“After months of failing to lead on COVID-19, Trump is planning to return to Arizona following a week of condemnation for ordering the tear-gassing of peaceful protesters so he could have a photo-op. The criticism, from leaders across the country and his own Generals, has sparked concern that even his most loyal Republicans are having second thoughts on his competency as Commander-in-Chief.
While COVID-19 cases are sadly still rising in Yuma and across Arizona, Trump thinks this is a good opportunity to observe the construction of his border wall, once again pandering to his base with fear-mongering and race-baiting. Trump has already notoriously insulted Arizonans by diverting critical funding from Fort Huachuca to appease his on again-off again desires to use the money for his wall.
Donald Trump’s visit is the latest stark reminder that he has repeatedly failed Arizonans and our country, creating more crises and solving none of the problems he promised to fix.
The facts are clear: Trump ignored public health experts, failed to ramp up production of testing and protective gear, praised China’s response, and repeatedly downplayed risks while Americans got sick and sicker.
While visiting Arizona in February, Trump downplayed the threat of coronavirus, saying, “I think it’s going to work out fine,” and predicted that April’s “warmer weather” would end the outbreak. We knew it was absurd then, and, today, we know how wrong Trump was.
The New York Times recently identified Yuma as number two on a list of the next potential areas for a COVID-19 outbreak. Sadly, last Thursday, Yuma County confirmed another 123 new cases of COVID-19, which brought Yuma’s reported cases to 1,643. Trump’s timing of his visit to Yuma, amidst this pandemic, is another example of the alternative reality that he lives in and his desperation for adulation from supporters who think a border wall will fix a broken immigration system.
The speculation alone, as to the reason for his trip, provides the media attention he craves. Perhaps Trump is returning to Arizona in search of that elusive bump in the polls he did not get during his visit last month. Maybe he wants to try and refocus the conversation on his favorite scapegoat — immigration since it has fallen from Arizonans’ interest amidst the ongoing crises facing the nation. Or, maybe, he is having the RNC scout Arizona as a location for its convention out of fear that he may lose this state in November. For sure, the President is just so out of touch that he thinks this is a good time to observe his wall while Americans suffer.
Whatever the reason for the visit, it’s another opportunity for Arizonans to shake their heads in disbelief that we could have a President of the United States of America who has nothing else to do but galavant around the country and stare at a wall while Americans suffer from two of the worst crises of our lifetimes: one we have never experienced before, COVID-19, and one that has plagued us for centuries, racism. November cannot come soon enough.”
###