'Not much': Trump's response when asked what he would do differently if he got a 'do-over' of his COVID response - as America's death toll reaches 221,000
President Donald Trump said at a town hall meeting there is 'not much' he would do differently on combating the coronavirus if he had the opportunity.
Trump made the statement to Sinclair Broadcasting, which interviewed him for a town hall meeting at the White House – one of multiple events Trump has held there amid challenges traveling around the country amid the pandemic.
'With COVID, is there anything that you think you could have done differently, if you had a mulligan or a do-over on one aspect of the way you handled it, what would it be?,' moderator Eric Bolling asked the president, on a stage set up in the White House Rose Garden.
'Not much,' Trump responded, President Trump responded when asked about anything he would do differently on the coronavirus
'Not much,' Trump responded.
'Look, it's all over the world. You have a lot of great leaders, a lot of smart people. It's all over the world. It came out of China. China should have stopped it,' he said.
Trump's immediate response did not account for the rising coronavirus infections across the country, including in the Midwest and other reasons, or the nation continuing to lead in the death toll.
Public health officials have pointed to a lack of social distancing, continued gatherings, reopenings despite high positivity test rates, and people's refusal to embrace mask wearing and other steps.
President Donald Trump walks out of Walter Reed National Military Medical Center after receiving treatment as a covid-19 patient, Monday, Oct. 5, 2020, in Bethesda, Md. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
First Lady Melania Trump cancelled a planned campaign event Tuesday as she continues to suffer symptoms
With more than 8 million cases, the U.S. continues to lead the world, and is far ahead of other wealthy countries with advanced health systems. India, population 1.3 billion, is in second place and on an upward tragectory.
Trump regularly touts a travel ban he instituted on flights from China, but the administration faced criticism in the spring for severe shortages of protective equipment.
Rival Joe Biden and longtime ally has blasted Trump for not sending a strong message for people to wear masks. Trump ally former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie recently echoed his belief in this message after being hospitalized for COVID-19, presumably catching it at a White House superspreader event he attended.
Trump himself was hospitalized after testing positive for COVID-19. First Lady Melania Trump had a scratch a planned appearance at a Trump rally Tuesday, reporting suffering from a cough after her own COVID-19 infection.