Trump now says he hopes US coronavirus deaths less than 100,000
President Donald Trump on Friday seemingly increased his estimate of possible deaths in the United States from the coronavirus, telling a White House event he hopes for less than 100,000 fatalities, a higher upper limit than the 60,000 to 70,000 deaths he discussed on Monday.
“Hopefully we’re going to come in below that 100,000 lives lost, which is a horrible number nevertheless,” Trump said...
President Donald Trump on Friday seemingly increased his estimate of possible deaths in the United States from the coronavirus, telling a White House event he hopes for less than 100,000 fatalities, a higher upper limit than the 60,000 to 70,000 deaths he discussed on Monday.
“Hopefully we’re going to come in below that 100,000 lives lost, which is a horrible number nevertheless,” Trump said.
Projections have varied for how many lives Covid-19, the respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus, would claim. Anthony Fauci, a top infectious disease official, had said in March that Americans should be prepared for 100,000 deaths.
“So, yeah, we’ve lost a lot of people. But if you look at what original projections were — 2.2 million — we’re probably heading to 60,000, 70,000,” Trump said at a press briefing on Monday.
On Wednesday the number of deaths passed 60,000, eclipsing the number of Americans killed in the Vietnam War. By Friday afternoon, at least 63,260 people had died, according to a Reuters tally of state and local government reports.
Leaves White House grounds
Meanwhile, Trump, who had cooped up in the White House for weeks due to the coronavirus lockdown, flew to Camp David, Maryland, on Friday for a weekend away at the presidential retreat.
When his Marine One helicopter left the South Lawn, it was the first time Trump had left the White House grounds since March 28, when he visited Norfolk, Virginia, to see the US Navy hospital ship Comfort set sail for New York harbour.
Trump told reporters as he left the White House that he would be practising social distancing while at Camp David, and that he plans a working weekend that will include phone calls with foreign leaders.
He is to return to Washington on Sunday in time for a Fox News Channel “virtual town hall” event at the Lincoln Memorial.
Trump plans a trip to Phoenix, Arizona, on Tuesday. Vice President Mike Pence has made a handful of trips out of Washington to check on coronavirus relief efforts.
- Reuters
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