Trump defies critics by opening coronavirus press conference using the phrase ‘Chinese virus’

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Trump defended his use of the phrase on Tuesday against critics who have called the term racist by pointing out that the virus originated in China. He also criticized China’s response in his remarks.

“I didn’t appreciate the fact that China was saying that our military gave it to them. Our military did not give it to anybody,” he said during a press briefing.

“China was putting out information, which was false, that our military gave this to them. That was false. And rather than having an argument, I said I had to call it where it came from. It did come from China. So, I think it’s a very accurate term,” he added.

MSNBC host Joy Reid said, “Trump is still calling it the ‘Chinese’ corona virus — a pandemic that is also in Italy, Iran and New York … and West Virginia and all 50 U.S. states! Please let a reporter call him on this!”

A reporter did, in fact, ask Trump a question about the phrase, to which he responded, “It’s not racist. It comes from China. I want to be accurate.”

Some news media personalities supported the president’s label, including Fox News’s Lisa Boothe, who reiterated that the virus originated in China and called that the “end of story.”