First presidency of Donald Trump: Difference between revisions

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 The Trump campaign ran on a policy of reducing America's trade deficit, particularly with China.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||last1=Navarro|first1=Peter|last2=Ross|first2=Wilbur|date=September 29, 2016|title=Scoring the Trump Economic Plan: Trade, Regulatory, & Energy Policy Impacts|url=https://assets.donaldjtrump.com/Trump_Economic_Plan.pdf|access-date=December 18, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220412025404/https://assets.donaldjtrump.com/Trump_Economic_Plan.pdf|archive-date=April 12, 2022|url-status=dead}}</ref> The overall trade deficit increased during Trump's presidency.<ref>{{cite web |last = Scott |first = Robert E. |url = https://www.epi.org/blog/record-u-s-trade-deficit-in-2018-reflects-failure-of-trumps-trade-policies/ |title = Record U.S. trade deficit in 2018 reflects failure of Trump's trade policies |publisher = [[Economic Policy Institute]] |date = March 7, 2019 |accessdate = November 27, 2022 |archive-date = November 27, 2022 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20221127051350/https://www.epi.org/blog/record-u-s-trade-deficit-in-2018-reflects-failure-of-trumps-trade-policies/ |url-status = live }}</ref> The goods deficit with China reached a record high for the second consecutive year in 2018.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||title=As trade deficit explodes, Trump finds he can't escape the laws of economics|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/trump-promised-to-shrink-the-trade-deficit-instead-it-exploded/2019/03/05/35d3b1e0-3f8f-11e9-a0d3-1210e58a94cf_story.html |date=March 6, 2019 |first=David J. |last=Lynch |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |access-date=November 10, 2021}}</ref>
-A 2021 study, which used the [[synthetic control method]], found no evidence Trump had an impact on the U.S. economy during his time in office.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite journal||last1=Born|first1=Benjamin|last2=Müller|first2=Gernot J.|last3=Schularick|first3=Moritz|last4=Sedláček|first4=Petr|date=2021|title=The macroeconomic impact of Trump|url=https://doi.org/10.1080/01442872.2021.1909718|journal=Policy Studies|volume=42|issue=5–6|pages=580–591|doi=10.1080/01442872.2021.1909718|s2cid=201376054|issn=0144-2872}}</ref> Analysis conducted by [[Bloomberg News]] at the end of Trump's second year in office found that his economy ranked sixth among the last seven presidents, based on fourteen metrics of economic activity and financial performance.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last=Winkler|first=Matthew A.|author-link=Matthew Winkler (journalist)|date=January 28, 2019|title=Ranking the Trump Economy|work=[[Bloomberg News]]|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2019-01-28/trump-economy-lags-clinton-s-obama-s-reagan-s-and-even-carter-s|access-date=January 28, 2019}}</ref> Trump repeatedly and falsely characterized the economy during his presidency as the best in American history.<ref>* {{#invoke:Cite news||last=Smialek|first=Jeanna|date=June 7, 2018|title=Trump Says the U.S. Economy Is the 'Greatest' Ever. It's Not|work=[[Bloomberg News]]|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-06-07/sorry-mr-president-but-best-economy-was-probably-eisenhower-s|access-date=May 27, 2019}} * {{#invoke:Cite news||last=Kessler|first=Glenn|author-link=Glenn Kessler (journalist)|date=September 7, 2018|title=President Trump's repeated claim: 'The greatest economy in the history of our country'|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2018/09/07/president-trumps-repeated-claim-greatest-economy-history-our-country/|access-date=May 27, 2019}} * {{#invoke:Cite news||last=Puzzanghera|first=Jim|date=November 4, 2018|title=The truth about Trump's 'greatest economy' claims|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|url=https://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-trump-economy-sectors-20181104-story.html|access-date=May 27, 2019}} * {{#invoke:Cite news||last=Schoen|first=John W.|author-link=John W. Schoen|date=November 5, 2018|title=Four charts show why Trump's claims about the US economy just don't add up|work=[[CNBC]]|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2018/11/03/trumps-campaign-claims-about-his-economic-record-just-dont-add-up.html|access-date=May 27, 2019}}</ref>
