Despite President Trump’s offers to help other nations combating the coronavirus outbreak, his critics continue to press him on providing that aid even as countries like Iran refuse it.
The president was asked about extending help and financial support for countries fighting the global pandemic during a press briefing on Sunday.
(Source: Fox News)
“I realize that your priority is to Americans and, of course, this nation. But what about have you ever considered supporting the foreign cups who are also fighting this global pandemic?” a reporter asked.
The president immediately interjected to repeat that the U.S. is willing to help to any country struggling to cope with the coronavirus outbreak, including North Korea and Iran.
“It’s very important,” Trump said of offering assistance, noting that members of his administration, such as Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, have also reached out and are regularly speaking with other world leaders about their needs.
He emphasized the “we give away billions of dollars” to other nations, pointing to the years-long “tremendous” battle against AIDS.
“But we’re spending a lot of money with other countries. If you look at the aid we give to other countries, we give billions and billions and billions of dollars to other countries,” Trump said.
“And I don’t think I’ve ever said no. I can’t. It’s just so terrible. Countries that we have really, we’re not involved with them very much other than there would be tremendous death, tremendous death,” he added, admitting that he has often pointed out how much the U.S. could save if not giving away so much.
“I tell you what, I start off by saying we should say we can save a lot of money, and by the time they walk those lists into my office I say we have to keep doing that,” he said.
“If they need help, we will give them help,” Trump said Sunday. “We are open for helping other countries.”
.@realDonaldTrump confirms he’s offered COVID19 tests to North Korea, Iran and other countries suffering from pandemic
— Andrea Mitchell (@mitchellreports) March 22, 2020
The president confirmed that he had reached out to North Korean leader, Kim Jong Un, directly with a letter offering assistance if needed.
Trump “expressed his intent to render cooperation in the anti-epidemic work, saying that he was impressed by the efforts made by the Chairman to defend his people from the serious threat of the epidemic,” the official Korean Central News Agency reported in a statement carried by Kim’s sister, Kim Yo Jong.
North Korea has maintained there have been no cases of the coronavirus in their country, however.
Trump’s offer of assistance to Iran was treated about as expected by the nation’s Islamic government, as the regime’s leader Ayatollah Rouhani Khamenei rejected the olive branch claiming the US was just attempting to “spread the virus.”
In recent days, @realDonaldTrump & @SecPompeo offered Iran help to fight the #Coronavirus. Today the regime’s Supreme Leader rejected the offer, claiming the US might be trying to further “spread the virus”.
US sanctions aren’t impeding the fight against #COVID19—the regime is. pic.twitter.com/5SYFqxGajD
— M. Hanif Jazayeri (@HanifJazayeri) March 22, 2020
The nation has suffered from the global outbreak with more than 1,800 dead and over 23,000 confirmed cases, after its leaders downplayed the initial warnings and pushed conspiracy theories about the spreading virus. Trump, who doubled down on economic sanctions against the country, offered help to Iran last month as the coronavirus outbreak spread quickly, but the offer was rejected then as well.
Twitter users slammed the nation;s leaders for their arrogant disregard for their own people.
The offer was initially rejected more than three weeks ago. To put it another way, that’s 1,500 deaths and 21,000 infections ago
— Marco Giannangeli (@marcogiann) March 22, 2020
When was the #Iranianregime concern with the health& safety of its people? The #mullahs only concern is depositing money in their accounts & keep the #Iranians under control. It is not enough that they let #COVIDー19 spreads in #Iran, but they also made it spreads in the region
— Dr. Eman Ebrahim Al Doseri (@EmanAlDosary) March 22, 2020
If they don’t want help then leave them to it.
— Tess Robin (@robin_tess) March 23, 2020
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Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida where she has been writing for the BizPacReview team since 2015.
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