US President Donald Trump is heading out to Mount Rushmore in South Dakota on Friday to celebrate the July 4 American Independence Day.Along with fireworks amid another large public gathering. Despite confirmation from experts that the coronavirus pandemic is surging again with a vengeance across the country.
The US is now seeing a record 50,000 plus cases a day, including 10,000 per day in Florida.Along with an uptick in more than 35 states. Mainly on account of the Trump administration.Its Republican cohorts and supporters disdaining wearing of masks, ignoring social distancing norms, and easing up on shutdowns, the last citing economic concerns.
In a belated recognition of its efficacy of masks and social distancing. The Republican governors of Texas and Florida and many local governments are reversing their stand on the matter and on reopening for business.
Even Trump reluctantly said on Thursday that he is “all for masks” after scorning it for several week. Ridiculously claiming it made him look like “Lone Ranger,” a fictional hero who actually wore a mask over his eyes.
But every other utterance from the President bespoke continued disregard for the pandemic, including claiming yet again that “at some point that’s going to sort of just disappear, I hope” and the U.S is “getting it under control.”
Figures from various agencies show that far from having it under control, the Covid+ve cases are now ticking up to 55,000 per day and rapidly taking the U.S towards 3 million cases and 130,000 deaths, by far the highest in the world.
There were two incidents on Thursday that brought the coronavirus within striking distance of the US leadership. In one, Hermain Cain, a former Presidential hopeful and a Trump surrogate, tested positive for Covid-19 after attending Trump’s Tulsa rally.
Posting a photograph on social media of himself with family and supporters at the event. All without masks or social distancing. Several tweets, Cain had ridiculed what he suggested needless alarm over the pandemic.
In another incident, Vice President Mike Pence’s had to delay a trip to Arizona. After several Secret Service agents who helped organize the visit either tested positive for the coronavirus or were showing symptoms of being infected.
While many Republican leaders now enforcing renewed closures and mask-wearing mandates. To the extent of asking people to forgo July 4 partying. Trump and his wife are going to Mount Rushmore on a visit that has already generated controversy beyond the pandemic issue.