+A 2021 study, which used the [[synthetic control method]], found no evidence Trump had an impact on the U.S. economy during his time in office.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite journal||last1=Born|first1=Benjamin|last2=Müller|first2=Gernot J.|last3=Schularick|first3=Moritz|last4=Sedláček|first4=Petr|date=2021|title=The macroeconomic impact of Trump|url=https://doi.org/10.1080/01442872.2021.1909718|journal=Policy Studies|volume=42|issue=5–6|pages=580–591|doi=10.1080/01442872.2021.1909718|s2cid=201376054|issn=0144-2872}}</ref> Analysis conducted by [[Bloomberg News]] at the end of Trump's second year in office found that his economy ranked sixth among the last seven presidents, based on fourteen metrics of economic activity and financial performance.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last=Winkler|first=Matthew A.|author-link=Matthew Winkler (journalist)|date=January 28, 2019|title=Ranking the Trump Economy|work=[[Bloomberg News]]|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2019-01-28/trump-economy-lags-clinton-s-obama-s-reagan-s-and-even-carter-s|access-date=January 28, 2019}}</ref> Trump repeatedly and falsely characterized the economy during his presidency as the best in American history.<ref>* {{#invoke:Cite news||last=Smialek|first=Jeanna|date=June 7, 2018|title=Trump Says the U.S. Economy Is the 'Greatest' Ever. It's Not|work=[[Bloomberg News]]|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-06-07/sorry-mr-president-but-best-economy-was-probably-eisenhower-s|access-date=May 27, 2019}} * {{#invoke:Cite news||last=Kessler|first=Glenn|author-link=Glenn Kessler (journalist)|date=September 7, 2018|title=President Trump's repeated claim: 'The greatest economy in the history of our country'|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2018/09/07/president-trumps-repeated-claim-greatest-economy-history-our-country/|access-date=May 27, 2019}} * {{#invoke:Cite news||last=Puzzanghera|first=Jim|date=November 4, 2018|title=The truth about Trump's 'greatest economy' claims|work=Los Angeles Times|url=https://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-trump-economy-sectors-20181104-story.html|access-date=May 27, 2019}} * {{#invoke:Cite news||last=Schoen|first=John W.|author-link=John W. Schoen|date=November 5, 2018|title=Four charts show why Trump's claims about the US economy just don't add up|work=[[CNBC]]|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2018/11/03/trumps-campaign-claims-about-his-economic-record-just-dont-add-up.html|access-date=May 27, 2019}}</ref>
 [[File:Boeing 787-10 rollout with President Trump (32335755473) (cropped).jpg|thumb|Trump and [[Boeing]] CEO [[Dennis Muilenburg]] at the [[Boeing 787 Dreamliner|787-10 Dreamliner]] rollout ceremony]]
@@ Line 349: / Line 349: @@
 The administration has repeatedly sought to reduce the EPA budget.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite journal||last1=Samet|first1=Jonathan M.|last2=Burke|first2=Thomas A.|date=April 1, 2020|title=Deregulation and the Assault on Science and the Environment|journal=Annual Review of Public Health|volume=41|issue=1|pages=annurev–publhealth–040119-094056|doi=10.1146/annurev-publhealth-040119-094056|pmid=31905321|issn=0163-7525|doi-access=free}}</ref> The administration invalidated the [[Stream Protection Rule]], which limited dumping of toxic wastewater containing metals, such as arsenic and mercury, into public waterways,<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2017/04/13/trump-administration-halts-obama-era-rule-aimed-at-curbing-toxic-wastewater-from-coal-plants/ |first=Brady |last=Dennis |date=April 13, 2017 |title=Trump administration halts Obama-era rule aimed at curbing toxic wastewater from coal plants|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |access-date=April 14, 2017}}</ref> regulations on [[Health effects of coal ash|coal ash]] (carcinogenic leftover waste produced by coal plants),<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://edition.cnn.com/2018/07/18/health/epa-coal-ash-standards-bn/index.html |date=July 18, 2018 |title=EPA rolls back Obama-era coal ash regulations|first=Nadia|last=Kounang|work=CNN|access-date=July 24, 2018}}</ref> and an Obama-era executive order on protections for oceans, coastlines and lakes enacted in response to the [[Deepwater Horizon oil spill]].<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2018/06/20/trump-just-erased-an-obama-era-policy-to-protect-the-oceans/|title=Trump just erased an Obama-era policy to protect the oceans|last=Fears|first=Darryl|date=June 20, 2018|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|access-date=June 22, 2018|issn=0190-8286}}</ref> The administration refused to act on recommendations from EPA scientists urging greater regulation of [[particulate pollution]].<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||access-date=November 7, 2021 |title=Trump officials reject stricter air quality standards, despite link between air pollution, coronavirus risks|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2020/04/14/epa-pollution-coronavirus/ |first1=Juliet |last1=Eilperin |first2=Dino |last2=Grandoni |first3=Brady |last3=Dennis |date=April 14, 2020}}</ref>
