'Un-American' Trump Ripped Over Coronavirus Blue State Death Toll Boast
President Donald Trump was called out on Wednesday for bragging that the U.S. death toll from the coronavirus would be lower if one subtracted the deaths from “blue” states.
“The blue states had tremendous death rates,” Trump said. “If you take the blue states out, we’re at a level that I don’t think anybody in the world would be at, we’re really at a very low level.”
Trump’s boast wasn’t even factually accurate; as many critics pointed out on social media, the United States would still have one of the world’s worst tolls from the virus even without deaths from “blue” states.
According to data collected by The New York Times, 3 of the top 6 states in terms of deaths have Republican governors and 5 of the top 10 voted for Trump in 2016.
In any case, Trump is president of all 50 states, each of which is populated with both Democrats and Republicans. And the Trump administration’s delayed response to the virus ― as well as the president’s confession to Bob Woodward that he downplayed the threat early on ― impacted everyone:
Trump bothers me in so many ways. But I really cant stand this -- dividing our country into "blue states" and "red states" when discussing a virus killing ALL Americans. It's just so un-American. (BTW, 4.9 million Californians voted for Trump in 2016) https://t.co/aYjxQgbXK4
— Michael McFaul (@McFaul) September 17, 2020
So “blue states” and the majority of the American population that lives in them have become the Carnival Cruise ship. https://t.co/Wfgg9Tbcgi
— Sherrilyn Ifill (@Sifill_LDF) September 17, 2020
The deaths in the blue states don’t count is one probably the sickest and most honest belief I’ve heard Trump express.
— Chris Hayes (@chrislhayes) September 16, 2020
“If you take the blue states out...”
What a fucking asshole. This needs to be seen to believe. #UnitedStatesOfAmerica pic.twitter.com/mu8xenSYnD— Alyssa Milano (@Alyssa_Milano) September 17, 2020
Obama in 2004: "The pundits like to slice-and-dice our country into Red States and Blue States...But I’ve got news for them...We are one people."
Trump in 2020: Yeah, whatever. I don't care about the Blue States. I only care about the Red States.https://t.co/Uzk2kMmPOt— Keith Boykin (@keithboykin) September 17, 2020
That’s just... f#%& up. You go ahead and defend him if you want but I live in one of those blue states. My kids are in those blue states. My parents are in those blue states.
I’ve never ever felt indifferent to suffering in red states. Crisis hits, we’re all Americans. https://t.co/eXwxqrMQMv— Joe Hill (@joe_hill) September 16, 2020
Disgusting Trump #COVID19 statement, "if you take the blue states out, we're at a level I don't think anybody in the world would be at." 😡
➡️ There is no blue America or no red America. There is only the UNITED STATES of America. pic.twitter.com/xZwNzGcKP2— Eric Feigl-Ding (@DrEricDing) September 17, 2020
Contrary to Trump’s attempt at deflection, most coronavirus deaths since mid-June have been in red states. Now, nearly three-quarters are.
Take out blue state deaths and we still have the second-highest death toll globally. https://t.co/uxvgKFuShG— Philip Bump (@pbump) September 16, 2020
Dear @realDonaldTrump: Please stop dividing us. We are not the Red States of America. Or the Blue States of America. We are the United States of America. At the end of the day, we are all Americans. https://t.co/WxTjEqATyI
— Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) September 16, 2020
it is sometimes very difficult, still, to believe this person is actually our president. (though clearly he doesn't consider himself my president, since i live in a blue state) https://t.co/Rn4jLGSQnu
— Emily Dreyfuss (@EmilyDreyfuss) September 16, 2020
Donald Trump doesn’t care when people in Blue States die. He doesn’t even think we count.
Most of the people in America live in Blue States.
Donald Trump hates America. https://t.co/zDJs8puDRK— Jon Cryer (@MrJonCryer) September 16, 2020
If you take the blue states out, the south totally won the Civil War. https://t.co/wF1vHtYIrI
— Jo (@JoJoFromJerz) September 17, 2020
AMERICA FIRST!*
*Blue states not included. https://t.co/GfGXldPX1x— Jonah Goldberg (@JonahDispatch) September 16, 2020
Trump said today that blue states are to blame for COVID deaths.
First, it's the President's job to protect the country. The whole country. All the states. Trump failed.
Second, of the six states with the most COVID deaths so far, half have Dem Govs, half have GOP Govs. pic.twitter.com/QS6vOGFRw8— Ronald Klain (@RonaldKlain) September 16, 2020
If you take the blue states out, nobody died on 9/11. https://t.co/uQEJpiKyXJ
— A.R. Moxon (@JuliusGoat) September 16, 2020
Why would the president ever — ever — when talking about American COVID deaths, start a sentence with, "If you take the blue states out..."?
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) September 16, 2020
If you take out the “blue states” and blue cities from federal revenue, the red states collapse. This is not a game Republicans should be playing. https://t.co/bsixWDL24Z
— Markos Moulitsas (@markos) September 16, 2020
"If you take the blue states out" will be remembered as one of the most callous sentiments ever uttered by an American president.... if it's remembered at all. https://t.co/5sdB31C5Jb
— Tim Alberta (@TimAlberta) September 17, 2020
A HuffPost Guide To Coronavirus
What should you still be disinfecting to prevent COVID-19?
Is it possible you had coronavirus earlier this year?
How can you manage your anxiety as coronavirus restrictions lift?
Here’s the latest on how long COVID-19 antibodies last.
How will COVID-19 change your office?
Laid off and lost your health insurance? You have options.
Everything you need to know about face masks right now.
Find all our coronavirus coverage here.
Everyone deserves accurate information about COVID-19. Support journalism without a paywall — and keep it free for everyone — by becoming a HuffPost member today.
Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today.
This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.