President Donald Trump continued backing his description of the coronavirus as the “Chinese virus” on Tuesday saying it was not racist.
The establishment media predictably reacted strongly against Trump’s use of the term “Chinese virus” on Twitter and in his news conference on Wednesday.
ABC News reporter Cecilia Vega challenged the president during the news conference.
“Why do you keep calling this the Chinese virus?” she asked, citing “dozens” of incidents of bias against Chinese Americans after the coronavirus spread.
“Why do you keep using this?” Vega continued. “A lot of people say it’s racist.”
“It’s not racist at all no, it comes from China that’s why I want to be accurate,” Trump said.
Trump said he had a “great love” for everyone in the country, but said he felt the need, to be honest about the origins of the virus.
PBS reporter Yamiche Alcindor also challenged the president’s rhetoric, noting reports that someone called the coronavirus the “kung flu” in front of an Asian-American White House reporter.
“I wonder who said that, do you know who said that?” Trump asked. “Say the term again.”
Alcindor repeated the term “Kung Flu” twice and asked again about his use of the term “Chinese virus.”
But Trump dismissed the idea that the term “Chinese virus” endangered Asian Americans.
“I think they probably would agree with it 100 percent,” Trump said. “It comes from China.”
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