On January 24, a few days after the United States confirmed its first coronavirus case, President Donald Trump expressed his gratitude for China’s “efforts and transparency” in combatting a virus that the country’s leadership tried for weeks to cover up. On behalf of the American people, Trump wrote, “I want to thank President Xi!”
By then, the pandemic was on its way to wreaking havoc on the U.S. economy and its citizens’ way of life—not least because of the actions of Xi Jinping’s own government. Yet in February, Trump again praised for Xi on Twitter, writing that “he is strong, sharp and powerfully focused on leading the counterattack on the Coronavirus … Great discipline is taking place in China, as President Xi strongly leads what will be a very successful operation.”
Read the full article and more in The Atlantic.
Author
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Rush Doshi
Former Adjunct Senior Fellow, Asia-Pacific Security
Rush Doshi is a former Adjunct Senior Fellow with the Asia-Pacific Security Program at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS). Previously, Dr. Doshi was a member of t...
