AP FACT CHECK: Trump on Biden 'apology,' virus test myths
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is mischaracterizing Joe Biden's position on the U.S. pandemic response, stretching the facts on his own policies in the crisis and playing down the risk to meatpacking employees who are being called to work as infections run high.
Trump capped the weekend by taking questions from Fox News anchors and viewers in an open-air evening session Sunday against the backdrop of the Lincoln Memorial. Over the previous week, Trump persisted in bragging about U.S. coronavirus testing despite the country's weak record on that front.
His comments were among many that fell short of reality in the past week as federal social distancing guidelines expired and some states took steps to reopen businesses. The nation’s death toll continues to climb.
Trump’s newest spokeswoman, Kayleigh McEnany, held the first White House briefing by a press secretary in over a year, pledging she will “never lie to you, you have my word on that.” She then spread several misstatements.
Trump and his veterans affairs secretary, meanwhile, exaggerated progress in the testing of front-line health workers during the pandemic. Trump has repeatedly insisted that anyone who needs a test can get one, but that’s not what the VA says about its employees.
A review:
ON BIDEN
TRUMP, claiming Biden called his travel restrictions on China xenophobic: “Biden has written a letter of apology.” ... “He actually apologized (and said) I made the right move.” — Fox News, Sunday night.
THE FACTS: There's no such letter in sight. Moreover, Biden supported Trump’s restrictions on travel from China — yes, essentially calling them the right move.
Trump's Democratic presidential rival has accused him of having a record of xenophobia but not explicitly in the context...