Today, MAGA Republicans will hold a hearing on the origins of COVID-19. But what you won’t hear is that at the beginning of the pandemic, Donald Trump praised Xi Jinping and China’s response at least a dozen times. In response, DNC spokesperson Elena Kuhn released the following statement: 

“As COVID-19 spread around the globe, Donald Trump tripped over himself to praise China’s response. If Oversight Republicans want to investigate the origins of the pandemic, they should start by asking why their MAGA Republican leader refused to hold the Chinese government accountable for its response.”

Donald Trump heaped praise on China’s response and transparency to the pandemic at least 15 times. 

POLITICO: “Just days before the U.S. recorded its first death from Covid-19, Trump touted China’s government for its transparency and hard work to defeat the coronavirus that causes the illness.”

CNN: “The many times Trump has praised China’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic”

Business Insider: ‘For the love of God, don’t do that’: Trump’s HHS secretary begged him not to praise the Chinese president’s pandemic response on Twitter, book says”

Donald Trump: “China has been working very hard to contain the Coronavirus. The United States greatly appreciates their efforts and transparency. It will all work out well. In particular, on behalf of the American People, I want to thank President Xi!”

Donald Trump: “Just had a long and very good conversation by phone with President Xi of China. 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.”

And when he wasn’t praising China’s response to the pandemic, Donald Trump was downplaying the severity of the virus and the impact it could have on Americans’ health and livelihood.

Washington Post: “Trump acknowledges he intentionally downplayed deadly coronavirus, says effort was to reduce panic”

CNN: “President Donald Trump admitted he knew weeks before the first confirmed US coronavirus death that the virus was dangerous, airborne, highly contagious and ‘more deadly than even your strenuous flus,’ and that he repeatedly played it down publicly… Trump’s admissions are in stark contrast to his frequent public comments at the time insisting that the virus was ‘going to disappear’ and ‘all work out fine.’”