9/11.
Trump also blamed China for failing to warn the world fast enough. “It could have been stopped in China. It should have been stopped right at the source and it wasn’t,” he said.
“This is worse than the World Trade Center. And it should have never happened,” Trump said.
“We went through the worst attack we’ve ever had in our country,” the president said. “This is really the worst attack we’ve ever had. This is worse than Pearl Harbor. This is worse than the World Trade Center.”
The attack on Pearl Harbor took place on Dec. 7, 1941 when the Japanese carried out a sneak attack against the U.S. Pacific Fleet stationed in Hawaii, killing 2,403 Americans and wounding 1,178 others. Eight U.S. Navy battleships were damaged and four sunk. The Japanese also sank or damaged three cruisers, three destroyers, an anti-aircraft training ship and one minelayer. One hundred eighty-eight U.S. aircraft were destroyed.
On Sept. 11, 2001, Islamic terrorists drove passenger planes into the Twin Towers and the western facade of the Pentagon. Passengers on another plane believed destined for the White House fought the attackers. That plane crashed into a field in Pennsylvania.The attack left 2,977 dead and over 25,000 injuries.
It was likely that Trump was referring to the number of dead from coronavirus in comparison to those events. The pandemic has claimed 74,581 lives in the U.S.
Trump made his comments at an Oval Office event celebrating National Nurses Day.
Trump also addressed the backlash to his remarks that he intended to disband the White House Coronavirus Task Force.
“I had no idea how popular the task force is until actually yesterday when I started talking about winding down,” he said. “It is appreciated by the public.”
The Associated Press reports that a White House official said Wednesday that saying that the task force would shut down sent the wrong message.
Trump also said that he had expected the virus to have already wound down by this time.