Ahead of Donald Trump’s fundraiser in Deal, New Jersey today, Democratic National Committee spokesperson Will Baskin-Gerwitz released the following statement:

“Today, Donald Trump will rake in cash at a New Jersey fundraiser, while hundreds of thousands of Garden State residents who’ve lost their job during the pandemic wonder where their next paycheck will come from. He’ll hobnob with out-of-touch donors like nothing’s wrong, while citizens make sacrifices to stop the spread of the virus. And he’ll sleep in his own bed tonight, unlike the tens of thousands of New Jerseyans who’ve lost their lives to COVID-19. New Jersey knows that this virus is real — it deserves a president who gets that, too.”

BACKGROUND ON TRUMP’S FAILED PANDEMIC RESPONSE

Promise: “We have it totally under control. It’s one person coming in from China. We have it under control. It’s going to be just fine.” [CNBC Interview, 1/22/20]

• Reality: After Trump wasted time ignoring his own advisors and downplaying the coronavirus pandemic, the United States leads the world with nearly 5 million cases and over 162,000 deaths. New Jersey alone has faced more than 186,000 cases and more than 15,800 deaths.

Promise: “We are marshalling the full power of the federal government and the private sector to protect the American people.” [Oval Office Address, 3/11/20]

• Reality: Even in the midst of a global pandemic, Trump and the Republican Party are attempting to overturn the Affordable Care Act — endangering health coverage for 595,000 New Jerseyans and threatening protections for more than 3.8 million New Jerseyans with preexisting conditions.

• Reality: Trump has still failed to provide states with adequate testing and PPE, as New Jerseyans are forced to wait more than a week for test results. And even as experts warned of a coming pandemic, Trump sent record shipments of N95 masks overseas.