Allan Lichtman, the historian known for accurately predicting presidential elections, said that President Trump Donald John TrumpWarren: I feel 'deep down fury' that Trump downplayed pandemic NYT reporter removed from Trump rally in Michigan Trump says he didn't share classified information following Woodward book MORE’s downplaying of the coronavirus pandemic will be remembered as “the greatest dereliction of duty” in presidential history.
“This is the greatest dereliction of duty in the history of the U.S. presidency,” Lichtman, a professor of history at American University, told CTV News Channel on Thursday.
Lichtman was responding to claims made in veteran journalist Bob Woodward’s forthcoming book “Rage.”
Woodward’s book, which is set to publish on Sept. 15, builds upon 17 interviews with the president, including one in which Trump said COVID-19 was "deadly" in early February, and later told the author he intentionally minimized its seriousness in public to avoid causing panic.
"I wanted to always play it down," Trump reportedly told Woodward in a subsequent interview in March. "I still like playing it down, because I don't want to create a panic.”
Lichtman said he doesn’t believe Trump didn’t want to cause panic.
“What is Trump’s whole campaign based on? Causing panic,” Lichtman said. “‘Elect Joe Biden Joe BidenHarris calls it 'outrageous' Trump downplayed coronavirus Historian predicts Trump downplaying pandemic will go down as 'the greatest dereliction of duty' in presidential history Overnight Defense: Trump announces new US ambassador to Afghanistan | Pentagon officially withdraws plan to end 'Stars and Stripes' | Biden says Trump doesn't understand national security, intel officials 'don't trust' him MORE and your streets are going to burn. The criminals will be attacking your houses. The suburbs will be abolished.’ This is a guy who’s worried about causing panic? Come on. How could you possibly believe that?”
jerrybodangles on September 11st, 2020 at 01:29 UTC »
Republicans in the Senate are just as guilty.
WhataHaack on September 11st, 2020 at 01:15 UTC »
“What is Trump’s whole campaign based on? Causing panic,” Lichtman said. “‘Elect Joe Biden and your streets are going to burn. The criminals will be attacking your houses. The suburbs will be abolished.’ This is a guy who’s worried about causing panic? Come on. How could you possibly believe that?”
This is a good line
lucynyu13 on September 11st, 2020 at 00:32 UTC »
“This is the greatest dereliction of duty in the history of the U.S. presidency,” Lichtman, a professor of history at American University, told CTV News Channel on Thursday.
Lichtman said he doesn’t believe Trump didn’t want to cause panic.
“What is Trump’s whole campaign based on? Causing panic,” Lichtman said. “‘Elect Joe Biden and your streets are going to burn. The criminals will be attacking your houses. The suburbs will be abolished.’ This is a guy who’s worried about causing panic? Come on. How could you possibly believe that?”