Trump Reportedly Pivoted on COVID-19 Message After Republican Areas Hit Hard

Donald Trump has faced intense scrutiny for his response to the coronavirus pandemic, but now he appears to be pivoting on his messaging.

Donald Trump
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Image via Getty/Alex Wong

Donald Trump

Donald Trump has faced intense scrutiny for his response to the coronavirus pandemic, but now he appears to be pivoting on his messaging. The President has in the past dismissed the rising cases of the virus, but The Washington Post reports that he decided to take it seriously after he was told Republican voters were at risk.

As coronavirus cases have continued to rise in numerous states, senior advisers began to talk to Trump about which areas have been hit the hardest. His team allegedly referred to Republican states as "our people," telling the President that they were among the worst hit. To top it off, projections indicated that the virus is likely to surge in new cases across some very important states for the 2020 election, most notably across the Midwest with Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota.

BREAKING scoop: Trump’s National Security Advisor Robert O’Brien has tested positive for the coronavirus, sources tell me.

— Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) July 27, 2020

Nearly 150,000 people have died from the disease in the U.S.

Over the past week, it has been noted that Trump's tone on the virus has changed somewhat. Now that the pandemic has worsened, particuarly impacting red states, Trump's attitude towards COVID-19 has been a bit different, with him openly admitting that it's a problem. Despite this, he doesn't appear to be too concerned about the pandemic, because he took a golfing trip on Saturday, something he was also criticized for.

The news comes just as Trump's National Security Advisor, Robert O'Brien, tested positived for the coronavirus.

i really don't know what other evidence you need that Trump literally wants to kill us blue-state residents. they're literally referring to red staters as "our people." https://t.co/E0tBUpg7Fx

— Faine Greenwood (@faineg) July 27, 2020

See reactions to Trump's turn below.

Trump received maps and stats regarding Coronavirus from top advisors stating the stats were bad for “our people”. in republican states. Trump only cares about his voters in red states. Let that sink in. pic.twitter.com/UZsQgtCNOu

— SadX3 (@psad19611) July 27, 2020

A Washington Post article revealed that Trump’s advisers warned him that COVID-19 was a threat to “our people” in “Republican states.” Our people?

I'm old enough to remember when the president was the president for ALL Americans.https://t.co/HwnFlF7CdI

— Al​ 🅖🅓🅐🅓➊ Criswell​ (@Gdad1) July 27, 2020

In this sentence, we see but one reason Trump is a failed president:

“...senior advisers began presenting Trump with maps and data showing spikes in coronavirus cases among ‘our people’ in Republican states.”

He never viewed himself as representing all of the American people. https://t.co/z5gMPEGamV

— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) July 27, 2020

Trump's interest was piqued when he learned that his voters might be affected. So he is okay with everyone else dying? Got it.

— Love. Amelia. (@LoveAmelia5) July 27, 2020

It's official. If I'm not 'his people', he's not my president. Never was, never will be.

Trump only pivoted on coronavirus after reportedly being warned of spikes among 'our people' in red states - https://t.co/RaXS3Mn61n

— The Tall Atheist (@TheTallAtheist) July 27, 2020

Extreme difficulty getting Trump to pivot on #COVID19
He was repeatedly showed highlighted maps with spikes in coronavirus cases among "our people" in Republican states.

Trump’s delusions had him believing if he ignored the virus—it would soon disappear. https://t.co/em2X7mEe3K

— Arctic Friend (@FriendEden100) July 27, 2020

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