Following increased reporting on Asian Americans facing discrimination after President Donald Trump began to refer to the coronavirus as the “Chinese virus,” the president voiced support for Asian Americans in a tweet on Monday. Trump also began his Monday press conference by saying it was “important we totally protect our Asian-American community.” Considering Trump previously said he did not think the term was racist, Twitter users were not happy with Trump’s latest statement.
“It is very important that we totally protect our Asian American community in the United States, and all around the world. They are amazing people, and the spreading of the Virus is NOT their fault in any way, shape, or form,” Trump tweeted moments before Monday’s press conference. “They are working closely with us to get rid of it. WE WILL PREVAIL TOGETHER!”
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During the press conference itself, Trump did not use the term “Chinese virus” again. He also opened with a statement to the Asian American community, reading his tweet aloud.
“It seems that there could be a little bit of nasty language toward the Asian Americans in our country, and I don’t like that at all, Trump later told a reporter who asked why he singled out the Asian American community, reports The Hill.
‘It’s a human virus’
Trump’s statement came after a week of press conferences in which Trump steadfastly referred to the coronavirus as the “Chinese virus.” He continued using the term through Sunday’s press conference and previously defended it in tweets and in comments to reporters.
You were calling it the new coronavirus or Covid-19 like the rest of the world until you decided it would benefit you to rile up your fans by calling it the Chinese virus. Big surprise they are now attacking random Asian-Americans. pic.twitter.com/Wxhd8pEMOL
โ Helen Kennedy (@HelenKennedy) March 23, 2020
“It’s not racist at all. No. Not at all,” Trump said last week. “It comes from China. That’s why. It comes from China. I want to be accurate.”
Letโs remember. Coronavirus is not an Asian virus. Itโs a human virus. We must elongate the epidemic curve for slow rise, slow fall. We must secure medical and essential supply lines. We must give the people a direct cash stimulus. We must limit public gatherings of any sort
โ โป๏ธ๐บ๐ธ Christopher Zullo (@ChrisJZullo) March 23, 2020
‘Grow up and quit calling it the Chinese Virus’
Throughout the week, Trump’s critics spoke out against the phrase, warning that it could lead to racist attacks against Asian Americans. There have been several reported incidents, including the assault of a woman wearing a mask at a New York City subway and a family of four in Texas being stabbed while buying groceries.
Then grow up and quit calling it the Chinese virus. Tell Pompeo and Donny Jr the same. Good to finally say something, though…
โ Michael Sterner (@michaeldsterner) March 23, 2020
As Americans it is our duty to help are fellow citizens if we see someone bullying another individual!
โ Dawn Michael, PhD๐ (@SexCounseling) March 23, 2020
When we work together we are stronger!
“It is dangerous for him to continue calling it the Chinese coronavirus,” Rep. Judy Chu, a California Democrat, told CNN on Saturday. “He is creating more xenophobia every single time he does that. And we can see the results in what’s happening to Asian Americans across this country.” She went on to call the incidents against Asian Americas a “very serious situation, especially in a time of heightened emotion.”
Now, who could have given the racists the idea that the virus has an ethnicity? https://t.co/YPqzmDwoYW
โ Morten รverbye (@morten) March 23, 2020
‘Who could have given the racists the idea’
Cliff Li, the head of the National Committee of Asian American Republicans, told Mother Jones he wished Trump did not use the phrase “because it could cause some racists in the country to misread it… I disagree with that if [that is] the result.”ย
Now, who could have given the racists the idea that the virus has an ethnicity? https://t.co/YPqzmDwoYW
โ Morten รverbye (@morten) March 23, 2020
“We want to condemn any racists attack on Chinese-Americans due to the coronavirus,” Li added. “We definitely condemn that.”
‘You started this mess’
Then stop calling it the Chinese Virus!!!! You knew exactly what you were doing, what could happen and you did it anyway because you wanted to cover your lame response to coronavirus by deflecting to the Chinese. You are reprehensible!
โ G. Sierra-Zorita (@GSierraZorita) March 23, 2020
On Monday, the New York Times published a report in instances of discrimination against Asian Americans during the coronavirus pandemic. Almost two dozen Asian Americans said they feared going grocery shopping, using public transit alone and even letting their children go outside. Some said they were being yelled at in public.
Hypocrite! You started this mess.
โ Cherie44 (@terhune_cheryl) March 24, 2020
‘My only hope is that his sentiment lasts longer than a few days’
Trump’s use of the “Chinese virus” term came against recent World Health Organization guidance against using geographic names to describe new infectious diseases. In 2015, the WHO suggested new diseases be named after a symptom or the pathogen that causes it, like coronavirus.
BREAKING: Man who put Asians in danger on a daily basis with racist tropes lectures about the dangers of using racist tropes.
โ Brian Tyler Cohen (@briantylercohen) March 23, 2020
“Terms that should be avoided in disease names include geographic locations (e.g. Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, Spanish Flu, Rift Valley fever), people’s names (e.g. Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, Chagas disease), species of animal or food (e.g. swine flu, bird flu, monkey pox), cultural, population, industry or occupational references (e.g. legionnaires), and terms that incite undue fear (e.g. unknown, fatal, epidemic),” the guidance reads.
I donโt know what made Trump turn around and make this very good and nice tweet defending Asian Americans after his repeated use of the term โChinese Virus,โ but I am thankful for it. My only hope is that his sentiment lasts longer than a few days or a few tweets.
โ Eugene Gu, MD (@eugenegu) March 23, 2020
‘Suddenly concerned about the safety of Asian Americans’
Imagine the guy who divides us by calling it the Chinese Virus talking about prevailing together.
โ Angela Belcamino (@AngelaBelcamino) March 23, 2020
But here we are.
The coronavirus originated in Wuhan, China, and the number of cases in the U.S. began skyrocketing this month. There are now more than 43,000 cases in the U.S., and over 500 reported deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University.
The MF who put Asians in danger for weeks is suddenly concerned about the safety of Asian Americans.
โ Chidiยฎ๏ธ (@ChidiNwatu) March 23, 2020
Photo credit: Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images