-The administration rolled back major [[Clean Water Act]] protections, narrowing the definition of the "[[waters of the United States]]" under federal protection.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||url=https://www.eenews.net/stories/1062934329 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200425193046/https://www.eenews.net/stories/1062934329 |archive-date=April 25, 2020 |first1=Jeremy P. |last1=Jacobs |first2=Pamela |last2=King |title=Clean Water Act: Trump's rewrite is finalized. What happens now?|website=E&E News |publisher=[[Environment & Energy Publishing]] |date=April 21, 2020 |access-date=April 23, 2020}}</ref> Studies by the Obama-era EPA suggest that up to two-thirds of California's inland freshwater streams would lose protections under the rule change.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||url=https://www.latimes.com/politics/la-na-pol-clean-water-20181211-story.html|title=Trump administration unveils major Clean Water Act rollback|last=Halper|first=Evan|website=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=December 11, 2018|access-date=December 14, 2018}}</ref> The EPA sought to repeal a regulation which required oil and gas companies to restrict emissions of [[methane]], a potent [[greenhouse gas]].<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/white-house-pressured-epa-on-changes-to-methane-leak-rule/|title=White House Pressured EPA on Changes to Methane Leak Rule|first=Maxine |last=Joselow |date=October 23, 2018 |work=Scientific American|access-date=October 24, 2018}}</ref> The EPA rolled back automobile fuel efficiency standards introduced in 2012.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||title=Trump rolled back fuel-economy standards in the US this week to make vehicles 'substantially safer,' but his claims about car safety don't mesh with reality|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-eases-emissions-rules-make-cars-safer-but-ignores-facts-2020-4 |date=April 4, 2020 |last=King |first=Alanis |website=Business Insider |access-date=May 16, 2020}}</ref> The EPA granted a loophole allowing a small set of trucking companies to skirt emissions rules and produce [[Glider (automobiles)#Glider truck|glider trucks]] that emit 40 to 55 times the air pollutants of other new trucks.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/06/us/glider-trucks-loophole-pruitt.html |newspaper=The New York Times |first=Eric |last=Lipton |date=July 6, 2018 |title='Super Polluting' Trucks Receive Loophole on Pruitt's Last Day|access-date=July 7, 2018}}</ref> The EPA rejected a ban on the toxic pesticide [[chlorpyrifos]]; a federal court then ordered the EPA to ban chlorpyrifos, because the EPA's own extensive research showed it caused adverse health effects in children.<ref name="Lipton-2018" /> The administration scaled back the ban on the use of the solvent [[Dichloromethane|methylene chloride]],<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/15/climate/epa-paint-stripper-methylene-chloride.html|title=E.P.A., Scaling Back Proposed Ban, Plans Limits on Deadly Chemical in Paint Strippers|last=Friedman|first=Lisa|date=March 15, 2019|work=The New York Times|access-date=March 23, 2019|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> and lifted a rule requiring major farms to report pollution emitted through animal waste.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||url=https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/447151-epa-exempts-farms-from-reporting-pollution-tied-to-animal-waste|title=EPA exempts farms from reporting pollution tied to animal waste|last=Beitsch|first=Rebecca|date=June 5, 2019|website=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]]|access-date=June 16, 2019}}</ref>
+The administration rolled back major [[Clean Water Act]] protections, narrowing the definition of the "[[waters of the United States]]" under federal protection.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||url=https://www.eenews.net/stories/1062934329 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200425193046/https://www.eenews.net/stories/1062934329 |archive-date=April 25, 2020 |first1=Jeremy P. |last1=Jacobs |first2=Pamela |last2=King |title=Clean Water Act: Trump's rewrite is finalized. What happens now?|website=E&E News |publisher=[[Environment & Energy Publishing]] |date=April 21, 2020 |access-date=April 23, 2020}}</ref> Studies by the Obama-era EPA suggest that up to two-thirds of California's inland freshwater streams would lose protections under the rule change.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||url=https://www.latimes.com/politics/la-na-pol-clean-water-20181211-story.html|title=Trump administration unveils major Clean Water Act rollback|last=Halper|first=Evan|website=Los Angeles Times|date=December 11, 2018|access-date=December 14, 2018}}</ref> The EPA sought to repeal a regulation which required oil and gas companies to restrict emissions of [[methane]], a potent [[greenhouse gas]].