Ahead of Donald Trump’s address to the New York City Police Benevolent Association in Bedminster, NJ this evening, Democratic National Committee spokesperson Will Baskin-Gerwitz released the following statement:

“More than 425,000 New Yorkers — including nearly 6,000 members of the NYPD alone — have contracted COVID-19, yet Trump still continues to campaign like nothing’s wrong, instead of focusing on developing a strategy to stop the pandemic. Trump may claim that he’ll protect the police, but that’s just another lie. When it comes to the pandemic, his failed response doesn’t protect anyone.”

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 over 5.2 million cases and 167,000 deaths. New York alone has faced more than 428,000 cases and more than 32,000 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 607,000 New Yorkers and threatening protections for as many as 8.6 million New Yorkers with preexisting conditions.

• Reality: Trump has still failed to provide states with adequate testing and PPE, as New Yorkers 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.