John Oliver claims Trump administration is 'actively hostile' to coronavirus prevention efforts

On Last Week Tonight With John Oliver Sunday, the host ripped President Trump for repeatedly rejecting basic precautions during the coronavirus pandemic — like wearing a mask — even after multiple White House staffers have tested positive for the virus. Trump has also encouraged states to reopen, despite the fact that most don’t meet the administration’s guidelines for doing so. At the same time, the White House has ordered revisions to guidelines for reopening released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention because they were too restrictive.

Trump said last week that he views Americans as “warriors” in the fight against the coronavirus while also acknowledging the fact that deaths from COVID-19 will be higher than thought just a few weeks ago.

“We don’t actually have to be warriors here. And to the extent that we are, you don’t need to be throwing us into battle unarmed before we have mechanisms set up to broadly test, isolate, and trace cases of the virus. You can’t just call everyone warriors and make their deaths not count,” Oliver said, later adding, “all this talk of Americans being brave warriors seems designed to make us accept deaths that we should be trying to prevent. And yet, this administration seems, at times, to be actively hostile to those prevention efforts.”

Throughout the pandemic, Trump has repeatedly contradicted infectious disease experts and healthcare workers on things like testing and treatment, among other things, and Oliver called into question the president’s messaging.

“You get the sense that if God had told Trump about the flood, he wouldn’t have bothered building the ark,” Oliver said, “he would have just tried to convince the animals they’re all fish. We’re all fish together now. I’m a fish. You’re a fish. We’re all fish.”

Last Week Tonight With John Oliver airs Sundays at 11 p.m. on HBO.

Watch John Oliver slam Fox News and Ruch Limbaugh for spreading misinformation about the coronavirus:

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• What to do if you think you have the coronavirus

• What are the symptoms of coronavirus?

• Glossary of public health terms to stay informed

• The most common ways the coronavirus is transmitted

• How to maintain your physical and mental health during the pandemic

• Taking care of a loved one with COVID-19? Here’s how to stay healthy

• COVID-19 and pregnancy: What we know so far

• How to find a job, unemployment insurance

• Q&A with Dr. Kavita Patel: How to keep your family safe and maintain your mental health

• Opening and cleaning delivery packages

• Tips for grocery shopping

• How to deal with potentially contaminated money

• How to do your laundry safely

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