<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/white-house-pressured-epa-on-changes-to-methane-leak-rule/|title=White House Pressured EPA on Changes to Methane Leak Rule|first=Maxine |last=Joselow |date=October 23, 2018 |work=Scientific American|access-date=October 24, 2018}}</ref> The EPA rolled back automobile fuel efficiency standards introduced in 2012.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||title=Trump rolled back fuel-economy standards in the US this week to make vehicles 'substantially safer,' but his claims about car safety don't mesh with reality|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-eases-emissions-rules-make-cars-safer-but-ignores-facts-2020-4 |date=April 4, 2020 |last=King |first=Alanis |website=Business Insider |access-date=May 16, 2020}}</ref> The EPA granted a loophole allowing a small set of trucking companies to skirt emissions rules and produce [[Glider (automobiles)#Glider truck|glider trucks]] that emit 40 to 55 times the air pollutants of other new trucks.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/06/us/glider-trucks-loophole-pruitt.html |newspaper=The New York Times |first=Eric |last=Lipton |date=July 6, 2018 |title='Super Polluting' Trucks Receive Loophole on Pruitt's Last Day|access-date=July 7, 2018}}</ref> The EPA rejected a ban on the toxic pesticide [[chlorpyrifos]]; a federal court then ordered the EPA to ban chlorpyrifos, because the EPA's own extensive research showed it caused adverse health effects in children.<ref name="Lipton-2018" /> The administration scaled back the ban on the use of the solvent [[Dichloromethane|methylene chloride]],<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/15/climate/epa-paint-stripper-methylene-chloride.html|title=E.P.A., Scaling Back Proposed Ban, Plans Limits on Deadly Chemical in Paint Strippers|last=Friedman|first=Lisa|date=March 15, 2019|work=The New York Times|access-date=March 23, 2019|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> and lifted a rule requiring major farms to report pollution emitted through animal waste.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||url=https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/447151-epa-exempts-farms-from-reporting-pollution-tied-to-animal-waste|title=EPA exempts farms from reporting pollution tied to animal waste|last=Beitsch|first=Rebecca|date=June 5, 2019|website=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]]|access-date=June 16, 2019}}</ref>
 The administration suspended funding on several [[environmental research]] studies,<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=http://www.wvgazettemail.com/news-politics/20170821/trumps-interior-department-moves-to-stop-mountaintop-removal-study |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170821171306/http://www.wvgazettemail.com/news-politics/20170821/trumps-interior-department-moves-to-stop-mountaintop-removal-study |url-status=dead |archive-date=August 21, 2017 |first=Ken Jr. |last=Ward |date=August 21, 2017 |title=Trump's Interior Department moves to stop mountaintop removal study|work=Charleston Gazette-Mail|access-date=August 22, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2017/12/21/this-study-aimed-to-make-offshore-drilling-safer-trump-just-put-a-stop-to-it/|title=This study aimed to make offshore drilling safer. Trump just put a stop to it.|last=Fears|first=Darryl|date=December 21, 2017|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|access-date=January 10, 2018|issn=0190-8286}}</ref> a multi-million-dollar program that distributed grants for research the effects of [[Toxicity|chemical exposure on children]]<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://thehill.com/regulation/energy-environment/375725-major-epa-reorganization-will-end-science-research-program |title=Major EPA reorganization will end science research program|last=Lejeune|first=Tristan|date=February 26, 2018|work=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]]|access-date=February 27, 2018}}</ref><ref name="Plumer-2019">{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/28/climate/trump-administration-war-on-science.html|title=Science Under Attack: How Trump Is Sidelining Researchers and Their Work|last1=Plumer|first1=Brad|last2=Davenport|first2=Coral|date=December 28, 2019|work=The New York Times|access-date=December 29, 2019|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> and $10-million-a-year research line for [[NASA]]'s Carbon Monitoring System.<ref name="Voosen-2018">{{#invoke:Cite journal||last=Voosen|first=Paul|date=May 11, 2018|title=NASA cancels carbon monitoring research program|journal=Science|volume=360|issue=6389|pages=586–587|bibcode=2018Sci...360..586V|doi=10.1126/science.360.6389.586|issn=0036-8075|pmid=29748262}}</ref> including an unsuccessful attempt to kill aspects of [[NASA Earth Science|NASA's climate science]] program.<ref name="Voosen-2018" />
@@ Line 415: / Line 415: @@
 {{Main|COVID-19 pandemic in the United States}}
 [[File:Donald Trump Coronavirus briefing.jpg|thumb|right|Trump receives a briefing on COVID-19 in the [[White House Situation Room]].]]
