"COVID-19 Task Force Maintained Indefinitely" Trump Changes Statement in One Day (Update)

Donald Trump, President of the United States [Photo by Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Seunggon Han] U.S. President Donald Trump announced on the 6th (local time) that the White House Task Force (TF) for responding to the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) crisis will be maintained indefinitely.

In a post on his Twitter that day, President Trump said, "The White House Coronavirus Task Force led by Vice President Mike Pence has done a fantastic job of bringing together vast and very complex resources. They have set a high standard for others to follow in the future."

He continued, "Ventilators, which were scarce and in poor condition, are now being produced by the thousands, and there are many to share," adding, "We are helping countries that desperately need them."

He also emphasized, "We are currently conducting more tests than all other countries combined. We are doing excellent testing," and "Masks, face shields, gloves, and gowns are now abundant."

President Trump stated, "Building on this success, the TF will continue to focus indefinitely on safety and reopening the country," and "People may be added or removed as appropriate." He also said, "The TF will be very focused on vaccines and treatments."

This statement by President Trump is interpreted as a response to criticism after efforts to disband the TF amid the ongoing spread of COVID-19 in the U.S.

On the previous day (the 5th), during a visit to a mask production factory in Phoenix, Arizona, President Trump said, "The TF has done a great job," but also noted, "We are now looking at a slightly different form of safety and reopening. For this, we may need to prepare another group."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.