Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden is working to capitalize on President Donald Trump’s management of the coronavirus crisis, accusing the Trump administration of “severe shortcomings” in its response to the pandemic.
But Biden deployed an already-debunked Democratic talking point in Thursday remarks aimed at showcasing his own ability to lead the country through the crisis. The former vice president falsely stated that the Trump administration has cut investments in global health, a claim the Washington Post’s fact checker rated “Three Pinocchios” just days ago.
“By cutting our investment in global health, this administration has left us woefully unprepared for the exact crisis we now face,” Biden said in his address. The attack mirrored a February tweet from Sen. Chris Murphy (D., Conn.) that accused Trump of shutting down “37 of 47 global anti-pandemic programs.”
Both Biden and Murphy were referring to the Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA), which the United States helped fund through a $600 million supplemental package to the CDC in 2015. As the initial funding dwindled in early 2018, reports emerged suggesting the Trump administration would scale back GHSA operations in all but 10 countries. But the cuts never happened, and the Trump administration’s proposed 2021 budget includes an increase in the GHSA’s annual appropriation. – READ MORE
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