-In 2018, before the COVID-19 pandemic, the Trump administration reorganized the Global Health Security and Biodefense unit at the NSC by merging it with other related units.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/387191-trump-official-overseeing-pandemic-response-suddenly-leaves-admin|title=Trump official overseeing pandemic readiness exits|last=Thomsen|first=Jacqueline|website=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]]|access-date=February 26, 2020|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201105175454/https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/387191-trump-official-overseeing-pandemic-response-suddenly-leaves-admin |date=May 10, 2018 |archive-date=November 5, 2020}}</ref> Two months prior to the [[Wuhan outbreak|outbreak in Wuhan China]], the Trump Administration had cut nearly $200 million in funding to Chinese research scientists studying animal [[coronavirus]]es.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||last1=Baumgaertner|first1=Emily|last2=Rainey|first2=James|date=April 2, 2020|title=Trump administration ended pandemic early-warning program to detect coronaviruses|url=https://www.latimes.com/science/story/2020-04-02/coronavirus-trump-pandemic-program-viruses-detection|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210103154422/https://www.latimes.com/science/story/2020-04-02/coronavirus-trump-pandemic-program-viruses-detection|archive-date=January 3, 2021|access-date=April 3, 2020|website=[[Los Angeles Times]]}}</ref> Throughout his presidency he also proposed budget cuts to global health.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||last=Finnegan|first=Conor|title=Trump budget proposes cuts to global health amid two global health crises|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-budget-proposes-cuts-global-health-amid-global/story?id=68911515 |date=February 12, 2020 |access-date=February 26, 2020|website=[[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]]}}</ref> The Trump administration ignored detailed plans on how to mass-produce [[Protective mask|protective respirator masks]] under a program that had been launched by the Obama administration to alleviate a mask shortage for a future pandemic.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/federal-government-spent-millions-to-ramp-up-mask-readiness-but-that-isnt-helping-now/2020/04/03/d62dda5c-74fa-11ea-a9bd-9f8b593300d0_story.html|title=Federal government spent millions to ramp up mask readiness, but that isn't helping now|last=Swaine|first=Jon|date=April 3, 2020|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]}}</ref>
+In 2018, before the COVID-19 pandemic, the Trump administration reorganized the Global Health Security and Biodefense unit at the NSC by merging it with other related units.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/387191-trump-official-overseeing-pandemic-response-suddenly-leaves-admin|title=Trump official overseeing pandemic readiness exits|last=Thomsen|first=Jacqueline|website=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]]|access-date=February 26, 2020|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201105175454/https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/387191-trump-official-overseeing-pandemic-response-suddenly-leaves-admin |date=May 10, 2018 |archive-date=November 5, 2020}}</ref> Two months prior to the [[Wuhan outbreak|outbreak in Wuhan China]], the Trump Administration had cut nearly $200 million in funding to Chinese research scientists studying animal [[coronavirus]]es.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||last1=Baumgaertner|first1=Emily|last2=Rainey|first2=James|date=April 2, 2020|title=Trump administration ended pandemic early-warning program to detect coronaviruses|url=https://www.latimes.com/science/story/2020-04-02/coronavirus-trump-pandemic-program-viruses-detection|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210103154422/https://www.latimes.com/science/story/2020-04-02/coronavirus-trump-pandemic-program-viruses-detection|archive-date=January 3, 2021|access-date=April 3, 2020|website=Los Angeles Times}}</ref> Throughout his presidency he also proposed budget cuts to global health.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||last=Finnegan|first=Conor|title=Trump budget proposes cuts to global health amid two global health crises|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-budget-proposes-cuts-global-health-amid-global/story?id=68911515 |date=February 12, 2020 |access-date=February 26, 2020|website=[[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]]}}</ref> The Trump administration ignored detailed plans on how to mass-produce [[Protective mask|protective respirator masks]] under a program that had been launched by the Obama administration to alleviate a mask shortage for a future pandemic.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/federal-government-spent-millions-to-ramp-up-mask-readiness-but-that-isnt-helping-now/2020/04/03/d62dda5c-74fa-11ea-a9bd-9f8b593300d0_story.html|title=Federal government spent millions to ramp up mask readiness, but that isn't helping now|last=Swaine|first=Jon|date=April 3, 2020|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]}}</ref>
 From January to mid-March 2020, Trump consistently downplayed the threat posed by COVID-19 to the United States, giving many optimistic public statements.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last=Blake|first=Aaron|date=March 17, 2020|title=A timeline of Trump playing down the coronavirus threat|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2020/03/12/trump-coronavirus-timeline/|access-date=March 19, 2020}}</ref> He accused Democrats and media outlets of exaggerating the seriousness of the situation, describing Democrats' criticism of his administration's response as a "hoax".<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last=Mangan|first=Dan|date=March 17, 2019|title=Trump dismissed coronavirus pandemic worry in January – now claims he long warned about it|work=[[CNBC]]|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/17/trump-dissed-coronavirus-pandemic-worry-now-claims-he-warned-about-it.html|access-date=March 19, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last=Rupar|first=Aaron|date=March 18, 2020|title=Trump spent weeks downplaying the coronavirus. He's now pretending that never happened.|work=[[Vox (website)|Vox]]|url=https://www.vox.com/2020/3/18/21184945/trump-coronavirus-comments-then-versus-now|access-date=March 19, 2020}}</ref> By March 2020, however, Trump had adopted a more somber tone on the matter, acknowledging for the first time that COVID-19 was "not under control".<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last=Dale|first=Daniel|date=March 17, 2020|title=Fact check: Trump tries to erase the memory of him downplaying the coronavirus|work=CNN|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2020/03/17/politics/fact-check-trump-always-knew-pandemic-coronavirus/index.html|access-date=March 19, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||date=March 18, 2020|title=Analysis: US presidential politics in the time of coronavirus|work=[[Al Jazeera Media Network|Al Jazeera]]|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/03/analysis-presidential-politics-time-coronavirus-200317202843984.html|access-date=March 19, 2020}}</ref> Although the CDC recommended people wear [[Face masks during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States|face masks]] in public when [[social distancing]] is not possible, Trump continually refused to wear one.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite web||last1=Lizza |first1=Ryan |last2=Lippman |first2=Daniel |title=Wearing a mask is for smug liberals. Refusing to is for reckless Republicans. |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/05/01/masks-politics-coronavirus-227765 |date=May 1, 2020 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201120214749/https://www.politico.com/news/2020/05/01/masks-politics-coronavirus-227765 |archive-date=November 20, 2020 |access-date=June 8, 2020 |website=[[Politico]]}}</ref> He praised and encouraged protesters who violated [[stay-at-home order]]s in Democratic states, as well as praised Republican governors who violated the White House's own COVID-19 guidelines regarding re-opening their economies.<ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||last=Smith|first=David|date=April 18, 2020|title=Trump calls protesters against stay-at-home orders 'very responsible'|work=[[The Guardian]]|url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/apr/17/trump-liberate-tweets-coronavirus-stay-at-home-orders|url-status=live|access-date=May 16, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201107092730/https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/apr/17/trump-liberate-tweets-coronavirus-stay-at-home-orders|archive-date=November 7, 2020|issn=0261-3077}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:Cite news||date=May 4, 2020 |title=Trump cheers on governors even as they ignore White House coronavirus guidelines in race to reopen |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |first1=Toluse |last1=Olorunnipa |first2=Griff |last2=Witte |first3=Lenny |last3=Bernstein |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-cheers-on-governors-as-they-ignore-white-house-coronovirus-guidelines-in-race-to-reopen/2020/05/04/bedc6116-8e18-11ea-a0bc-4e9ad4866d21_story.html |url-status=live |access-date=November 22, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201121225809/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-cheers-on-governors-as-they-ignore-white-house-coronovirus-guidelines-in-race-to-reopen/2020/05/04/bedc6116-8e18-11ea-a0bc-4e9ad4866d21_story.html |archive-date=November 21, 2020}}</ref>